Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
on Jan 05, 2022, Updated Sep 29, 2023
These Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes are so vibrant and colorful that you immediately feel like eating them. These are creamy and nutritious and come together in under 50 minutes.
Here are some more sweet potato recipes that you may like: Chicken Sweet Potato Soup, Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus, Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, and Thai Red Sweet Potato Curry.
About Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
Give your regular sweet potato mash a vibrant and beautiful twist with these one-pot Instant Pot mashed purple sweet potatoes. These are nutritious and comforting and make for an incredible side dish.
This purple sweet potato mash has a mild candy-sweet taste and is slightly sweeter than regular sweet potato mash.
I have adapted my classic Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe for purple sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Purple sweet potatoes are drier than regular potatoes, so I increased the quantity of a few ingredients to ensure they turn out perfectly creamy.
Serve them as a side dish topped with butter and crushed nuts. Their beautiful deep purple color will surely make your meal look even better.
Make this side dish for everyday meals, special occasions, or festivals. It is a great addition to the Thanksgiving table, Christmas dinner, or Valentine’s Day meals.
This purple sweet potato recipe is gluten-free and can be easily doubled or tripled. I made it in my 3-quart instant pot. If you’re doubling or tripling it, use a 6-quart instant pot. The cooking time will remain the same.
Ingredients
Purple Sweet Potatoes – You can select any variety of purple sweet potatoes. There are three varieties: Okinawan, Molokai, and Stokes.
You can find them in Asian supermarkets, farmers’ markets, or organic vegetable sections of large grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
The best time to find them is September through April.
Purple sweet potatoes have many health benefits. Read more about it here.
Olive Oil – Go for good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
Butter, Sour Cream, and Cream Cheese make the sweet potato mash rich and creamy. You can use unsalted or salted butter; it’s up to you.
Garlic – Fresh garlic makes everything taste even better. If fresh garlic is not available, you can add garlic powder.
Replace fresh garlic with roasted garlic to make the flavor even more complex.
You can add some unsweetened heavy cream to make the purple potato mash richer and creamier.
Add a little lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar if you like the mashed potatoes tangy.
How To Make Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
Preparation
Wash 2 pounds (1 kg) of purple sweet potatoes well and peel them using a vegetable peeler.
Note – You can leave the purple skin on if you like the earthy flavor, but if you like them creamy, then peel the skin.
Cut them into ½-inch cubes. Make sure the cubes are equal in size for even cooking. You can also slice the sweet potatoes into ½-inch thick round slices.
Tip – Keep the sweet potato cubes soaked in water until ready to use otherwise they will become black in color due to oxidation. I prefer to peel and cube them just before cooking.
Peel 4-5 garlic cloves and gather the remaining ingredients.
It’s better if the butter, cream cheese, and sour cream are at room temperature for easy mixing.
Cook The Purple Sweet Potatoes
Add the sweet potato cubes to a 3-quart instant pot along with 4-6 whole peeled garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup water.
Tip – You can replace water with vegetable or chicken stock for added flavor.
Put the lid on the instant pot and close it well.
Set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure.
The instant pot will take some time (approx 10-12 minutes) to build the pressure and start the timer.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Use a spoon or a kitchen towel to move the valve to avoid steam burn.
Once the pressure is released, open the lid.
Mash the Purple Sweet Potatoes
Mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher or an electric hand mixer. There is no need to drain the water.
Add the following ingredients to the pot and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy and everything is mixed well.
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
Check for salt and add more if required.
Transfer the purple mashed potatoes to the serving bowl. Top with a dollop of butter and serve hot.
Tip – If you are making these for a get-together, press the KEEP WARM setting of the instant pot and let the mashed potatoes be there for up to 3-4 hours. This way, you can make them beforehand, but they will be ready to serve when the dinner is served.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this recipe in a traditional pressure cooker, cook the purple sweet potato cubes with garlic, salt, and ½ cup of water in a cooker for 4 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Then, add the remaining ingredients and mash until the desired consistency is achieved.
Place the cubed purple sweet potatoes in a large pot with garlic and salt and cover them with water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium flame and boil the potatoes until fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and mash until the desired consistency is achieved. If the mashed potatoes are thick, add a little water.
To make vegan purple potato mash, skip adding dairy butter, sour cream, and cream cheese. Replace them with vegan butter and coconut milk.
Serving Suggestions
This purple sweet potato mash is a great side dish with grilled chicken, fish, grilled or sautéed veggies, or any curry and rice combination.
You can top them with butter and crushed nuts or with coconut oil and flaky sea salt.
To make it sweeter, drizzle maple syrup on top and sprinkle crushed pecans. This version is perfect for Thanksgiving or holiday meals.
Storage Suggestions
These mashed purple potatoes taste best when served warm, right out of the instant pot.
But if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Add some milk before storing them, as they will thicken once refrigerated. Add more milk before re-heating if they have still gotten thick and dry.
You can also freeze these in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bags for up to 4 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
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Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds purple sweet potatoes (1 kg, peeled and cubed)
- 4-6 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup water (or vegetable broth or chicken broth)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted, at room temperature)
- ½ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup cream cheese (ar room temperature)
Instructions
Cook The Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Add the purple sweet potato cubes to the instant pot along with garlic cloves, salt, and water.
- Put the lid on the instant pot and close it well.
- Set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 12 minutes on high pressure.
- The instant pot will take some time (approx 10-12 minutes) to build the pressure and start the timer.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Use a spoon or a kitchen towel to move the valve to avoid steam burn.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid.
Mash the Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher or a hand blender. There is no need to drain the water.
- Add extra virgin olive oil, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese to the pot and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy and everything is mixed well. Check for salt and add more if required.
- Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to the serving bowl. Top with a dollop of butter and serve hot.
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