This post may contain affiliate links, see my Privacy Policy and Disclosure Statement
Liven up your holiday table with this healthy, vegan, gluten free, dairy free Mexican Sweet Potato Mash... Roasted sweet potatoes and garlic with chipotle chile, cumin, piloncillo, and lite coconut milk baked in a casserole and garnished with pecans and cilantro is twist on a familiar favorite that is sure to please!
Jump to:
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration
In putting together my holiday menu for 2020, I knew I wanted to put a Mexican spin on a traditional American holiday menu. I've rarely sat down at a holiday table without sweet potatoes in some form.
Growing up, my parents served simple roasted sweet potatoes with butter, and I always loved them. My extended family preferred sugar-laden sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping. Others served brown sugar and pecan sweet potato casserole, and that was the inspiration for my Mexican sweet potato mash.
My aim was to create a creamy sweet potato mash with a hint of heat (from the chipotles), creaminess (coconut milk), sweetness (piloncillo or brown sugar), and the traditional chopped pecans. This one is a homerun!
📋 Ingredients You'll Need
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- sweet potatoes
- garlic bulb
- onion
- ground cumin
- chipotle with adobo
- piloncillo - Piloncillo - aka panela - is a raw, unprocessed form of pure cane sugar that is commonly used in Mexican cooking. Brown sugar is a good substitute.
- coconut milk - The coconut milk I specify is the Asian type found in a can in the Asian foods section of your market. I prefer lite coconut milk, but either will work.
- sea salt
- pecans
🔪 Instructions
- Prepare the roasted sweet potatoes and garlic - Preheat the oven to 400°. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the top off the top of the garlic to reveal the cloves of garlic.
- Spread on a baking sheet, and roast until edges begin to brown and pieces are fork tender (about 30-40 minutes).
- Add remaining ingredients - To a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive or coconut oil. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan along with the roasted sweet potatoes, red onion or shallot, the chipotle(s), cinnamon, cumin, and piloncillo or brown sugar.
- Stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes until spices are fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Bring up to a simmer.
- Finish the sweet potato mash - Use a potato masher to break up the sweet potato mixture. It does not need to be completely smooth. This is a rustic dish.
- Using a spatula press the sweet potato mash into a casserole dish. Garnish with chopped pecans, and pop into the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
💭 Tips
Can this dish be made ahead? Absolutely! Complete the sweet potato mash through pressing it into a casserole dish. Heat it through just prior to serving.
Are chipotle chiles hot? Yes. Chipotles are ripened, dried, and smoked jalapeños in adobo sauce. If you're not familiar with them, they bring a slightly sweet and smoky heat. I use at least 2 in this recipe. If you're uncertain, start with 1 whole chipotle and its clinging adobo sauce. Mash the sweet potato mixture, taste, and adjust. You may even want to just add the adobo sauce to start with...
🍷 Pairing Suggestions
🎄Holiday Menu 2020🍁
- With a hint of Peru, this Latin-Inspired Tuna Tartare is a fresh twist on a classic small plate/appetizer. Ají amarillo chile paste, fresh citrus, ponzu (or soy sauce), and sesame oil provide the Latin-Asian flavors found throughout Peru. It's quick, easy, healthy, gluten free, and a gorgeous dish to include on your holiday menu or New Year's Eve party!
- Creamy kabocha squash with a Yucatán-style combination of flavors, this Vegan Mexican Winter Squash Soup will warm your tummy on a chilly day, and provides vital nutrients too! With roasted winter squash, apples, and onion with a pepita-ancho paste and creamy coconut milk, it's vegan, gluten free, and ready in about an hour!
- Red chiles and citrus make this Mexican Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin sing! Sous vide is a perfect cooking method for "pulling out all the stops" for your holiday menu. The red chile-citrus marinated pork tenderloin hangs out in its bath at the perfect internal temperature until you're ready to sear it, make a quick pan sauce, and serve!
- Liven up your holiday table with this healthy, gluten free, dairy free Mexican Sweet Potato Mash... Roasted sweet potatoes and garlic with chipotle chile, cumin, piloncillo, and lite coconut milk baked in a casserole and garnished with pecans and cilantro is twist on a familiar favorite that is sure to please!
- Pears, pomegranates, walnuts, and arugula are the less flamboyant autumn cousins to apples and pumpkins IMHO... This Pear and Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts includes pomegranate arils and feta cheese, and gets tossed with an easy chamoy vinaigrette. It's a gorgeous and healthy salad to grace your holiday table, and simple enough to serve on busy weeknights!
- This Bread Pudding with Boozy Mexican Chocolate Sauce happens when a classic bread pudding recipe gets a south-of-the-border shake up! Bolillo rolls flecked with dried cranberries and pecans soaked in egg custard and baked get topped with a luscious chocolate sauce that features Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, and triple sec (or other orange liqueur). Garnished with fresh mint and pomegranate arils, this fusion of Mexican-American flavors will be a gorgeous addition to your holiday table!
🧂 Useful Stuff
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to offset the costs of maintaining my blog and creating awesome content! 😊
📖 Recipe
Mexican Sweet Potato Mash
A healthy vegan, dairy free, gluten free Mexican-inspired side dish perfect for your holiday table!
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ small onion
- garlic bulb
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1-3 chipotle chiles (with adobo)
- 3 tablespoons grated piloncillo or brown sugar
- 1 cup coconut milk, lite or regular
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt and several grinds pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the roasted sweet potatoes and garlic - Preheat the oven to 400°. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the top off the top of the garlic to reveal the cloves of garlic. Spread on a baking sheet, and roast until edges begin to brown and pieces are fork tender (about 30-40 minutes).
- Add remaining ingredients - To a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive or coconut oil. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan along with the roasted sweet potatoes, red onion or shallot, the chipotle(s), cinnamon, cumin, and piloncillo or brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes until spices are fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Bring up to a simmer.
- Finish the sweet potato mash - Use a potato masher to break up the sweet potato mixture. It does not need to be completely smooth. This is a rustic dish. Using a spatula press the sweet potato mash into a casserole dish. Garnish with chopped pecans, and pop into the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 3gCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 2g
mjskitchen says
Well this sounds delicious! I have a couple of large sweet potatoes that need to be used and I think I just found what I'm going to make. Love the use of the chipotle with sweet potatoes. I would think that the smokiest from the chiles would be a great complement to the sweet potatoes.
Tamara says
Yes, the smoky chipotles work really well with the sweet potatoes! Thanks for stopping by MJ!