Cheddar Herb Sweet Potato Mash (Savory)

Cheddar herb sweet potato mash is the perfect Holiday side dish. This mashed sweet potato recipe is full with delicious savory ingredients like cheddar, garlic and sage because sweet potatoes are sweet enough on their own.

 

 

This savory cheddar herb sweet potato mash balances out all the other sweet dishes we often eat on Thanksgiving, such as baked honey balsamic brussels sprouts and this orange cranberry sauce. Too many sweet side dishes will make it more like a huge dessert.

 

And as we all know, we want dessert too, so we need that balance, right? Instead of the traditional pumpkin pie, try these pumpkin crème brûlées or even a decadent chocolate lava cake for dessert.

 

This mashed sweet potatoes recipe is a part of my Thanksgiving series, where I've made a complete Thanksgiving dinner for two (but easily made bigger for larger parties), where I've included a bunch of free planners and downloads as well.

 

 

And because you will likely have a lot of leftovers, I've also created this 7 Thanksgiving leftovers recipes that use the same exact leftovers. For example, this cheddar herb sweet potato mash and this creamy parmesan pumpkin pasta sauce together made a super simple sweet potato shepherd's pie!

 

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

 

So I've always thought yams and sweet potatoes are the same thing. And I'm kind of right. Yams sold in American grocery stores are the orange fleshed sweet potatoes. And that's exactly the thing I've used in this recipe as well.

 

There are however a side note to this. Real yams are actually more like a yucca in both texture and flavor. Their skin almost looks like a tree trunk, and a starchy, but not sweet, flesh. The reason for this mix-up is because Louisiana sweet potato growers marketed their orange-fleshed potatoes as “yams” to distinguish from other states' produce in the 1930s—and apparently it stuck! (source)

 

 

I don't think you need to worry about this too much, because real yams are actually pretty hard to find in the US and Europe, as it's more of a Caribbean/West-African root vegetable. If you find yourself in these areas, make sure you look for sweet potatoes and not yams.

 

There are subtle differences between orange fleshed sweet potatoes, but that's nothing to worry about, especially not in this recipe. White sweet potatoes are drier and wouldn't work in this recipe. I've never cooked with purple sweet potatoes, but they are jammed with antioxidants so they would be an even healthier mash. Read more about all of this on Bon Appetit.

 

What goes well with mashed sweet potatoes?

 

The first thing that comes to mind is Thanksgiving and turkey. But I think this cheddar herb sweet potato mash can be used wherever you would normally use regular mashed potatoes or even mashed cauliflower. It's the perfect potato dish to have next to any meat and gravy, meat loaf, sausage, chicken and mushrooms. Mashed potatoes are so versatile! On my must try list from other bloggers are these apple sauce pork tenderloin, baked crack chicken and blueberry braised short ribs.

 

As sweet potato is a little sweet on its own, even though I've savorized it, I would recommend not serving a very sweet main dish, such as a glazed pork or something in that category. Some love sweet on sweet on sweet, and then it would be a perfect match! I prefer it more sweet and salty, a sweet and savory balance.

 

I also always love to serve it with some green side dishes like crispy brussels sprouts, green beans, green bean casserole, or garlic kale!

 

 

I serve this sweet potato mash as a Thanksgiving side dish, with some other sweet elements such as honey balsamic baked brussels sprouts and orange cranberry sauce, but also savory sides such as garlic parmesan green beans, apple, sage and mushroom stuffing and the main citrus rosemary turkey breast (the two latter recipes can be found in my comprehensive Thanksgiving for Two post).

 

How long will sweet potato mash last?

 

Cooked sweet potato can last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. The same goes for this cheddar herb sweet potato mash. It can also last up to six months in the freezer, but quite possibly up to 10-12 months as well.

 

After it has thawed, it is safe to store in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. If it has been thawed in the microwave it should be consumed right away.

 

If your sweet potato mash has been in room temperature for over two hours, it is advisable to throw it away. Bacteria grow rapidly in temperatures between 40-140F (5-60C) and should not be consumed.

 

You know it has gone bad if it has an off smell or appearance. Discard before tasting.

 

But you will most likely not encounter this problem because there's no such thing as too much sweet potato mash!

 

 

How to Make Smoky and Crispy Sweet Potato Skins

 

Because I'm all about not wasting good ingredients, I like to make crispy sweet potato skins as an appetizer or snack while I'm cooking all the rest on Thanksgiving (or whatever day). If you want to make crispy sweet potato skins, peel the potato in as large pieces as you can, about ¼ inch thick.

 

Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all the sweet potato skins on the baking sheet in one single layer, making sure no pieces are touching each other. Bake until they are tender, about 20 minutes.

 

 

Meanwhile, mix together 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese, 4 chopped sage leaves (optional), ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika in a small bowl. Brush the tender sweet potato skins with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese mixture.

 

Put the broiler on the oven, or the hottest the oven will go. Broil until they are golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Once they are done, sprinkle with sea salt. Eat immediately.

 

 

To find the recipe for cheddar herb sweet potato mash, scroll down to the recipe card! Enjoy any day of the week, as a Thanksgiving or Holiday side or whatever you please!

 

 

Did you like this cheddar herb sweet potato mash? Then I know you'll love these as well!

 

• Herby and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Honey Balsamic Baked Brussels Sprouts
• Orange Cranberry Sauce
• Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
• Creamy Parmesan Pumpkin Pasta
• Thanksgiving for Two (including planners and schedules)
• 7 Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later! To make sure you’re never missing another recipe, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter, and as a thanks you will receive a free e-cookbook Travels Through the Seasons. 

 

In order to keep the blog up and running this post may contain affiliate links, it will be at no extra cost to you, please read the disclosure for more information.

 

Download your FREE copy of Travels Through the Seasons Cookbook here!