Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Ultra-creamy, perfectly fluffy, and guaranteed to please, this Whipped Sweet Potatoes recipe is easy and effortless to make, yet elegant and loaded with delicious flavor. Featuring baked sweet potatoes mashed with aromatic garlic, fresh herbs, and rich crème fraîche, this delicious side dish is the ideal fall alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 pounds Sweet Potatoes (– cleaned (roughly 3 large potatoes) (SEE NOTES))
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 3 ounces Pancetta (– diced (substitute: Bacon))
• 2 cloves Garlic (– finely chopped)
• 6 TBS Unsalted Butter
• 15 Large Fresh Sage Leaves
• 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Cup Crème Fraiche ((substitute: Sour Cream) (SEE NOTES))
• 2-4 Tablespoons Cream or Half-and-Half ((SEE NOTES))
• to taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. 2Bake the Sweet Potatoes: Place the potatoes on a clean work surface. Then use the tins of a fork to poke several holes into the sweet potatoes. Place each sweet potato on an individual sheet of aluminum foil and top with 1 sprig of thyme. Next, seal each potato in the foil by folding the foil and crimping the edges to seal each tightly. Then, place the aluminum foil pouches of sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet.Roast the sweet potatoes in the 400-degree oven for about 1 hour, or until a thin skewer easily inserts into the sweet potato with no resistance. Remove the baked sweet potatoes from the oven and set them aside until cool enough to handle.
3. 3Meanwhile, Cook the Pancetta and Garlic: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until pancetta is almost crisp. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute or until garlic is fragrant. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta and garlic to small plate and set aside. Drain the grease from the pan.
4. 4Brown the Butter: Return the pan you used to cook the pancetta to the stovetop and reduce the heat so that it's between medium and medium-low. Add the butter the the pan and continuously swirl the pan gently until the butter melts and starts to turn pale golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sage leaves to the butter and fry until crispy, about 30-45 seconds. Remove the brown butter from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy sage leaves to a paper towel lined plate to drain.Reserve 4-6 whole sage leaves for topping and add roughly crumble the remaining crispy leaves. Remove the brown butter from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a large food processor, or the bowl of a stand mixer (with whisk attachment).
5. 5Peel Sweet Potatoes: Once the baked sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and discard their skins using your fingers. Then add the baked sweet potatoes to the bowl of a food processor, stand mixer with whisk attatchment, or a large mixing bowl.
6. 6Whip Sweet Potatoes: Pour the reserved brown butter into the bowl with the baked and peeled sweet potatoes. To the bowl, add the nutmeg, crème fraiche, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse or gently whip the ingredients until they're fully incorporated.
7. 7Add Cream and Reserved Ingredients: To the bowl, add in the cream - a heaping tablespoon at a time - and pulse or gently whip until combined. Stir in the crumbled sage, pancetta and garlic (reserve some for topping if desired). Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper, and consistency with more half-and-half.
8. 8Serve Whipped Sweet Potatoes: Transfer the sweet whipped potatoes to a serving bowl and top with crumbled reserved crispy sage and pancetta. Enjoy immediately!