Sweet Potato Mash with Pineapple
Sweet potato mash with fresh pineapple chunks has a delicious sweet and spicy flavor that makes it the perfect easy side dish to serve with spicy pork, barbecue chicken, or grilled fish. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender and mashing just takes a minute before serving.
When you're looking to change things up for dinner, my favorite swap is to use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes for a surprising side dish.
This easy sweet potato mash has chunks of fresh pineapple in the mix. The creamy mashed sweet potatoes pair so well with the juicy bites of fruit.
A pinch of cayenne and some salt and pepper keep the sweet potato mash from being too sweet.
I think this is one of the best side dishes for a spicy pork or barbecue chicken we've had in a long time!
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Why This is the Best Recipe
There are so many easy side dishes you could make for dinner but I think this is the best sweet potato mash recipe because:
- Easy Prep: Once you've chopped the sweet potatoes and pineapple, everything bakes in the oven while you do other things for your dinner. The tender potatoes mash quickly and easily just before serving.
- Not Too Sweet: Unlike sweet potato casseroles loaded with sugar and marshmallows, the fresh pineapple sweetens the potato mash without going over the top. The pinch of cayenne pepper and cinnamon help balance everything out.
- Smooth and Creamy: A touch of cream helps to smooth out the mashed sweet potatoes for a delicious texture. I like to leave the pineapple a little chunky for a pleasant bite.
Ingredients
This easy sweet potato side dish only requires a few pantry ingredients:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Fresh Pineapple: You could used canned pineapple chunks but the texture will be much softer
- Heavy Cream
- Maple Syrup
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne
- Salt & Pepper
Chop the Pineapple and Sweet Potatoes
Start by chopping the fresh pineapple and sweet potatoes.
Chop the pineapple into small 1-inch sized cubes like this:
Then peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into 2-inch cubes like this:
Toss the Ingredients Together
Rub softened butter all around the inside of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
You can toss all the ingredients together right in the pan!
Add the sweet potatoes, pineapple, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne to the dish and stir.
Spread it out into an even layer and you're ready to bake.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 50 - 55 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
You can mash the sweet potatoes and pineapple all together and add the heavy cream to smooth it out right in the baking dish:
OR, you can use a large spoon to scoop out just the sweet potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Mash them with the heavy cream until smooth and then add the chunks of pineapple.
I've tried it both ways and they are equally delicious.
Make Ahead Tips
This easy sweet potato mash reheats quite well.
You can prep it all the day before and just store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
To reheat the leftovers, just add the dish to the microwave and heat on HIGH until warmed through.
I wouldn't recommend freezing this dish since the juice from the pineapple could cause the heavy cream to separate during the thawing process.
Serving Suggestions
When we first tried this sweet potato mash I served it with a spicy grilled pork tenderloin.
It would be an awesome side dish for my rum glazed pork tenderloin or spicy pulled pork.
You could make a batch of my seasoned grilled tilapia or enjoy it as a partner with my Air fryer jerk chicken with peppers and onions or my even spicier Cajun blackened chicken thighs.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Looking for more sweet potato ideas?
It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without my make ahead sweet potato casserole.
I love to use slow cooker sweet potatoes to make stuffed potatoes with pulled pork or spicy chili.
My crispy roasted sweet potatoes are a fast-prep side dish that has an awesome texture.
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Mash with Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter softened
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large potatoes) peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, about half a pineapple chopped
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Rub softened butter all around the inside of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes, pineapple, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, salt and cayenne to the baking dish and stir to combine.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake the dish until the sweet potatoes have softened, about 50 - 55 minutes.
- Transfer the baked sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl using a slotted spoon. Mash them together with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the pineapple and juices from the baking dish into the mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream and pepper and stir everything together. Serve immediately.
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