Mashed White Sweet Potatoes With Brown Butter

Creamy whipped Brown Butter Mashed White Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any cozy weeknight dinner or holiday meal! Easy to make swirled with caramelized butter infused with fresh sage and a pinch of nutmeg.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Roasting Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings people

Calories 356kcal

Author Rebecca Taig

Ingredients

3 pounds white sweet potatoes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (reserve 2 tablespoons of brown butter for the topping)
½ cup full-fat coconut milk or half-and-half, warmed (Add more or less milk if desired)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
8 sage leaves

Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a sharp knife, both front side and back. Place the potatoes on the lined baking sheet in a single layer and into the oven for 60-80 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven. You will know the potatoes are done once a knife easily glides through the middle. Set them aside for 5 minutes to cool.
Peel the potatoes. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl and discard the skin.
Break up the potatoes. Using a potato masher, potato ricer, hand mixer, or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mash the potatoes just enough to break up the starch. (I use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and I have also used a potato ricer.)
Brown the butter. In a medium-sized skillet melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the sage leaves. Continue to cook until the butter, whisking continuously, until it begins to foam and turn a nice golden-brown color with brown flecks at the bottom of the pan. The butter will start to omit a nutty aroma which is a good indication that it's close to finished. (There is a short window between burnt butter and brown butter, so make sure to watch closely.)
Remove the sage leaves. Once the butter has browned, remove the pan from the heat and quickly transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel using a slotted spoon or tongs. Pour the brown butter into a small glass bowl, and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Add the milk, butter, and spices. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the browned butter for the end, and add the rest to the bowl with the potatoes, along with warmed milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Mash the potatoes. Turn on the stand mixer or other method of choice, and mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add more warm milk if needed. Once the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.
Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining brown butter. Crumble a few sage leaves on top and add a few for garnish. Serve.

Notes

- Here is a full guide on how to brown butter.
- Storage – Cover the leftover sweet potatoes with aluminum foil or transfer them to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

- Reheating mashed potatoes – Reheat in the oven uncovered at 300°F for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave.
- Dairy-Free or Vegan: This recipe can be modified for both vegan lifestyles and dairy-free for dietary needs. Unfortunately, you can not brown vegan butter, as it's the casein milk solids in regular butter that produce the caramelized browning effects. Instead, use melted vegan butter or unrefined coconut oil.
- Potato ricer for mashing: If using a potato ricer for the potatoes, you may need only ½ cup of warmed milk.
- Add other herbs: Not a fan of sage? You can leave it out altogether and still brown the butter, or you could use fresh sprigs of rosemary, thyme, minced garlic, or green onions.
- Use different potatoes: You can use any other variety of potatoes including Yukon, garnet orange sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, or Korean Sweet Potatoes.

Nutrition