Welcome to the world of alt-mash, where it's not uncommon to come across eccentric characters like this vegan sweet potato mash with lime and spring onion. Offering up an explosion of flavour and colour, it's a gluten-free and dairy-free side dish that you're going to want on the menu.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that I bumped the saturation up to 100 when editing these photos. The truth is that sweet potato is packed full of the antioxidant beta-carotene, meaning the vibrant colours you see here are the colours you should get when making these mashed potatoes for yourself.
If you have any leftovers, try your hand at these sweet potato pancakes. And if this orange-ness is all too *mash* for you, head over to my post on the ultimate vegan mash (using regular ol' white potatoes).
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Are mashed sweet potatoes healthy?
As I mentioned earlier, sweet potatoes are packed full of the antioxidant beta-carotene. This, along with other nutrients such as fibre and plant-based protein, makes sweet potatoes an incredibly healthy and affordable food to put on your table.
In one serving of this vegan mash, you'll find:
- Calories: 323 kcal
- Protein: 6 grams (12% of RDA)
- Fibre: 10 grams (42% of RDA)
- Potassium: 1059 mg (30% of RDA)
For more healthy dishes involving sweet potato, check out my recipes for sweet potato and black bean chilli and quinoa stew with sweet potato, broccoli and lime.
What you'll need
To make this simple mashed sweet potato recipe, you'll need:
- Sweet potatoes as the star ingredient
- Nutritional yeast for cheesiness and depth of flavour
- Lime and spring onion to balance out the sweetness and add zing
How to make mashed sweet potatoes
Place the chopped sweet potatoes in a large pan and cover with an inch of cold water. Add a pinch of salt, then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. (This method is best for even cooking, but if you're in a hurry just use boiled water from a kettle).
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and remove the lid. Simmer for around 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork or knife.
Once cooked, drain the sweet potatoes well. After draining, return to the pan (off the heat) for a couple of minutes to allow more of the steam to escape.
After a couple of minutes, add the plant-based butter, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Mash well with a potato masher until smooth.
Add the sliced spring onions and the juice of half a lime (to start with), then stir through the mash using a wooden spoon. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, adding more lime juice if necessary, and serve.
Serving suggestions
Sweet potato mash is a great substitute in pretty much any scenario where you'd use regular mashed potatoes. Ideas include:
You could also substitute it into a vegan cottage pie or this ultimate vegan 'fish' pie.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, these mashed sweet potatoes are completely gluten-free.
While the skin is a delicious and nutritious component of sweet potatoes when roasted, it doesn't turn out as well when boiled like in this recipe. If you don't want to waste the skin, you can roast the potatoes, scoop out the flesh for the mash, and eat the skins separately.
This is usually because the potatoes are overcooked (often due to uneven chopping) and/or haven't been allowed to steam for a while after draining. If you want to avoid water altogether, you could cook the potatoes in a microwave or oven before mashing (but I've found that this isn't necessary).
Refrigerate the mash for up to four days.
Yes, you can freeze this mash for up to six months in containers or resealable bags. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Variations and tips for sweet potato mash
- Cream: For a creamier texture, try mixing through a few tablespoons of homemade cashew cream.
- Heat: Try adding chopped fresh chilli for a bit of a kick.
- Herbs: Stir in some chopped fresh coriander or parsley for additional flavour.
- Plant-based milk: I don't usually add any liquid to this mash since sweet potato tends to hold more moisture than other potatoes, but feel free to add some in if it seems too dry.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli
- Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
- Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
- Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
- Ultimate Vegan Mash
- Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
- Roasted Sprouts with Crispy Tofu Bacon
- Moroccan Couscous
You can also check out my full list of vegan side dishes.
Vegan Sweet Potato Mash
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs (1.2 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons plant-based butter
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 medium spring onions, finely sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chopped sweet potatoes in a large pan and cover with an inch of cold water. Add a pinch of salt, then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. (This method is best for even cooking, but if you're in a hurry just use boiled water from a kettle).
- Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and remove the lid. Simmer for around 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork or knife.
- Once cooked, drain the sweet potatoes well. After draining, return to the pan (off the heat) for a couple of minutes to allow more of the steam to escape.
- After a couple of minutes, add the plant-based butter, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Mash well with a potato masher until smooth.
- Add the sliced spring onions and the juice of half a lime (to start with), then stir through the mash using a wooden spoon. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, adding more lime juice if necessary, and serve.If you have any leftovers, try your hand at these sweet potato pancakes.
Notes
- Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
- Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
- Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
- Ultimate Vegan Mash
- Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
- Roasted Sprouts with Crispy Tofu Bacon
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli
Nutrition
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