This Mashed Sweet Potato with Lemon and Sage is a quick and easy side dish, perfect for the holidays as it can be made ahead of time and doesn't need space in the oven. A must make for Thanksgiving or Christmas, especially if you aren't a fan of the marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes.
Peel the 4lb/1.8kg of sweet potato and cut into 1″ cubes.
Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and add in 4 cups/1 litre of broth/stock. Top up with water so the potatoes are covered by at least 1" of liquid. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, until the potatoes are tender. (Around 10 to 12 minutes.)
Drain the potatoes and put them back in the saucepan over low heat for 30 seconds. (see note 2)
Remove the potatoes from the heat then add in 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
Use a potato masher or fork to mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. (see note 3)
Give the potatoes a taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. (see note 4)
Cover the pan, to retain the heat.
Place 3 tablespoons of butter into a small saucepan, allow the butter to melt and then add in 12 sage leaves. Cook this over medium heat until the butter is foamy and starting to turn a nutty brown. Remove from the heat.
Serve the sweet potato mash in a large bowl and pour over the sage brown butter.
Notes
Use low sodium vegetable or chicken broth. The broth/stock adds extra flavor to the potatoes but you can use all water instead.
Popping the potatoes back over the heat for 30 seconds lets the excess moisture evaporate leading to a fluffier mash.
You can leave the mashed sweet potatoes chunky or keep mashing until they are super smooth. Don't use a mixer as this can make the potatoes dense.
I find most people the recipe as written is great for our family. I will add a little more salt and pepper at the table, but for my kids, the mash has enough salt and pepper in it. Taste your mash and add more as needed.
MAKE AHEAD Cook the potatoes up to stage 7, then allow to cool and keep covered in the refrigerator until needed. Reheat in a saucepan or the microwave until piping hot. Once hot, proceed to step 9 and make the sage brown butter.