A delicious mashed sweet potato side dish that is made of roasted sweet potatoes mixed with savory ingredients like roasted garlic and balsamic vinegar. It is a perfectly balanced sweet potato dish that isn't overly sweet!LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO RECIPE WITH THE PLAYER BELOW.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grab a 9x13 or larger rimmed baking sheet
Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, and place cut side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil.
3 lbs. sweet potatoes, 3 tablespoon olive oil
Cut the very top off the head of garlic, just so you can see the inside of all the cloves.Place in a small piece of foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Close the foil around the garlic, then place on the baking sheet with the potatoes.
1 small head of garlic
Roast the potatoes and garlic for 20 minutes, then flip the potatoes over. Pop back in the oven and roast an additional 20 minutes.Pro Tip: make sure the potatoes are cooked all the way through by piercing with a fork, you shouldn't meet any resistance past the skin of the potato. If they need to cook longer, put them back in the oven for 5 minute increments, BUT REMOVE THE GARLIC from the pan to avoid burning.
Mashing - potato masher, hand held mixer or food processor
Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before handling. With a spoon scoop the potato from the peel into a mixing bowl, discard the peel. You may also be able to just squeeze the potato and the flesh will fall out of the skins!Pro Tip: If the potatoes are still hot fold a towel in your hand to hold them.
Give the head of garlic a squeeze and all the roasted, soft garlic should squeeze out into the mixing bowl with the potatoes. Discard the garlic peels.
Add the butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, balsamic vinegar, and milk. Pro Tip: if your potatoes are no longer warm/hot, you may want to melt the butter at this point.
With a potato masher or hand held mixer blend the potatoes until they are your desired consistency.OR you can puree in a food processor, pulse a few times and then run until they are smooth and creamy.
Troubleshooting Flavor
You want these to be a stand out savory side dish, with just the right amount of sweetness. I highly recommend you give them a taste before serving:+ To make them sweeter add a little more brown sugar or maple syrup.+ If you want them a little saltier, add a couple pinches of kosher salt, or top with Maldon Flake Sea Salt. + To add more warmth or depth of flavor drizzle in a little more balsamic vinegar.
Serving
Spoon into a large serving bowl.Optionally garnish with a large pat of butter, Maldon flake sea salt, and fresh chopped parsley.
Storing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.