These silky mashed purple sweet potatoes are easy and quick to prepare, packed with unique flavors and are naturally healthy. They are also unbelievably creamy and rich plus, look at their stunning vibrant violet color! Perfect as a dairy-free and gluten-free side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas that everyone will enjoy.
As we are getting into the holiday season, I have been working on vegan comfort food recipes that are festive and delicious enough to win a spot on any winter celebration table.
You might have seen my vegan Swedish meatballs paired with a vegan onion gravy, or this yummy vegan coq au vin, which is exactly what I'm planning to bring to our family Thanksgiving dinner, with a side of mashed sweet potato and cauliflower. And now that I have made this stunning and vibrant purple sweet potato purée, there is simply no other option than to also include this amazing side dish on the menu!
Not only will these mashed purple sweet potatoes catch the attention of everyone with their beautiful bright lavender color, but also, they require only 4 simple ingredients (+salt). And they can be whipped up so easily! They also mash to the most velvety texture I have ever seen, with barely any effort or fancy equipment.
Let me know if you give them a try! ❤️
Jump to:
- ➡️ Savory mashed purple sweet potatoes
- 🌱 Purple sweet potatoes health benefits
- 🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- 🍠 What kind of purple sweet potatoes to choose
- 🍽 How to make mashed purple sweet potatoes
- ✅ Can I bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them?
- ❗️Can I make this purple mash sweet?
- 💡 Cooking tips
- 🍴 Serving suggestions and toppings
- ❗️ How to store purple mashed potatoes
- ❓ FAQs
- 🌱 Other vegan sweet potato recipes you might like
- 📖 Recipe
➡️ Savory mashed purple sweet potatoes
Regular orange sweet potatoes are naturally SO sweet! Unless you pair them with savory ingredients, like in these sweet potato sushi rolls, you might feel like their sweetness is just too powerful. Purple sweet potatoes are less sweet than the regular orange ones, which might be something you are looking for.
They taste quite different from other sweet potatoes with subtle natural smoky notes, you might even detect some red wine flavor in the background. Their flavor is simply unique!
When paired with coconut milk, they easily reach an impressive creamy texture that's almost whipped. I love to add garlic and chives too that balance out their deep and candy-like natural flavor.
🌱 Purple sweet potatoes health benefits
Purple potatoes are such a nutritious vegetable to add to your diet!
They are packed with fiber, minerals and tons of vitamins (particularly vitamin C and B-Carotene). Also, their deep purple color is a reflection of their high content of anthocyanins, which is a type of flavonoids that have a powerful antioxidant effect (source from Healthline- 7 benefits from purple yams).
And even though they are quite sweet, they have a low glycemic index, which can help avoid spikes in your blood sugar.
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Purple sweet potatoes: they are usually easy to find, but you could also use regular orange potatoes instead if you cannot find them.
- Coconut cream: I usually simply use the top solid portion from a can of coconut milk, then I keep the remaining water for smoothies. You can also find canned coconut cream. Just make sure it is unsweetened!
- Fresh garlic: start with a small clove and add more for a more garlicky mash. I found that the garlic flavor intensifies with time.
- Chives: adds a subtle pungent flavor. Can also use green onions or even finely diced shallots.
⭐️ Full list of ingredients (with quantities) down below in the recipe card!
🍠 What kind of purple sweet potatoes to choose
There are a few kinds of purple sweet potatoes, but you will find in grocery stores mostly these 2 varieties:
- Okinawan: Also called Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes, they have a flesh with a deep purple color, but with a lighter skin that's mostly beige/white.
- Stokes: Feature a very deep purple flesh with a skin that's also darker, from purple to reddish.
Both kinds of potatoes will work well, so use the one you can find. Stokes purple sweet potatoes are more widely available and are the ones I used to make this recipe.
If they are too difficult to find in your regular grocery store, then check out in an Asian supermarket if you have one nearby. You can also order them online from the company Frieda's.
🍽 How to make mashed purple sweet potatoes
Step 1: Clean and peel the sweet potatoes.
Step 2: Then chop in 1-inch size slices or cubes.
Step 3: Transfer to a medium pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then, turn down the heat to medium-low and keep simmering for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Step 4: Use a hand masher to mash the potatoes as smooth as you can. Keep mashing until velvety and uniform with no more large pieces.
Step 5: Scoop the hard part of a can of coconut milk or use a can of coconut cream. If your can of coconut milk does not have a solid top, then simply use regular coconut milk or plant-based milk.
Step 6: Add the coconut cream (or regular plant milk), with a good pinch of salt, a crushed clove of garlic and chopped chives. Stir well. Then, check the texture and taste so you can adjust the ingredients.
⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video!) down below in the recipe card!
✅ Can I bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them?
Although it takes more time, you can also bake the sweet potatoes in the oven.
In this case, poke a few holes in the potatoes using a knife or a fork. Then, wrap them in foil and place them in a preheated oven (425ºF). Bake for about 60 minutes, but if you have longer and thinner potatoes, they might be done after 45 minutes, just check on their doneness once in a while.
Then, let them cool down until you can handle them. Remove their peels (they should come easily simply by pulling on them) and transfer the flesh to a large bowl to keep going with the recipe as described.
❗️Can I make this purple mash sweet?
If you want to serve them sweet, then simply omit the garlic and chives altogether.
Mash the potatoes just the same as described using the coconut cream, but then add a splash of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon. You could also serve topped with roasted pecans or walnuts for a festive holiday look.
💡 Cooking tips
- The texture of the mashed potatoes will be pretty dense at first, especially before you add the cream. I recommend adding ½ cup of cream to make them fluffier, but add more as needed for an optimal texture.
- My potatoes were mostly long and skinny, so I simply peeled them and then sliced them about 1-2 inches thick. If you have rounder-oval-shaped potatoes, then you might want to dice them not too big to speed up the cooking. Feel free to also use a pressure cooker.
- Add the coconut cream while the potatoes are still warm so it can melt and be incorporated more easily.
🍴 Serving suggestions and toppings
These mashed sweet purple potatoes make for a great side dish to serve with vegan lentil pot pie and lentil meatloaf or use these colorful mashed potatoes for a fun twist when making a vegan shepherd's pie.
Top with some more coconut cream and chopped chives at serving for a nice contrasting pop of color. Feel free to also garnish with other fresh herbs like thyme, parsley and oregano. And if feeling like a treat, after the mashed potatoes are all done, swap the coconut milk topping for melted vegan butter!
❗️ How to store purple mashed potatoes
Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. They tend to firm up while resting in the fridge and can easily dry up, so be sure to keep them in an airtight container.
Also, if you have extra coconut cream left, then store it in the fridge in a small container too so you can add some more when reheating to recreate a super creamy texture.
❓ FAQs
This will depend on how smooth vs textured you want the consistency to be. I love extra smooth, so I always peel them, but keep some of the peel if you want a coarse texture.
Yes! Transfer to an air-tight container and keep in the freezer for a quick last-minute side dish. Best to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat, I like to add an extra splash extra of coconut milk (or regular plant milk) and mix vigorously to soften the mashed potatoes. Then, you can use the microwave (30 seconds, stir, 30 more seconds, repeat until done). Can also use the stove to reheat.
You will need a milky ingredient to cream and fluff the potatoes. I love coconut milk for its flavor and creamy consistency, but feel free to use any plant milk as long as it is unflavored and unsweetened.
🌱 Other vegan sweet potato recipes you might like
I hope you enjoy this purple sweet potato mash as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 purple sweet potatoes, medium size
- ½ cup coconut cream - see note, or regular plain vegan milk
- 1 small clove of garlic - crushed
- ½ tsp salt - or to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and slice them in thick pieces (about 1 ½ inches thick). Then, transfer to a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and let simmer until they are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain and return the potatoes to the pot to help evaporate the extra water/moisture.
- Mash until very smooth (I use a hand masher), then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir/mash well and taste to adjust the flavor. If the potatoes are still too dense, then add more milk/coconut cream until desired consistency.
- Serve warm as a side dish. Goes well with a lentil meatloaf, vegan meatballs, roasted tofu, etc. They make for a great Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish!
Video
Notes
- You can either use canned coconut cream or simply scrape the top solid cream part from a can of coconut milk (see video). It works better when the can is chilled for at least an hour before, especially when the weather is warm.
- Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Reheat using the microwave or on the stove. Can also be frozen. The mashed potatoes might get thicker as they cool down, so add some more milk/cream when reheating if needed.
- Both Stokes or Okinawan purple sweet potatoes work well for this recipe. You should be able to find them in a regular grocery store. If not, then check out an Asian supermarket or you can also buy them online through the company Frieda's.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
So delicious! Easy and very flavorful.
Great! Glad to hear you liked it!