Dairy-free Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes are super flavorful and easy to make. Enjoy them during the holidays or any night of the week. The addition of coconut milk and cinnamon makes them a delicious yet lighter alternative to the traditional marshmallow topped casserole.
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When making mashed potato recipes like dairy-free olive oil mashed potatoes, it's common to boil the potatoes first. However, with sweet potatoes, this can result in a watery mash.
Instead, I like to make mashed baked sweet potatoes, with canned coconut milk taking the place of butter, olive oil, and dairy. Seasoned with a touch of cinnamon, salt, and pepper, this is sure to become a favorite vegan side dish.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The sweet potatoes are baked rather than boiled before mashing, resulting in the perfect creamy texture.
- It's free from dairy, butter, and oil, yet tastes rich and decadent.
- You only need 5 ingredients to make it, including salt and pepper.
Ingredients
Coconut milk
- I recommend using full-fat unsweetened coconut milk that comes in a can. While you can use canned lite coconut milk, it's quite watery and won't result in the same consistency. On the other side of the spectrum, canned coconut cream will be too thick for this recipe.
- Shake the can before opening it and gently stir it once open to mix the cream on top into the milk.
- Transfer the unused coconut milk to a glass storage container with a lid and refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Variations
This recipe can also be made using purple sweet potatoes or Japanese Okinawan white sweet potatoes. And for flavor variations, try adding a pinch of chili powder, chipotle powder, or ground ginger. This dish can also be topped with toasted pecans or walnuts.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Instructions
- Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven until fork tender.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard. Add the flesh to a pan and start to mash.
- Add coconut milk and continue mashing until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with cinnamon and salt and pepper.
Amy's tip
You can bake the sweet potatoes in advance and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Serving suggestions
Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes are perfect as part of your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or any night of the week.
I love them with roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, cranberry raspberry sauce, and lentil meatloaf muffins.
Storing
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing for best results.
Recipe FAQs
At most supermarkets, absolutely nothing. "Most of the so-called yams you see in American grocery stores are actually orange-fleshed sweet potatoes," explains Mary-Frances Heck, author of cookbook Sweet Potatoes. She says the reason for the name mix-up is because Louisiana sweet potato growers marketed their orange-fleshed as “yams” to distinguish from other states' produce in the 1930s. And the name stuck.
While they both are made from coconuts, the canned version is thicker and meant for cooking. The boxed version is watered down and best as a beverage for using in cereal and in drinks like my pineapple green smoothie.
There should be very little resistance when you insert a fork or small sharp knife into the cooked sweet potato. If it's still hard in the center, bake it longer and check again.
More vegan sweet potato recipes
Made this recipe? Have a question? Please leave a comment below. 💙 And for even more recipes, join the Plant Forward Vegan Recipes Facebook group for community, inspiration & fun!
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- ½ can unsweetened coconut milk*, (NOT coconut milk beverage)
- ground cinnamon, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh chives, minced, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a fork, prick the clean sweet potatoes in a few spots, then place on the lined baking sheet. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45-60 minutes, depending on their size.2 pounds sweet potatoes
- When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin.
- In a medium pan over medium-low heat, mash the peeled sweet potatoes with a potato masher. Add the coconut milk as you mash, starting with ¼ of the can and adding more as needed.½ can unsweetened coconut milk*
- Season the mashed sweet potatoes a few pinches of cinnamon and salt and pepper, to taste.ground cinnamon, salt and pepper
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chives, if using. Or refrigerate until ready to serve. The mashed sweet potatoes can be reheated over medium-low heat. Add some of the extra coconut milk, as needed.fresh chives
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
This recipe is was originally sponsored by Hilary's. The post has been updated for better user information and new photos, but the recipe remains the same. I served the Mashed Sweet Potatoes as the base for sautéed spinach, Hilary's Adzuki Bean Veggie Burger, sautéed cremini mushrooms, and Hilary's Remoulade Dressing, as shown in the photo below.
Saidi says
This was an absolute dream! Super easy to make and unbelievably delicious. We will be making this again for sure! It was an excellent addition to our vegan Thanksgiving feast. Thank you!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Saidi!
Margaret says
Do you think they can be put in a casserole dish and oven reheated?
Amy says
Hi Margaret, yes, they reheat very well.
Jane Union says
I made the recipe and after mashing with the potatoes masher, I used my electric mixer and they came out even creamier. Thank you for the recipe. I love it.😊
Amy says
That's fantastic! I need to get a new electric mixer so I can do that, too!
kelly says
Yum! And so much healthier than other sweet potato recipes. Having these as a choice at a potluck will help me avoid the unhealthy sweet potato dishes!
Amy says
Yes! So much healthier than the marshmallow version. 😉