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When you’ve got hungry holiday guests to impress, make these maple brown butter mashed sweet potatoes inspired by Budget Bytes. Rich with brown butter, naturally sweetened with real maple syrup, and topped with chopped pecans, this is the Thanksgiving recipe your family and friends will be talking about long after the holiday is over.
Brown butter is the secret ingredient that transforms boring mashed sweet potatoes into a stunning holiday side dish that gets rave reviews and eager recipe requests. Best yet, all you need is a skillet, a stick of butter, and a few minutes to make this magically mouthwatering ingredient. Never made brown butter? No problem. Let us show you how!
ALSO TRY: Roasted maple cinnamon sweet potatoes
Simply melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. When it starts to foam, use a wooden spoon to constantly stir the melted butter. The butter solids will start to brown. As soon as the butter becomes a deep brown color and emanates a lovely nutty or caramel-like aroma, pour the brown butter into a bowl to halt the cooking process. You want to brown the butter, not burn it.
Cook’s note: Make an extra large batch of brown butter and keep it in the refrigerator to toss with pasta or roasted vegetables, drizzle over biscuits or pancakes, or use to saute fish. If you love butter — and who doesn’t? — you’re going to become obsessed with brown butter.
Real maple syrup is a must. Though maple syrup is pricey, there is no substitute for it’s authentic sweet, woody flavor. Resist the urge to use imitation maple syrup or table syrup for this recipe. They contain artificial ingredients that give a cloyingly sweet flavor that tastes nothing like the real thing.
Warm spices make everything nice. With the lovely sweetness of the maple syrup and the enticing richness of the brown butter, these mashed sweet potatoes need just a pinch or two of warm autumnal spices. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves lend a hint of spice that also complements the scattering of chopped pecans added before serving.
Cook the sweet potatoes
Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
Mash the sweet potatoes
Drain the sweet potatoes in a colander, then transfer them to a large bowl. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Leave a few chunks for texture.
Brown the butter
Brown butter is the secret ingredient that makes this dish the best mashed potatoes you’ll ever serve. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. When it begins to foam, stir the butter constantly until the butter solids start to brown. Immediately remove the butter from the stovetop when it turns a deep brown and has a nutty smell. Pour the brown butter into a bowl to halt the cooking process.
Whisk the maple syrup into the brown butter
Beware of imitation maple syrup or table syrup, which are made with artificial ingredients and taste nothing like real maple syrup. Real maple syrup may be costly, but it is worth every authentic drop.
Add the brown butter and spices to the sweet potatoes
Pour the maple brown butter into the mashed potatoes, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons to drizzle as a garnish. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir to combine. Taste the mashed potatoes and adjust your seasonings and syrup.
Finish with chopped pecans and maple brown butter
Evenly scatter chopped pecans over the mashed sweet potatoes and drizzle with the remaining maple brown butter. Serve hot.
Who wouldn’t want to dig into these luscious sweet potatoes?
Warmly spiced and topped with crunchy pecans, dinner guests will fall in love!
Bite after bite, these sweet potatoes make a lovely side dish
A unique take on a traditional dish!
Maple brown butter mashed sweet potatoes
Yield 8-10 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain the sweet potatoes into a colander.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and use a potato masher to mash them until smooth, leaving a few chunks. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter until it begins to foam. Continue to cook the butter, stirring constantly, until the butter solids begin to brown. Watch the butter closely, and immediately remove it from the heat when it reaches a deep brown color and smells nutty or caramel-like.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into a separate bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Whisk the maple syrup into the butter.
- Pour the butter mixture into the mashed sweet potatoes, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons of the maple brown butter to drizzle over the top as a garnish.
- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to the mashed sweet potatoes, stirring to combine.
- Taste the sweet potatoes and adjust the syrup, spices, or salt, if needed.
- Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the sweet potatoes.
- Drizzle the mashed sweet potatoes with the remaining maple brown butter just before serving.
- Serve hot.
Courses Sides
