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Home » Side Dish Recipes » Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter

Published: Nov 7, 2019 · Modified: Jan 21, 2022 by Cooking Chat · This post may contain affiliate links

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I’d have to say this Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter is one of our favorite side dishes, maybe number one. You’ve got the sweetness from the potatoes balanced by spice, along with the savory butter. Just be sure to serve it with something good so it doesn’t steal the show! Read on for details about this tasty side dish, or click here to jump down to the recipe. 

mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl.

What goes with mashed sweet potatoes?

A great side dish can really elevate the meal. I first developed this Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter to go with a grilled pork tenderloin recipe, and it certainly goes very well with pork. But then when experimenting with creative pairings for Thanksgiving, I served this sweet potato dish with roasted turkey, and that was a nice combination, too.

Turkey and Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter
So whether you’re looking for a special side for Thanksgiving or any other meal you are fixing, give this a try!

The most recent batch of mashed sweet potatoes was served with onion roasted sirloin steak with onion sauce. A lot of flavor on that plate! We updated the November 2016 version of this article following a November 2019 remake of the dish.

I like the sweet flavor of sweet potatoes anyway. But add some savory butter and sage, and some garlic and cumin for some kick, and you really have something tasty going on with this Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter recipe! Family and friends tend to eagerly request this side dish to be made when I go  too long without fixing it.

Making this recipe

mashed potatoes with cumin sage butter.
For a dish with such sophisticated flavor, this is pretty easy to make.  It can be made ahead of other things, and kept covered on very low heat with a bit of the milk on top to keep it moist as you finish the rest of your meal. Here are some tips to making our favorite mashed sweet potatoes:

  • Pull that butter out of the fridge 20 or 30 minutes before you get started cooking to have it softened and easy to work with. I often use Earth Balance spread instead of dairy butter, and that softens a bit faster.
  • If you forget to take the butter out in advance of the time you need to start putting things together, you can microwave it for 3 to 5 seconds to get it soft enough. making cumin butter with lime juice
  • Place the butter in a small bowl, then mash it with the minced garlic. Mix in your spices and herbs with some lime juice, and your cumin sage butter is ready to go! Set it aside while the sweet potatoes cook.

making cumin sage butter

  • Once you have the butter made, it’s a pretty straightforward process, similar to other mashed potatoes.
  • If you are scaling this recipe up for a larger crowd such as you might have for Thanksgiving, keep in mind a full pan of sweet potatoes will take a bit longer to cook.mashing sweet potatoes in a pan.
  • If your mashed sweet potatoes are ready ahead of the other dishes, keep it warm by adding a bit of extra milk and butter to the top of the potatoes, as shown above (plain butter is OK at this point). Cover, and keep on very low heat. Just before serving, uncover and stir to incorporate the extra milk and butter.

Once you get the idea of mixing up a flavored butter like this, you’ll find it can be used in many other dishes, such as flavoring a roast turkey or chicken.
Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter

If you like this recipe, you might also like our Savory Mashed Butternut Squash!

Wine Pairing

While I would focus the wine pairing selection on the main course, keep in mind that this is a full-flavored side dish with some spice. So a wine with some big flavors and a spice element is going to complement more than one that is a simple, fruit forward wine. The Brennan’s Vineyard Winemakers Choice red blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Carmenere) from Texas worked nicely with the sweet potatoes and steak we had. Previously, we enjoyed these sweet potatoes with grilled pork tenderloin and a Bonny Doon Syrah.

Print

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter

mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl.
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter combines sweet, savory and spice for a spectacular side dish.

  • Author: Cooking Chat
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 to 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ½ to 1 cup milk
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened a bit
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • juice from ½ of a lime
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes: Bring a pot of water to boil for the sweet potatoes. Add the potatoes and cook until soft–they cook a bit quicker than regular potatoes, about 20 to 25 minutes should do.
  2. Make the butter: As the potatoes cook, make the butter. Place the softened butter in a medium sized bowl. Add the garlic, sage, cumin, and lime juice to butter, and stir to combine. You need to stir vigorously at first to get things well incorporated into the butter. Continue stirring until everything is well mixed together. You can make the butter earlier and refrigerate if you like.
  3. Mash sweet potatoes with butter: Drain the potatoes, add ½ cup of milk and butter. Mash in the butter and milk as you would other types of mashed potatoes. Add extra milk as needed, mashing until you reach your desired consistency.
  4. Serve with turkey, pork or other entree. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Take the butter out of the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before making the cumin sage butter. This allows it to soften a bit.
  • If you forget to take the butter out in advance, you can soften it by heating in a microwave for 5 seconds or less.
  • We often use Earth Balance Buttery Spread in this recipe. In addition to being dairy free, it softens a bit more quickly than regular dairy butter.
  • If your mashed sweet potatoes are ready ahead of the other dishes, keep it warm by adding a bit of extra milk and butter (plain is OK) to the top of the potatoes. Cover, and keep on very low heat. Just before serving, uncover and stir to incorporate the extra milk and butter.

Keywords: sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes with cumin

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter in a bowl.

Best Holiday Side Dishes From Sunday Supper

Our Mashed Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter recipe was shared in November 2016 as part of a Sunday Supper event focused on holiday side dishes. We came back to update the recipe in November 2019. Check out the links below for more great side dish ideas!

Fruity Side Dishes

  • Cranberry Apple Relish by Recipes Food and Cooking
  • Cranberry Fluff Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Easy Cheesy Pineapple Bake by This is How I Cook
  • Pecan Cranberry Jello Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
  • Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Apples by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Other Side Dishes

  • Chestnut Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
  • Easy Mushroom Rice Pilaf by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
  • One Pot Macaroni and Cheese by A Mind “Full” Mom
  • Potato Dinner Rolls by The Redhead Baker
  • Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing by Life Tastes Good

Potato Side Dishes

  • Gingered Sweet Potatoes by Simple and Savory
  • Marmalade Glazed Sweet Potatoes by Sunday Supper Movement
  • Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes by Cookin’ Mimi
  • Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Red Potatoes by Food Done Light
  • Southern Praline Sweet Potato Casserole by The Weekend Gourmet
  • Southwestern Potato Bake by The Freshman Cook
  • Stacked Sweet Potatoes by My Imperfect Kitchen
  • Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter by Cooking Chat
  • Twice Baked Potato Casserole by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
  • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession

Vegetable Side Dishes

  • Acorn Squash and Brussel Sprout Side Dish by Caroline’s Cooking
  • Bacon Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts by The Crumby Cupcake
  • Braised Red Cabbage by Turnips 2 Tangerines
  • Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
  • Candied Acorn Squash by Cricket’s Confections
  • Cheesy Jalapeño Corn Casserole by Food Lust People Love
  • German Green Bean Salad (Bohnensalat) by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
  • Homemade Green Bean Casserole by Family Around The Table
  • Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole by My Life Cookbook
  • Miso Glazed Corn by NinjaBaker.com
  • Pan Roasted Carrots with Apple Molasses by Palatable Pastime
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Cranberries by The Chef Next Door
  • Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Walnut Pesto by The Hungry Goddess
  • Roasted Onions with Parsley Pesto by Monica’s Table
  • Roasted Parsnips with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary by Wholistic Woman
  • Roasted Pumpkin with Rosemary and Thyme by Feeding Big
  • Spicy Balsamic Roasted Vegetables by Pies and Plots
  • Sweet Corn Pudding by Brunch-n-Bites


mashed sweet potatoes in a bowl with cumin sage butter.

bowl of mashed sweet potatoes with text underneath that says cumin sage sweet potatoes.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lea Ann Brown

    November 22, 2014 at 1:02 pm

    Hi David, I saw your comment on G+ about the Social Share buttons and had to come over for a look. Glad I did since the sound of these sweet potatoes sound like a great dish for my Thanksgiving feast. I’m a huge cumin fan and with sage? You bet! Thanks for a great idea.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      November 22, 2014 at 2:26 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Lea Ann! I’ve always liked cumin and sage independently, was glad to stumble upon the idea of combinging them!

      Reply
  2. Caroline

    November 06, 2016 at 10:02 am

    I love sweet potatoes anyway but that cumin-sage butter sounds like a delicious addition.

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      November 06, 2016 at 3:20 pm

      Thanks, I have to agree!

      Reply
  3. Cynthia L

    November 06, 2016 at 11:46 am

    I love sweet potatoes. For many years I only had them with sweet additions to them. I have been trying them more savory and love them too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      November 06, 2016 at 3:20 pm

      big fan of savory & sweet combo here!

      Reply
  4. Abbe@This is How I Cook

    November 06, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Just got back from China where they use cumin in a lot of potato dishes! Can’t wait to give these a try!

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      November 06, 2016 at 3:20 pm

      I think it’s a nice combo! Bet there was a lot of interesting food to try in China!

      Reply
  5. EA The Spicy RD

    November 07, 2019 at 2:01 pm

    What a delicious flavor combination! I never would have thought to pair the cumin and sage together, but I bet these taste amazing! Pinning for the holidays!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 12 Creative Thanksgiving Sides - Cooking Chat says:
    November 25, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    […] Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter Probably a good time to add one of my favorites from here at Cooking Chat! This flavorful sweet potato dish was originally created to go with pork tenderloin, but I recently found it goes well with turkey, too, as shown in the photo at the top of the post. By the way, if you’re still looking for a turkey recipe, my Roasted Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter is quite tasty! […]

    Reply
  2. Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa - Cooking Chat says:
    January 9, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    […] OK, ready for a tasty and healthy tropical meal? Get your pineapple ready and music playing, and enjoy some Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa! I served the fish along with some Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter. […]

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  3. 9 Great Mother's Day Recipes for Kitchen Rookies - Cooking Chat says:
    January 21, 2015 at 5:02 am

    […] Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter I know, this might sound fancy for a cooking rookie. But just mixing a few things in with some softened butter delivers a lot of flavor, and isn’t very difficult. This is one of my favorite side dishes, and goes well with the steak or the swordfish. […]

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  4. Avocado Chimichurri Beef Tenderloin with Reininger Carmenere #winePW - Cooking Chat says:
    March 14, 2015 at 6:32 am

    […] serve it over some beef tenderloin tips. To round out the plate, I added one of my favorite sides, Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter.  Let’s find out how this all came […]

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  5. 25 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes #FoodDay2015 | Cooking Chat says:
    October 22, 2015 at 5:38 am

    […] Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter One of my favorite sides! Cumin and sage combine for a tasty butter to give great flavor to sweet potatoes. I like to serve it with pork or turkey. […]

    Reply
  6. Pork Roast with Chipotle Cream | Cooking Chat says:
    November 17, 2015 at 7:36 am

    […] very nicely with the smoky flavors of the chipotle cream sauce. I like to serve it along with Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter. Enjoy your […]

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  7. 11 Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes | Cooking Chat says:
    November 24, 2015 at 7:05 am

    […] Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter I love mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, but have to say this sweet potato recipe is my favorite side dish. Shown above alongside Herb Roasted Turkey. Want some more ideas for sides? Last year I put together this 12 Creative Thanksgiving Sides roundup. […]

    Reply
  8. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe | Cooking Chat says:
    February 28, 2016 at 8:39 am

    […] sandwiches, but each time I’ve made this, I’ve served the pulled pork plated along with Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter and Sautéed Leek Greens with Bacon. And as mentioned earlier, we also featured it as part of a […]

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  9. Grilled Chipotle Pork Chops #SundaySupper | Cooking Chat says:
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  10. Grilled Cilantro Lime Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Cream | Cooking Chat says:
    May 27, 2016 at 4:55 am

    […] much every time I make this grilled pork tenderloin recipe, I serve it with Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter. I’d encourage you to try this […]

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    […] served the Garlic Thyme Crusted Tuna with one of my favorite side dishes, Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter. The fruitiness of the Merlot worked well with sweetness of the potatoes. We were definitely happy […]

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  12. Pulled Pork with Cabbage and Bacon - French #Winophiles | Cooking Chat says:
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  17. Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Apples #SundaySupper | Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says:
    November 6, 2016 at 2:19 pm

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  23. Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes #SundaySupper says:
    November 7, 2016 at 11:24 am

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  24. One Pot Macaroni and Cheese #SundaySupper--A Mind "Full" Mom says:
    November 11, 2016 at 1:53 pm

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  25. 12 Gift-Worthy Wines | Cooking Chat says:
    January 4, 2017 at 6:51 am

    […] wine was a good match for the flavorful pulled pork with cabbage, and also worked with the Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter we had on our […]

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  26. Easy Cilantro Lime Pork Chops | Cooking Chat says:
    February 18, 2017 at 2:58 pm

    […] with a quick pan sear creates some nice browning on the outside edges of the meat. I love to serve Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter along with pork dishes, and as expected, it was very good alongside the Easy Cilantro Lime Pork […]

    Reply
  27. Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Pesto #SundaySupper | Cooking Chat says:
    June 18, 2017 at 3:27 am

    […] to the grilled pork tenderloin with cilantro pesto. But you could certainly mix it up, maybe our sweet potatoes with cumin sage butter? Or does Dad have a favorite side dish you might serve along with this pork […]

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    […] served our Spicy Slow Cooker Beef Stew over some mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter. The sweet potatoes make a perfect contrast with the big flavors of the beef stew. But you could […]

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Hi there! I'm David. I love creating tasty, (mostly) healthy recipes, finding great wine pairings, and sharing good food with family and friends. learn more about me!

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