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Easy easy

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

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By: Nicole 8 Comments
Posted: 10/30/18 Updated: 09/04/19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

These Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter require only FOUR ingredients – sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. They’re the perfect alternative to sweet potato casserole, and a little bit healthier too! 

4 Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Brown Sugar

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

We’re exactly one day out Halloween, and I’m already on to Thanksgiving — food-wise. Although, there’s really only about three weeks until the big day, so actually, in the blog world, you’re basically late to the party if you haven’t shared any Thanksgiving dishes yet. (We shared this stuffing and this green bean casserole in the last few weeks.)

Any big plans for Halloween?? We’ve got party tonight, a neighborhood trick-or-treating event tomorrow afternoon and then we’re hitting up the houses in our neighborhood in the evening. Wrapping it up with a giant vat of this chili and some hot apple cider. I’m pretty stoked. So is my T-Rex toddler.

4 Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Brown Sugar

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

And now, let’s address the most creamy, nutty, perfect 4-INGREDIENT Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

This is for those sweet potato casseroles haters out there. While I do I adore a little tiny portion of the sweet concoction on my plate, some people don’t appreciate it in all its glory as a side. This takes the same concept and makes it a little bit more palatable for those that don’t have a giant sweet tooth, but still want the essence of a classic sweet potato casserole.

I hope the pictures speak for themselves, because these guys are SO delicious. And simple!

Of course, there’s the sweet potato which is innately sweet (hence the name) to begin with. When you add a little bit of brown sugar and some half and half,they’re upgraded from just a sweet undertone to a more noticeable, but still subtle sweet taste that I adore. Although much less intense than a typical sweet potato casserole.

4 Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Brown Sugar

Is there anything brown butter doesn’t make better?

Next up, brown butter! Oh, how I love thee. This time of year is when I add it to pretty much anything, and honestly I haven’t found one items it doesn’t elevate. Here, it adds this perfectly nutty, savory, richness to the mashed sweet potatoes that compliments them perfectly.

You know the drill. Add the butter to a small pan, turn the heat on medium-high and wait until it starts to turn a golden brown. When that happens, swirl the pan until the butter is a deep brown color and smells nutty. Turn off the heat and pour into the sweet potatoes. So easy.

Make sure to season with plenty of salt and pepper, and top the hot potatoes with a little sprinkle of brown sugar and flaked Maldon salt if you’ve got it.

Thanksgiving Potato Recipes

We’re all about the potatoes at our Thanksgiving table! If you’re into to tradition, be sure to check out the recipe for our famous creamy Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe. These potatoes are out of this world delicious, plus we talk about how to make PERFECT mashed potatoes every single time. If you’re willing to go a little bit out of the box, I’d suggest, these Creamy Pumpkin and Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes. 

Other Thanksgiving Recipes

This Homemade Green Bean Casserole takes a shortcut with canned green beans, but skips the cream of mushroom for a homemade mushroom sauce. Delicata Squash, Pancetta and Sage Stuffing is the perfect stuffing for a crowd that likes something a little more out of the box. On the other hand, if your guests are into tradition, this Simple Leek and Sage Stuffing would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table.

4 Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Brown Sugar

4 Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Brown Sugar

4-Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 25 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total: 30 minutes minutes
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These 4-Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter would make the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu! Quick, easy, and SO delicious!
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6 people

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, plus more for garnish
  • 1/3 cup half and half
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Flaked maldon salt to taste

Equipment

  • potato masher
  • stock pot

Instructions

  • Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill with enough cold water to cover potatoes. Place potatoes on the stove and bring to a boil and then reduce to a slow bowl (medium heat) until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
  • While potatoes cook, add butter to a small skillet. Turn the heat on medium-high, and once the butter begins to brown on the edges, swirl the pan. Keep swirling the pan until the butter becomes a deep brown and smells nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Pour into a small bowl, and make sure to get all the little brown bits (There's a lot of flavor in them!).
  • Drain potatoes, and if needed, pat potatoes dry. Working in batches, run potatoes through ricer and back into pot. If you don't have a ricer, just use a potato masher.
  • Once potatoes are smooth, use a potato masher to blend in brown butter, brown sugar, half and half, and salt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garish with a little bit of brown sugar and flaked Maldon salt. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 317kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 40g (13%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 17g (26%), Saturated Fat: 11g (69%), Cholesterol: 45mg (15%), Sodium: 481mg (21%), Potassium: 539mg (15%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 15g (17%), Vitamin A: 21969IU (439%), Vitamin C: 4mg (5%), Calcium: 72mg (7%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

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4-Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!

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  1. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    Posted on 11/2/16 at 11:34 pm

    Sounds like you had a wonderful, and busy, Halloween!! Our neighborhood doesn’t get any trick-or-treaters, so it was very low key here. Anyways, these mashed sweet potatoes look phenomenal!! Brown butter + brown sugar + sweet potatoes = HEAVEN. Seriously, I could eat the entire bowl of these mashed ‘taters! SO GOOD! Pinned! Cheers and thanks for sharing the yum!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 11/3/16 at 4:36 am

      What is with the no trick-or-treaters?? I don’t get it! Thanks so much Cheyanne!

      Reply
  2. Amanda says

    Posted on 10/6/19 at 5:19 am

    I just wanna say that I have made these a couple of times now and they are by far the best sweet potatoes I’ve ever tasted! They are shockingly good and even my kids don’t eat vegetables think they taste incredible! It’s becoming “my thing quote to bring these potatoes to feasts I just want to say that I have made these a couple of times now and they are by far the best sweet potatoes I’ve ever tasted! They are shockingly good and even my kids they don’t eat vegetables think they taste incredible! It’s becoming “my thing “to bring these potatoes to feasts.

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      Posted on 10/6/19 at 5:19 am

      Arrrgh!! Sorry my phone doubled the text.

      Reply
  3. Persevering Lily says

    Posted on 11/26/20 at 1:30 am

    The description at the beginning includes cinnamon, but cinnamon is not mentioned in the recipe.

    This page is confusing.

    I guess you add a dash of cinnamon to the potatoes before mashing?

    It said the four ingredients are SPs, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon.

    The recipe it’s self has 5 ingredients and doesn’t mention cinnamon at all.

    Either change the introductory description or change the recipe to add a dash of cinnamon, then change the recipe name so it doesn’t say the number 4 anymore.

    I’m going to try this recipe today. It looks yummy because of your pictures.

    I guess I’ll just follow the recipe card part. You can’t go wrong with butter, cream and brown sugar.

    I’ve never tried brown butter in my sweet potatoes before.

    Reply

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Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved into an equal love of showing you easy elevated meals can be approachable and most importantly, tasty.

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