With Thanksgiving coming up in just a few weeks, I felt inspired this past weekend to whip up a batch of mashed sweet potatoes. I have no problem with white potatoes, although they often get a bad rap, but sweet potatoes pack a better nutritional punch and I find them equally delicious. They also tend to cook faster, which is always a plus in my book!

This recipe only calls for six basic ingredients: sweet potatoes, butter (I used a plant-based one), salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne pepper. Because of the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the flavor of the spices, you can get away with using a small amount of butter without sacrificing taste. I find that while the dish is super healthy, it doesn’t taste like it. Something about the texture of the whipped potatoes and the combination of flavors makes them taste decadent and almost dessert-like. 

Although it takes some time to prepare since the potatoes have to bake for a while, this recipe only involves a few simple steps. Basically you just bake the potatoes until soft, remove the skins, and process them in a food processor with the butter and spices. I usually avoid recipes that require a food processor because I don’t like having to dig it out or clean it, but I made an exception here. This recipe is well worth it!

Another benefit to this recipe is the fact that it can be mostly made in advance and then frozen, which cuts down on prep time the day you want to serve it. For Thanksgiving, when you’re trying to get a bunch of dishes together at the same time, that’s a huge help. All you have to do with this if it’s pre-made is take it out of the freezer and reheat. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

If you’re looking for an alternative to standard mashed potatoes or the indulgent sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving, this recipe is a great option. Let me know if you try it!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
6 lbs sweet potatoes, washed
4 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter of choice) to start; add more to taste if desired
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pinch of ground allspice
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet covered with foil and roast until soft, about an hour or so.
3. Once cool enough to handle, remove skins from sweet potatoes.
4. Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.
5. If eating right away, transfer to a serving dish and enjoy. If freezing for later, let potatoes cool completely and then place in an airtight container and pop in the freezer. To reheat, either microwave until warmed through (make sure to stir often), or bake in the oven.

*Adapted from Food Network’s Make-Ahead Whipped Sweet Potatoes recipe.