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

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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

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
Next, place them in the slow cooker and cover with water.

cubed sweet potatoes in white slow cooker

Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Drain the excess water from the slow cooker.
Add in the butter and salt along with a small amount of the sour cream.

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.
Taste test to determine if additional salt is needed and serve!

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.

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.