This Spicy Mashed Sweet Potato is made with sweet potatoes, chipotle pepper, and smoked paprika, and it's ready in under 30 minutes with 10 minutes of prepping time. And every spoonful is creamy, sweet, and buttery, with just the right touch of flavors.
I stumbled upon this recipe by accident. One evening, my family wanted regular mashed potatoes for dinner, but I only had sweet potatoes at home. I decided to use them and added chipotle peppers to prevent them from tasting too sweet.
It turned out to be such a successful recipe because the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes blends beautifully with the smoky heat of the chipotle peppers.
This dish is straightforward to make, and the spices are spot on. And I just can't stop serving this dish, whether it's for Thanksgiving dinner or a simple weeknight meal.
This version is rich, flavorful, and perfectly satisfying, much like our other dishes, such as these Spicy Sweet Potato Fries or these Jalapeno Cranberry Meatballs.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️Delicious with smoky heat, a twist to the classic mashed sweet potatoes.
⭐️The flavors and spices are so satisfying - a little sweet, a little spicy, and perfectly savory with that rich, buttery finish.
⭐️It's the kind of comforting dish that feels right at home on any holiday table.
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: Today, I used orange sweet potatoes, but purple or white ones work great too.
- Butter: The classic addition! I used unsalted butter, but if you're using salted butter, just reduce the salt a bit in the recipe. You can also substitute with olive oil or vegan butter to make it dairy-free.
- Whole Milk: Alternatively, you can use dairy-free options like almond milk or oat milk.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: These bring the smoky flavor and spicy kick. I used two peppers.
- Adobo Sauce: This sauce is packed with smoky, tangy flavor.
- Smoked Paprika (optional): You can skip this if you like, since the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce already provide smoky flavor.
- Ground Cumin: Adds warm flavor to this dish.
How To Make Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Step 1. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, then place them in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well.
- Step 2. Transfer the hot sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl.
- Step 3. Add butter, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until it turns into a smooth consistency.
- Step 4. Now, stir in whole milk, and stir well until everything is evenly blended. Serve hot as a smoky-spicy side dish.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
- This spicy mashed sweet potato dish boasts a creamy texture with a gentle heat: primarily from the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
- If you prefer more savory flavors without too much spice, add the adobo sauce(no chipotle peppers).
- For medium heat, use about two chipotle peppers and two teaspoons of adobo sauce. That gives a nice balance of smoky and spicy.
- If you love a good kick, try adding an extra chipotle pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper for an extra punch of heat.
The Leftovers
- You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze them for about three months.
- When reheating, simply add a splash of milk or water to restore the soft, creamy texture.
FAQ
Yes, absolutely! Swap the whole milk for any dairy-free alternative, such as almond or oat milk, and replace the butter with options like olive oil, avocado oil, or your preferred vegan butter.
I prefer boiling them, as it provides a silky texture when mashed. Instant Pot makes this work a lot easier and mess-free.
This dish pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, tacos, roasted vegetables, or a light salad.
Yes, absolutely! You can use any sweet potato - orange, purple, or white. If you want to switch things up, you can even try Yukon potatoes using the same recipe.
I use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for this recipe. They bring that smoky, spicy flavor that makes this dish special. Adjust the amount based on your preferred level of heat.
Yes, you can! A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens up the flavors and adds a little zing that enhances the spice.
You can sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro, chives, crushed black pepper, or red pepper flakes on top for extra color and flavor.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes about 2 lbs, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons butter (See Notes. 1)
- ½ cup whole milk warmed(See Notes. 2)
- 2 chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce)-minced(See Notes. 3)
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the same can
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook until the potatoes until the potatoes are fork-tender(takes about 15 minutes). Drain well.
- To a mixing bowl, add cooked sweet potatoes and butter.
- Using potato masher, mash the sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the warm milk, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix until everything's evenly combined.
- Serve hot as a side dish.
Notes
- You can make this dish dairy-free or vegan by swapping butter for olive oil or vegan butter.
- Feel free to substitute whole milk with almond or oat milk..
- Adjust the chipotle peppers to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe works beautifully with any sweet potato - orange, white, or purple.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for about 3 months. Add a splash of milk or water when reheating to bring back the creamy texture.
- For a finishing touch, garnish with chopped cilantro, chives, or a drizzle of adobo sauce.
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