These Mashed Orange Ginger Sweet Potatoes are a healthy, easy side dish for the holidays or any day! Roasted sweet potatoes are combined with bright, citrusy oranges and spicy ginger. This smooth, creamy side dish is great with turkey, chicken, pork and more.
Plus this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Why this recipe works
Sweet potatoes have always been one of my favorite vegetables. Roasted, steamed, French fried, mashed – you name it, I like it. They’re not just slightly sweet and earthy, they’re also affordable and nutritious.
However, I don’t always want to add sweetness to a recipe with sweet potatoes because, obviously, they’re already sweet. So I combine oranges, sweet potatoes and ginger to create more savory mashed sweet potatoes. The orange zest and juice adds a touch of bright flavor without adding sweetness. And ginger adds its unique spiciness without making this dish too spicy.
You start by roasting the sweet potatoes, which is not only incredibly easy but also brings out their flavor. Then you can either mash all the ingredients together by hand or blend them in a food processor for an especially smooth result. As always, taste before serving so you can add more orange or ginger flavor depending on your preference.
I love this dish at Thanksgiving, where it pairs beautifully with turkey, cranberries and stuffing. But it’s also great with chicken, pork and even seafood like salmon or scallops.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 5 medium sweet potatoes – Try to make sure they’re all roughly the same width at the center so they bake at the same rate. They can be different lengths – it’s the width that determines the cooking time.
- 1 large orange – Zest the orange first to measure out 1 teaspoon of zest. Then cut the orange in half to measure out 1 tablespoon of juice.
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger – You’ll need about 1-1½” of fresh ginger. I don’t bother to peel it first but if you want to the edge of a regular spoon works well.
- 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter (optional) – This isn’t necessary but adds a little extra creaminess to the end results. Please note if you add this the recipe won’t be dairy-free or vegan anymore.
Equipment:
- a stainless steel baking sheets
- aluminum foil
- a large mixing bowl
- a potato masher if mixing by hand
- a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
- a food processor if you prefer to blend everything together this way
- measuring spoons
- a microplane grater for the orange zest and grated ginger
- a thin, sharp knife like a paring knife
- a serving bowl
How to make Mashed Orange Ginger Sweet Potatoes
Step 1. Heat the oven to 425° F.
Step 2: Remove any stringy strands from the sweet potatoes. Wrap each one individually in aluminum foil, making sure to seal them tightly. No need to poke them with a fork first.
Step 3: Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for 45-75 minutes, depending on their thickness. For medium-sized sweet potatoes that aren’t especially thick, I find one hour to work well.
Step 4: Zest the orange with a microplane grater (or use a citrus zester and then finely mince the zest). Measure out 1 teaspoon of zest. Cut the orange in half and measure out 1 tablespoon of juice. Use the same microplane grater to grate 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger.
Step 5: Let the sweet potatoes cool a bit. When you can bear it, rip open the foil to let them cool down faster. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove them from the foil and use a thin, sharp knife to peel away some of the peel. Then you can use your hands to peel away the rest.
Step 6: If mashing by hand, add the peeled sweet potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Once they’re very broken down, add the orange juice, orange zest, grated ginger and salt (and ghee/butter, if using). Use a spatula to stir everything together into a smooth mixture. You might see some stringy, fibrous bits – that’s normal.
If using a food processor, add all the ingredients to the bowl and blitz until completely smooth.
Either way, taste and adjust seasonings. Then pile into a serving bowl and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I’ve only tried this with the ingredients listed. Different types of sweet potatoes (white, purple, etc.) have different levels of moisture and might not produce the same results.
You can leave out the orange zest and juice if you just want the ginger flavor, or you can leave out the ginger if you just want the orange flavor.
If you want a bit more kick but don’t want to add more ginger, add a pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper.
Yep. These will keep well in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a heat-proof bowl in a low oven until warmed through.
Yes. Let them fully cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a heat-proof bowl in a low oven until warmed through.
Other recipes you might like:
- Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Curried Sweet Potato Soup
- Sweet Potato Salad
- Sweet Potato Protein Smoothie
Mashed Orange Ginger Sweet Potatoes (Paleo, vegan)
Ingredients
- 5 medium sweet potatoes, they should all be roughly the same width (length doesn't matter as much)
- 1 large orange
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, from about 1-1½" of fresh ginger
- 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425° F.
- Remove any stringy strands from the sweet potatoes. Wrap each one individually in aluminum foil, making sure to seal them tightly. No need to poke them with a fork first.
- Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for 45-75 minutes, depending on their thickness. For medium-sized sweet potatoes that aren't especially thick, I find one hour works well.
- Zest the orange with a microplane grater (or use a citrus zester and then finely mince the zest). Measure out 1 teaspoon of zest. Cut the orange in half and measure out 1 tablespoon of juice. Use the same microplane grater to grate 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool a bit. When you can bear it, rip open the foil to let them cool down faster. When they're cool enough to handle, remove them from the foil and use a thin, sharp knife to peel away some of the peel. Then use your hands to peel away the rest.
- If mashing by hand, add the peeled sweet potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Once they're very broken down, add the orange juice, orange zest, grated ginger and salt (and ghee/butter, if using). Use a spatula to stir everything together into a smooth mixture. You might see some stringy, fibrous bits – that's normal.If using a food processor, add all the ingredients to the bowl and blitz until completely smooth.Either way, taste and adjust seasonings. Then pile into a serving bowl and serve!
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