Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Smoky chipotle revs up this Thanksgiving favorite

Thanksgiving is coming soon here in the US. And that means sweet potatoes are on the menu.

Sweet potatoes are naturally, well, sweet. So let’s take those innocent little spuds for a walk on the wild side. Smoky, spicy chipotle chilies can teach them to sing – and dance on your tongue.

Best of all, there’s no need to confine this dish to the Thanksgiving table. It’s so tasty, we predict you’ll find yourself serving it all year round. Sweet.



Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Recipe: Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

We use peeled, boiled sweet potatoes for this dish. But you can bake the sweet potatoes if you prefer. See Notes for instructions.

Prep time for this dish is about 5 minutes. Cooking adds another 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how you large you chunk up the sweet potatoes). Mashing takes a further 5 minutes.

This dish serves 4, but it’s easy to scale up if you’re feeding a crowd (see Notes).

Leftovers keep for a few days if refrigerated in an airtight container. Or you could fry the leftovers as potato pancakes the next morning. They’re wonderful served with crispy bacon and fried or poached eggs.

Ingredients
  • ~2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large ones)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt to season the cooking water (see Notes)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 whole chipotle pepper (or 2 if you like extra spicy; we use canned chipotles)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the chipotle can
  • salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon kosher salt for us; see Notes)
  • garnish of parsley (optional)
Procedure
  1. Fill a large (4-quart) cooking pot with water and place it over stovetop heat. Bring the water to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, wash the sweet potatoes and peel them. Cut them into dice of about ½ inch (or a bit larger). 
  3. When the water reaches the boiling point, add a tablespoon of salt to season it. Add the chopped sweet potatoes, then let the water return to a simmer (adjusting the stovetop heat if necessary). Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender (start testing after 4 minutes – though the sweet potatoes usually take at least 5 minutes to cook, and sometimes up to 10 minutes; they’re tender when a fork slides easily into the sweet potato cubes).
  4. Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the cooking pot. Cover the pot and let the sweet potatoes sit for about 2 minutes. (This helps release any excess water they may have absorbed.)
  5. Mash the sweet potatoes: Pour them into a large bowl (we use a stand mixer for mashing, so we use the mixer bowl). Add the butter and begin mashing the sweet potatoes with the mixer’s flat beater (or, if preparing by hand, use a potato masher).
  6. When the sweet potatoes are about half mashed, dice a canned chipotle pepper (or two) and add it to the potatoes. Add a teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce the chilies are packed in.
  7. Continuing mashing. Just before the sweet potatoes are fully mashed, taste them and add salt to taste. Continue mashing until the sweet potatoes are soft and creamy.
  8. Serve and enjoy. We like to add a parsley sprig or a sprinkling of minced parsley for garnish.
Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Notes
  • If you prefer to bake the sweet potatoes for this recipe, here’s how: Scrub the sweet potatoes and poke a few holes in each one with a fork. Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour (until they’re soft). Let the sweet potatoes cool just enough so you can handle them. Then scrape the skin off the sweet potatoes and proceed with Step 5.
  • You can also microwave the sweet potatoes for this recipe: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes of ½ inch or less. Place them in a covered, microwave-safe dish (we like to use Pyrex) and nuke for 5 minutes. Test the sweet potatoes for doneness. If they need more cooking time, stir the sweet potatoes and continue microwaving in 1-minute increments until they’re done.
  • You can easily scale up this recipe to feed a larger crowd. We generally use 1 canned chipotle chile pepper and 4 tablespoons of butter for every 2 pounds of sweet potatoes. If you really like spicy, you can increase that to 2 chipotles.
  • Add more butter if you want a richer dish.
  • Add ½ cup of cream if you want softer mashed potatoes.
  • We think sweet potatoes are plenty sweet as is. But if you want a sweeter dish, add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or brown sugar to the dish (add this in Step 6.) Honey would work, too.
  • Chipotles are smoke-dried jalapeƱo peppers. Their flavor is spicy, but not fiery. You can buy them dried, but we prefer to use the canned version.
  • In the US, canned chipotle chilies tend to be sold in 7-ounce containers. The adobo sauce they’re packed in has a tangy vinegar flavor.
  • What to do with the leftover chipotle peppers (you’ll be using only part of the can in this recipe)? We place the rest of them in a small airtight container and store them in the refrigerator until we have another use for them. They’ll keep for weeks. You can also freeze them.
  • We use kosher salt for cooking and baking. Kosher salt is less salty by volume than regular table salt (its crystals are large and more coarse, so they don’t fill a measuring spoon as tightly). If you’re using regular table salt, use about half as much as we suggest. But, as always, adjust the seasoning to your taste.
  • We don’t generally use black pepper in this dish. But feel free to add some if you’d like (when you taste for salt in Step 7).
Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mash Up

“Love the chipotle in this dish,” said Mrs. Kitchen Riffs. “Sweet deal.”

“This recipe is easy to make too,” I said. “Short and sweet.”

“Yup, it’s a monster mash,” said Mrs K R.

“I’m sweet on it myself,” I said.

“So I can sweet talk you into making this again?” said Mrs K R.

You bet your sweet patootie.

You may also enjoy reading about:
Roast Sweet Potatoes
Roast Potatoes
Sweet-Potato Hash with Bacon
Roast Brussels Sprouts
Hashed Brussels Sprouts
Sweet Potato and Rosemary Casserole
Or check out the index for more

96 comments:

Fran @ Gday Souffle said...

The flavor of chipotle peppers is great- I find that I can only use 1/2 chipotle pepper from the can, otherwise I have to reach for the first fire hydrant.This dish would certainly put a few smiles on people's faces at Thanksgiving!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Fran, smiles are definitely included with this recipe! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Sippity Sup said...

You and your patootie could make it for me too! (insert smiley face here) GREG

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Greg, LOL! You'll love this -- super good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Pam said...

I like the sweet/spicy/smokey combination. These sweet potatoes look delicious.

Natalia said...

Looks so yummy, I would love to try this:)

Angie's Recipes said...

I love the add of chipotle peppers in this beautiful and delicious side dish.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pam, we love the combo of flavors in this. SO good! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Natalia, it IS yummy. You'll like. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Angie, one can never have chipotle enough, can one? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Laura Dembowski said...

This is a great recipe because while I love marshmallows, adding them to sweet potatoes feels more like dessert than a side. This would be the perfect balance of flavors.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Laura, these have just enough sweetness to them. Although no reason why you couldn't add much more and turn this into dessert! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Vicki Bensinger said...

I love how you've kicked these sweet potatoes up a couple notches. Great idea for added flavor. I need to try this.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Vicki, you do need to try this! Wonderful flavor. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Nisha @ Honey, What's Cooking said...

I've experimented with chipotle in sweet potato home fries, but this is a first. Yum in mashed potatoes!!

Amira said...

Oh, sweet potatoes in a savory dish, yumm. I am not used to that but for sure I do not mind trying. This looks amazingly delish.

Deb|EastofEdenCooking said...

These spicy, mashed sweet potatoes would indeed make a wonderful breakfast! I'm very much liking the idea of waking everyone up the morning after Thanksgiving with a serving of these. Leftovers never looked better! (I never use an entire can of chipotle peppers either. I divide up whatever I don't use and keep them in the freezer.)

Yi @ YiReservation said...

This sounds right up to my alley. I'd probably need 2 chipotle peppers as I love it spicy. Can't wait to make it soon!

Sue/the view from great island said...

This is such an amazing combination...I'm so over the sickly sweet marshmallow thing, spicy is where it's at!!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Nisha, chipotle and sweet potatoes have such an affinity for each other, don't you think? We love that pairing! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Amira, sweet potatoes are SO good in savory dishes! Like a whole new vegetable. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Deb, I have used an entire can of chipotles before (in chili), but it was a mistake. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Yi, love spicy! And two chipotles would definitely do the trick. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Sue, spicy is definitely where it's at! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi John, love how you spiced up these sweet potatoes, sweet and spicy!!!!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Cheri, sweet potatoes take so well to spicy! Lovely flavor combo. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Barbara | Creative Culinary said...

I did the old fashioned sweet potato casserole with that crumbly topping with jalapenos one year and now it's the only way we eat them. That bit of heat is EVERYTHING. I love the sound of chipotle too and it's funny...when we first moved to Denver I wanted anything with heat gone from dishes. Now it's just the opposite...bring it on!!

Liz (Good Things) said...

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! That is all.

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

John what a nice major twist of mashed potatoes. i have always been a big fan of sweet potatoes. Personnaly done on the bbq is my fave. And kicking the heat up here, great idea. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Barbara, we often do a sweet potato casserole that's heavy on cayenne. Heat + sweet potatoes = mouth bliss. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Liz, 'nough said. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Evelyne, sweet potatoes are great no matter how you prepare them! So versatile. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Unknown said...

Thank you for this! I'm always looking for new ways to eat sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, I won't be able to pass this off at Thanksgiving...Trace is very attached to his family's sweet potato casserole. But, definitely in my regular dinner rotation soon!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Nazneen, we love sweet potatoes, so we're always looking for new ways to eat them, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Ala said...

I *love* chipotle. Seriously, I hated working with it but then I tried this chipotle mayo dressing and I was completely sold. This? Saving it and you bet I'm making it this holiday season!

Kushigalu said...

I love chipotle, I love sweet potatoes but never tried combining the two. This sounds so interesting and looks so delicious! Thank you for sharing!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Ala, chipotle has wonderful flavor, doesn't it? So lovely with sweet potatoes! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Kushi, the two have an amazing affinity. Definitely worth a try! Thanks for the comment.

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Mmmmm....mashed sweet potatoes with a bit of heat sound amazing!! Unexpected, yet delicious!! Perfect way to shake up the holiday menu.

Mae Travels said...

Your combination of sweet and hot flavors would really taste good to me, but I don't know about the other people at TG dinner... maybe for another day! I prefer all the sweet orange veggies (squash, sweet potato, carrots...) to be combined with savory, not to be made sweeter. Congratulations on not even mentioning a marshmallow!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Liz, unexpected heat is always fun, isn't it? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Mae, we always have so many sides at Thanksgiving, that if someone doesn't like one, there will be plenty more to choose from. But you're right that not everyone wants spicy. Thanks for the comment.

Gerlinde de Broekert said...

I usually just add a little butter to my sweet potatoes. Adding chipotle peppers is a wonderful idea to kick up the flavor. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Judy said...

We have Chipotle tabasco on the table at all times because my husband loves the smoky heat of chipotle. So why not in sweet potatoes?! He's gonna be so glad you posted this. :)

Tricia Buice said...

What a great combination - smokey hot and sweet. This is a must try but not for Thanksgiving. My family would be so upset if I changed the menu from the same old casseroles and mashed potatoes. Can't wait to try this!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Gerlinde, the chipotle adds such nice zing! Very tasty. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Judy, the Chipotle Tabasco is good stuff! And yes, your husband is going to love this. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Tricia, people do love their traditional sides on Thanksgiving, don't they? Still, there are 364 other days in the year to try this! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen said...

Sweet potato and chipotle sounds like a lovely combo. Sweet and spicy just go so well together. Perfect for holiday season. I will try this very soon.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anu, it's a wonderful combo of flavor! SO tasty. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Denise Browning said...

I have sweet potatoes here and I intend to try tour recipes. It sounds divine! Happy Thanksgiving!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Denise, you'll love this -- wonderful flavor! Thanks for the comment.

Raymund said...

Nice! the sweetness of the sweet potatoes will blend really well with those peppers!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Raymund, sweet potatoes and spicy work so well together, don't they? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Gingi said...

WHOA. Might actually add this to my Thanksgiving dinner list!!! No joke!!! Thanks for sharing! <3 - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Gingi, you'll love this! No joke. :D Thanks for the comment.

lisa is cooking said...

Sweet potatoes and chipotles are a great match! Love this for Thanksgiving or any time this fall.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Lisa, isn't this a nice pairing? SO good! :-) Thanks for the comment.

All That I'm Eating said...

I bet the smoky flavour is really good with the sweetness of the potatoes. Lovely for an autumn evening.

beyondkimchee said...

I like the idea of partnering the sweet potatoes and chipotles. Something special for Thanksgiving.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Caroline, this truly is a lovely recipe -- wonderful flavor! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Holly, this really is a fun combo of flavors. SO good together! Thanks for the comment.

Shashi at SavorySpin said...

I grew up on savory sweet potato curries and stir fries - but never had a super flavorful sweet potato mash with chipotle pepper and adobo sauce! This sounds amazing! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Mrs Kitchen Riffs!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Shashi, sweet potatoes are wonderful in curries! Really add nice depth of flavor. Pretty darn good in this dish, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today said...

It sounds like something my kid will love :D

Food Gal said...

I'd make double the batch, just to have leftovers the next day to eat with eggs. Sweet and spicy -- who wouldn't want to start the day -- or end one -- with that.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Marta, bet you'd love it too! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Carolyn, this is wonderful for breakfast, so making a double batch is a great idea! Thanks for the comment.

Abbe@This is How I Cook said...

What a sweet dish! I know it's good because I tries a similar thing with squash! This will be perfect for our Southwestern Thanksgiving and soooo sweet!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Abbe, it'd be fun -- and tasty! -- to make this with squash. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Your sweet potatoes sound terrific with a little spice to them. I'm thinking I might serve them with a steak cooked on the grill.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Karen, I'll bet this would be great with a steak! Good idea. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen said...

Oh yumm!! WHat a perfect side dish!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Peachy, isn't this nice? SO tasty! Thanks for the comment.

Unknown said...

What a delicious idea John. We always love a little spice with the naturally sweet it makes such a lovely combo and a happy palate. We must try this recipe this autumn as you know how my boys love the spice. Have a super weekend! Pinned!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Bobbi, your boys would LOVE this! So good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Sprigs of Rosemary said...

Although I really love the idea of this sweet/spicy dish, I'm afraid I have to stick to the traditional this Thanksgiving or risk being ostracized!! When I'm back home, I'll definitely try this, John. Thanks for sharing.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Rosemary, I know how hard it is to mess with the traditional menu on Thanksgiving! Doing so can cause riots. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Easyfoodsmith said...

I made street food of Chaat with sweet potatoes today :D and I am liking your pepped up version of sweet potatoes. They are so healthy and good!

Amy (Savory Moments) said...

These look awesome! I love trying out a new dish at Thanksgiving, while still sticking to a mostly traditional dishes. It's fun and makes people try different things.

Debra Eliotseats said...

I love the sweet and spicy here. I would love to make this for Thanksgiving.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Taruna, love Chaat! Never had one with sweet potatoes -- bet it's good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Amy, we enjoy having a combo of old and new dishes for Thanksgiving. Enough variety that everyone has something they like. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Debra, sweet and spicy are such a great combo, aren't they? Particularly nice in this dish. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl said...

Chipotle? Check! Sweet Potatoes? Check! My eyes are seeing heart with this dish. I could eat these any time of the day - yummy comfort food!

Helene Dsouza said...

I was looking for some side dish inspiration the last few days. Your chipotle mashed sweet potatoes looks appetizing and I can imagine have it instead of boring old mashed potato. Interesting that you use adobo sauce in here. Thank you for the share!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pamela, agree that these are wonderful any time of the day! Such good stuff. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Helene, the little bit of adobo sauce adds some nice zing. As does the chipotle, of course! Thanks for the comment.

mjskit said...

What a way to elevate a bowl of sweet potatoes! Love that smoky flavor and heat you've added. I may not make them for Thanksgiving, but I will be making them soon. Brought back a bag of Louisiana yams from our trip to the south. Hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi MJ, Louisiana grows great sweet potatoes! You'll love this dish -- tons of flavor. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Jeff said...

What an interesting combination of ingredients! Happy Thanksgiving, John!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Jeff, this is a fun -- and delish! -- dish. :-) Thanks for the comment, and Happy Thanksgiving!

ChgoJohn said...

When you mentioned that you guys loved sweet potatoes when you last visited, I'd no idea you were about to share this recipe. It sounds wonderful, John, and now that I've pretty much had my fill of sweet potatoes au gratin, this dish will prove a welcome change. I just so happen to have several 5 or 6 oz packets of roasted Hatch chiles in my freezer, all in need of a purpose. I think I've just found one. Thanks for the idea and great recipe.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi John, sweet potatoes are wonderful, aren't they? SO many different ways to use them! And this is a good one. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Marcelle said...

Yum!! John, I'm absolutely drooling!! I won't wait for a holiday to try these sweet and spicy sweet potatoes. Can't wait to eat this dish! Nice recipe!

Kitchen Riffs said...

HI Marcelle, you'll love these! SUCH nice flavor. :-) Thanks for the comment.