Need a new way to jazz up sweet potatoes? Try this spicy, sweet, and savory Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe—from start to finish, it can be made in just 30 minutes! Perked up with a dash of cayenne pepper, lime juice, and fresh cilantro, this vegan, Whole30, and paleo mash goes well with everything!
Not Your Ordinary Sweet Potato Mash
Most mashed sweet potato recipes are overly sweet and just plain one-dimensional. Not this one! My nomtastic version combines the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes, the tingle of cayenne pepper, the zing of fresh lime juice, the assertively herbaceous kick of fresh cilantro—all tied together with a splash of creamy coconut milk. The resulting paleo-friendly mash makes the perfect accompaniment for a meal as special as Thanksgiving Spatchcocked Turkey or one as simple as weeknight Cracklin’ Chicken.
What Kind of Sweet Potato Should You Use?
For this recipe, use the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes that can be easily found at most local grocery stores, like the garnet or jewel varieties. You’ll end up with a dazzling orange mash that will cook in just 10 minutes under high pressure.
Pro tip: cut the sweet potatoes into pieces that are no thicker than 1-inch so they’ll soften uniformly in the pot.
Better in an Instant Pot
I’m always extolling the virtues of pressure cooking in an electric pressure like the Instant Pot. After all, if you can make a dish faster and easier, why wouldn’t you? This Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potato recipe is no exception!
Please note that in this recipe, the only liquid you need to add is a half cup of coconut milk. No, it’s not a typo. The sweet potatoes will end up releasing their own liquid and the contents will come up to pressure without burning. Trust me—have I ever steered you wrong? Also, you can pressure-cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm until you’re ready to season and mash them!
Need more Instant Pot recipes? Go here for my epic list.
No Instant Pot?
No problem! You can cook this sweet potato mash on the stovetop instead—but it’ll take longer and you’ll have to baby-sit it. Simply add the ingredients in a large saucepan, bring them to a boil, and simmer covered for 40 to 50 minutes or until the sweet potato pieces are fork tender.
Make Ahead, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
The best thing about this Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potato recipe is that you can make it ahead and it’ll still reheat beautifully. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
You can easily reheat the sweet potato mash in the microwave, on the stovetop, or even in your Instant Pot on the sauté setting. If you want to make it ahead and serve it for company, add the cayenne pepper, lime juice, and fresh cilantro after you reheat the mash—no one will suspect that it’s not made to order!
Ingredient Substitutions
- No coconut milk? You can use another dairy-free milk in place of the coconut milk or even heavy cream if you eat dairy.
- Hate spicy? Leave out the cayenne pepper and season to taste with black pepper instead.
- Does cilantro taste soapy to you? For all you cilantro haters, minced chives are a great replacement.
- No limes? Adding fresh lime juice helps balance the sweetness of the taters and the heat from the cayenne, but you can leave it out if you want a more traditional mashed sweet potato dish. If you like the acidity but don’t have limes on hand, lemon juice or sherry vinegar also works.
More Whole30 Vegetable Mash recipes
- Garlic Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
- Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash (Stovetop)
- Instant Pot Autumn Vegetable Mash
- Carrot and Parsnip Puree
Time to Make Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (I like using Garnet sweet potatoes or other orange fleshed sweet potatoes)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Equipment:
- All my favorite tools are listed here. This is my favorite Instant Pot model.
Method:
Plop the sweet potatoes, minced garlic, salt, and coconut milk in the metal insert of an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.
Lock the lid…
…and program the Instant Pot to cook under high pressure for 10 minutes.
When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, release the pressure immediately.
Add in the cayenne pepper and lime juice.
Blitz the vegetables with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Mix in the cilantro (or chives if you’re a cilantro hater)…
…stir well, and plate it up!
This Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes is perfect for fast weeknight meals or fancy holiday suppers!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Vegan, Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (use orange flesh sweet potatoes)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or another dairy-free milk
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro or minced chives
Instructions
- Plop the sweet potatoes, minced garlic, salt, and coconut milk in the metal insert of an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.
- Lock the lid and program the Instant Pot to cook for 10 minutes under high pressure.
- When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, release the pressure immediately.
- Add in the cayenne pepper and lime juice.
- Blitz the vegetables with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Mix in the cilantro (or chives for you cilantro haters) and serve!
Video
Notes
- Dump the sweet potatoes, garlic, coconut milk, and salt in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Then, turn down the heat to maintain a simmer.
- Cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until the sweet potato pieces are easily pierced with a fork.
- Add in the cayenne pepper and lime juice. Blitz with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Mix in the cilantro.
- If you are making this ahead, don’t add the cayenne pepper, lime juice, and cilantro until you reheat it.
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Gary L Nelson says
I have been looking for a quick and easy way to cook sweet potato this one is quite special. I encourage anyone who likes sweet potato’s to try this one.
Nick says
Can’t wait to try this. Always struggling for a quick weekday side. Any tips on best way to defrost/reheat?
Sara P says
this was great! I was nervous about the flavor profile so I added less cayenne pepper and lime juice – but next time will do the whole bit. You could definitely use this for sweet potato casserole. I admit – I didn’t add cilantro (though I love it) – I just took the easy way out and dumped some everything bagel seasoning on my bowl – just my go to with sweet potatoes. Thanks for a great addition to my instant pot recipes!
Paulette Hughes says
Okay well one problem, I do not like spicy foods but the idea of cooking the sweet potatoes in the instant pot with the (cream, or half and half) sounded so easy. Plus I would then add my choice of ingredients, like maple syrup, cinnamon and butter. The potatoes were cooked perfectly after 10 minutes in the instant pot problem was the half and half didn’t do well. It kind of solidified. Looked awful but still tasted okay, I ran it through the blender, for quite a bit, added my butter, maple syrup and cinnamon and it was fine. But if your recipe says you can substitute dairy like half and half, ADVISE people to add the dairy after you’ve cooked the potatoes in the instant pot!! Then it won’t curdle or look gross when you open the instant pot.
Paulette Hughes says
Please advise those using dairy instead of Coconut milk to NOT add the dairy BEFORE cooking the sweet potatoes in the instant pot. If you add dairy in before cooking the dairy will curdle, look gross and ruin your sweet potatoes. Cook the sweet potatoes in the instant pot for 10 minutes then add your dairy and choice of ingredients, you’ll be glad you did.
Michelle Tam says
Coconut milk will also look gross—but a quick blend in the blender will make it all better.
Lisa McKenzie says
Thanks for the fabulous recipe. Turned out great. We had a Nomtastic Thanksgiving and hope you did, too!
Gee says
Where did you get that beautiful serving dish pictured with the finished sweet potatoes in the above picture?? I would so love to get one…
Michelle Tam says
I bought it from Miya company: https://www.miyacompany.com/j3272b-j3272b
Heidi says
I made this for Christmas Eve and everyone loved it! I double the recipe and added chives instead of cilantro.Thanks!