Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Coconut Milk

Bowl with mashed sweet potato on table
belchonock / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

If you're looking for an easy way to create a unique and flavorful mashed sweet potato dish for a vegetarian or vegan holiday, look no further. These vegan mashed sweet potatoes use coconut milk and oil or vegan margarine instead of dairy milk and butter, and they are gently spiced with ginger and curry powder to bring out the flavors of the sweet potatoes. Because the recipe is free from dairy and butter, it's vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, cholesterol free and much, much healthier than many other mashed sweet potato recipes. It's a great allergen-safe and gluten-free recipe to share with a group.

Make these mashed sweet potatoes to enjoy as part of your vegan or vegetarian holiday spread, or anytime you want to enjoy the sweet, yummy flavor of sweet potatoes with a meal.

Ingredients

  • 5 to 6 large sweet potatoes, or yams, chopped

  • 14 ounces coconut milk

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or vegan margarine

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Scrub the potatoes to rid them of lingering dirt and then peel and chop them into large chunks.

  3. In a large pot, cover the sweet potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Allow the sweet potatoes to simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until they are very soft, then drain.

  4. Mash the sweet potatoes to the desired consistency and then add the coconut milk, ground ginger, curry, and olive oil or vegan margarine, mashing or pureeing these ingredients all together until fully combined. 

  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

  6. Enjoy.

Tips

  • Puree the potatoes with a hand blender or in a stand mixer to make them light and airy. You can also coarsely mash them with a large fork. Be sure not to overmix the potatoes or the texture can become gluey.
  • Use the coconut milk that's in a can and found in the international foods aisle, rather than the cartons of coconut milk found with almond, soy, and other shelf-stable plant-based milk.
  • To cut back on fat grams and calories, use light coconut milk.
  • To for a little bit of extra flavor, roast the sweet potatoes coated with olive oil at 450 F until they're a little browned and tender before you mash them with the other ingredients.

Recipe Variations

  • Curried vegan mashed sweet potatoes: Increase the amount of curry powder to 2 to 3 teaspoons and add 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro.
  • Herbed vegan mashed sweet potatoes: Eliminate the curry powder and ground ginger. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite dried herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano.
  • Orange vegan mashed sweet potatoes: Add the zest and juice of one large orange, as well as 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, to the ingredients.
  • Instant Pot vegan mashed sweet potatoes: Add the chopped sweet potatoes and other ingredients to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid, set to manual pressure, and cook for 15 minutes. Quick-release the seal and mash the potatoes in the bowl with a potato mashed or hand mixer.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
333 Calories
19g Fat
39g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 171mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 36mg 180%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 1006mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)