Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Every now and then the doll doesn't use real butter. You must try this guilt-free and delicious recipe.
During quarantine, I had a client who was battling cancer and had recently been released from the hospital from a battle with COVID. We started a vegan diet plan for him to build up his strength and eventually he was able to return to activities of daily living like cooking for himself. After a few weeks of his family ordering meals, he started to develop his favorites. He ordered vegan mashed sweet potatoes every other week and I loved it because I got to save myself a small bowl from the bottom of the pot to snack on during the rest of my cooking. When first creating vegan dishes, I was afraid of certain foods like mashed potatoes or soups would still have their rich and creamy flavor. And if there’s one thing you’ll learn about me: I’m a butter girl. I’ve found that vegan butter is very much the same when cooking or baking.
You’ll need some nice-sized sweet potatoes. Be sure to break the tip to make sure that they aren’t stringy. My grandma taught me this growing up. You want to bake your sweet potatoes for the richest flavor. If I’m in a hurry, I like to use my instapot and pressure cook the potatoes for 1 to 2 minutes. Once your potatoes are fork-tender, transfer them back into the pot or a large bowl. I like to use my potato masher or hand mixer to get the desired mash. Lastly, I fold in full-fat coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, brown sugar, and a sprinkle of kosher salt. If you’re looking for a little more sweetness, I like to add agave nectar or pure maple syrup. You won’t regret it!
What You Need:
2 lbs of Sweet Potatoes, this is enough for 4-5 servings
4 to 5 tbsp of Vegan Butter
1/3 cup of Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk, add more to loosen up the mashed potatoes if needed
2 tbsp of Vanilla Extract
1½ tsp of Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp of Ground Allspice
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tbsp of Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
What to Do:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Dip your finger in the water and taste to make sure it is not too salty.
Cut the peeled potatoes into large chunks or slices before adding them to the water to boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are fork-tender. You can also bake them in the oven at 425 F for up to 45 minutes. I like to place mine in the instapot with a 2/3 cup of water and pressure cook for 2 minutes.
Use a potato masher or hand mixer to turn the chunks of sweet potatoes into the mash of your desire.
Add in the coconut milk, brown sugar, and remaining ingredients and fold until they are smooth. Feel free to add more spices if needed.
Serve warm with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Be sure to tag me in any pictures at @elle.thefoodie! Eat up!