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Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes In The Slow Cooker

Savory mashed sweet potatoes in the slow cooker are such an underrated variation of sweet potato sides! Just a few added ingredients can turn this vegetable into a tasty option to pair with your favorite main dishes. Start with this easy base recipe and customize the seasoning to your liking.

sweet potato mashed potatoes served in a bowl

Pair this creamy mash with your favorite proteins and other veggies. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, you can truly feel great about this side of potatoes!

Ingredients Needed

Sweet potatoes don’t have to be covered in syrupy or candied ingredients to be scrumptious. Although, if that’s your style, go for it! Savory mashed potatoes only need a few extra ingredients to bring out the natural flavor and enhance it! 

Customize the sweet potato mash to make it your own unique side.

You’ll need:

  • Sweet potatoes – This batch will use 3 pounds of potatoes which is roughly equal to 3-4 medium potatoes or 4-5 smaller potatoes. When they are peeled and chopped in similar sizes, they will cook at an even rate.
  • Butter – Because what are mashed potatoes without butter? Just a little extra will make these smooth and buttery.
  • Salt – You may prefer to add a smaller amount of salt to begin and add more as needed after taste-testing! I used regular table salt, but you can also get fancy with sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.
  • Sour cream – This is the magic ingredient in most mashed potato recipes! It works just as well here to ensure a creamy sweet potato mash.

How To Make Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes In The Slow Cooker 

  1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
  2. Next, place them in the slow cooker and cover with water.
  1. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  2. Drain the excess water from the slow cooker.
  3. Add in the butter and salt along with a small amount of the sour cream.
  1. Blend the potatoes with a hand mixer or potato masher and slowly add the rest of the sour cream. Keep mixing until the potatoes reach your desired consistency.
  2. Taste test to determine if additional salt is needed and serve! 
cooked sweet potato mash

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • If you decide to make savory mashed sweet potatoes without leaving enough time for the slow cooker, you can also cook them in the Instant Pot on high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow a natural steam release, then hand mash or use the hand mixer to integrate the other ingredients.
  • For an alternative to sour cream, try adding heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you get to your desired consistency or you could also use coconut milk. If you choose canned coconut milk, be sure to shake it up well beforehand to get all the creaminess!
  • Take this sweet potato base and flavor it as much or as little as you like. Other great savory seasonings would be a teaspoon or so of homemade garlic and herb seasoning, homemade ranch seasoning, or a little added garlic powder and parsley.
  • If you are more of a fan of mashed sweet potatoes, reduce the salt and mash in a little brown sugar and cinnamon until your sweet tooth is satisfied!
  • No need to miss out on mashed potatoes if you are on a dairy-free or vegan diet! Simply omit the butter or swap for vegan butter, and swap out the sour cream for an unsweetened non-dairy yogurt like coconut milk yogurt. You’ll still get the smooth texture and rich flavor from the potatoes.
unsweetened plain cultured coconut

What To Serve With Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

Sweet potatoes are such a classic side dish to serve with holiday meals or even just large gatherings full of comfort foods. You can easily make a large batch of mashed sweet potatoes and season it to complement your main dishes. Some excellent entrée options are:

Since these mashed potatoes are so simple to make, you could also include other sides such as a fresh garden salad or dinner rolls. Set the potatoes in the slow cooker early in the day and prep them in about 5 minutes later on!

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’re prepping meals ahead for the week, it would be so easy to portion out sweet potatoes with another veggie or protein for a healthy, balanced meal. Reheat in the microwave in less than a minute.

I don’t recommend freezing the mashed potatoes due to the addition of dairy content. 

sweet potato mashed potatoes served in a bowl

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes In The Slow Cooker

Jennifer Draper
Savory mashed sweet potatoes in the slow cooker are such an underrated variation of sweet potato sides! Just a few added ingredients can turn this vegetable into a tasty option to pair with your favorite main dishes. Start with this easy base recipe and customize the seasoning to your liking.
4 from 5 votes
Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 231 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • hand mixer or potato masher

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks.
  • Next, place potatoes in slow cooker and cover with water.
  • Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until potatoes are fork-tender.
  • Drain excess water from the slow cooker.
  • Add in butter, salt, and a small amount of sour cream.
  • Blend potatoes with a hand mixer or potato masher and slowly add the rest of the sour cream. Keep mixing until potatoes reach your desired consistency.
  • Add additional salt if needed and serve!

Notes

  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
  • Be sure to drain potatoes very well before mashing to ensure the right consistency.
  • Season with additional herbs and spices to your liking. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 337mgPotassium: 777mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 32294IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @slowcookergourmet or tag #slowcookergourmet!
Important nutritional disclaimer

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes FAQs

  • How do you make mashed sweet potatoes less stringy? To make mashed sweet potatoes less stringy, use a hand mixer (instead of hand mashing). The extra power of the mixer will blend them more evenly. 
  • Can you make savory mashed potatoes vegan? You can easily make a vegan variation of this recipe. Leave out the butter or use vegan butter instead, and instead of sour cream, choose a non-dairy yogurt. Be sure the yogurt is also unsweetened!
  • Can savory mashed sweet potatoes be made on the stovetop? To make this recipe on the stovetop, peel and dice the potatoes into smaller-sized pieces. Cover the sweet potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender (between 10-15 minutes), drain excess water, then mix in the added ingredients. 
  • Does the sweet potato have to be peeled before cooking? If you like, you can leave the potato skins on. However, traditional, creamy mashed potatoes are better achieved by peeling the potatoes first.

More Slow Cooker Side Dishes 

5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The best sweet potatoes I’ve ever had. Even my guest who don’t like sweet potatoes loved them. Can’t wait to make them again. Awesome!!!!!

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