Sweet Potato Puree

Homemade Sweet Potato Puree tastes so much better than the canned kind and is incredibly easy to make, too!  This recipe will give you a perfectly creamy and smooth texture, tons of naturally sweet flavor, and it’s also super adaptable.  You can either cook whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, bake in the oven, or boil in a pot.  Use the puree in your favorite pie and dessert recipes or store it for later.

Sweet Potato Puree Recipe

After recently learning how much better Homemade Pumpkin Puree was than the store bought kind, sweet potato puree was next on the list.

Unlike pumpkin puree which is sometimes made with other squash varieties, sweet potato puree is typically made from just one ingredient – sweet potatoes!

I was a bit skeptical as to how big of a difference making it from scratch would actually be.

Was it worth the extra time and effort to cook the potatoes and then blend them into a creamy puree?

Or would the canned kind suffice when making this Sweet Potato Pie for Thanksgiving.

Well, I have a feeling you already know the answer.  Because, here we are, on a blog post written about a sweet potato puree recipe.

To put it bluntly – homemade sweet potato puree is SO. FREAKING. WORTH. IT.

If you don’t believe me yet, just look at the photo below comparing canned puree to this homemade version.  The colors and texture ALONE can tell you how much better it is when you make it from scratch.

So if you’re ready to up-level your sweet potato pie and other dessert recipe game, then let’s get to pureeing!

Ingredient

If you didn’t already catch that, the word “ingredient” above is in its singular form.

That’s because you will only need ONE ingredient to make homemade sweet potato puree.

WHAT-THE-WHAT?!

Yup.  You only need sweet potatoes!  But, there are a few different things you’ll want to make sure to look for when you’re picking out that very special ingredient:

• Jewel and Garnet sweet potatoes are the best varieties to get.  Avoid the Japanese sweet potato, white, or purple kind.
• Organic potatoes tend to have quite a bit more flavor than conventional.
• Look for potatoes that are about the same size and shape so they cook at a similar rate.

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes

Before we can puree the potatoes into a creamy dream-like consistency, we need to first cook them.

Depending on which of the methods below you’ll use, you may or may not need to peel them first.

But no matter what method you use, you must first rinse and scrub the potatoes thoroughly.  After all, these bad boys are grown underground and have quite a bit of dirt and debris still hiding out.

Once the potatoes are rinsed and scrubbed you can cook them one of three different ways.  Here are my recommendations in the order of preference:

• Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes – The fastest option that will also give you potatoes that aren’t too watery.
  • Add 1 cup water to a 6-quart Instant Pot.
  • Place sweet potatoes on a trivet or in a steamer basket inside the Instant Pot.
  • Cover Instant Pot with lid, ensure the pressure release valve is set to sealed, and turn on high pressure for 17 minutes for medium-sized potatoes and 20-22 minutes for large potatoes.
  • Once the Instant Pot is done cooking the potatoes, let potatoes sit in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. (10 minute Natural Pressure release.)

• Baking Sweet Potatoes – Another great option that will take a little longer but will give you creamy, and not watery, puree.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any excess dirt.  Poke holes all over potatoes using a large fork.
  • Wrap potatoes in a large piece of aluminum foil, making sure the foil wraps around the potato at least twice. Secure the ends so no juice escapes the packet.  Place wrapped potatoes on a large baking sheet.
  • Bake potatoes for 45-60 minutes or until they are cooked all of the way through.

• Boiling Sweet Potatoes – A relatively fast option but it does require more prep work of peeling/cutting and will make your puree more watery.
  • Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil.*
  • Peel potatoes with a potato peeler and cut your sweet potatoes into 1″ or 2″ chunks. You can also leave them whole and with the skin on, if you prefer.*
  • Carefully add sweet potatoes to the boiling water.  Reduce heat to Medium-High and keep a slow boil throughout the duration of cooking.
  • Boil sweet potatoes until they are cooked through:
    • For 1″ cubes – 12 to 15 minutes.
    • For 2″ cubes – 20-25 minutes.
    • For whole potatoes – 40-50 minutes.

Cook’s Tip: Baking in the oven and cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot are both great options.  Both of these methods cook the potatoes without adding a ton of additional moisture.  Extra moisture means more liquid in the potatoes which makes for a watery puree that’s not as thick and creamy.

Peeling

Once the potatoes are fully cooked and tender, you’ll need to remove the peel if you haven’t already.

1. Let the sweet potatoes cool until they are safe to the touch.  (Cooking potatoes a day in advance is good option if you have the time.)
2. Sometimes the skin will just peel right off.  If you can, pick a piece of the skin and peel it off.
3. If the skin is still adhered to the potato flesh, then simply grab a large spoon and scoop out the flesh.
4. Repeat this process until all of the sweet potato flesh is removed.  Discard the skin.

Pureeing

The best way to make homemade sweet potato puree is to add the cooked potatoes to a large food processor.  You can also use a large high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix, or even a smaller high-speed blender, such as a Nutribullet.

Using a food processor is the recommended way since you can fit a large volume of potatoes in it and also control the consistency of the puree more easily.

1. Once you’ve added the potatoes to the food processor, cover it with a lid and process for 45-60 seconds.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every 15-20 seconds to ensure even blending.

One pound of sweet potatoes will give you a little less than 2 cups of sweet potato puree.  This is roughly how much comes in a can of store-bought puree.

Storing

Use sweet potato puree immediately in your favorite sweet potato pie recipe or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze it in 1-cup increments for up to 3-4 months.

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Sweet Potato Puree Recipe

Homemade Sweet Potato Puree tastes so much better than the canned kind and is incredibly easy to make, too!  This recipe will give you a perfectly creamy and smooth texture, tons of naturally sweet flavor, and it's also super adaptable.  You can either cook whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, bake in the oven, or boil in a pot.  Use the puree in your favorite pie and dessert recipes or store it for later.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dessert, easy, homemade, how to, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 49 kcal

Author London

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes about 2-3 medium-sized potatoes

Instructions

1. Cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, bake in the oven, or boil on the stovetop. (See instructions below.)

Sweet Potato Puree:

1. Let sweet potatoes cool until safe to touch. Scoop out the sweet potato flesh and remove the skin.
2. Add sweet potatoes to a large food processor or high-speed blender and puree for 45-60 seconds, or until it has reached your desired consistency.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every 15-20 seconds to ensure even blending.
4. Use sweet potato puree immediately or store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Instant Pot:

1. Add 1 cup water to a 6-quart Instant Pot.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a trivet or in a steamer basket inside the Instant Pot.
3. Cover Instant Pot with lid, ensure the pressure release valve is set to sealed, and turn on high pressure for 17 minutes for medium-sized potatoes and 20-22 minutes for large potatoes.
4. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking the potatoes, let potatoes sit in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. (10 minute Natural Pressure release.)

Bake in Oven:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any excess dirt. Poke holes all over potatoes using a large fork.

3. Wrap potatoes in a large piece of aluminum foil, making sure the foil wraps around the potato at least twice. Secure the ends so no juice escapes the packet. Place wrapped potatoes on a large baking sheet.
4. Bake potatoes for 45-60 minutes or until they are cooked all of the way through.

Boil on Stove:

1. Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil.*
2. Peel potatoes with a potato peeler and cut your sweet potatoes into 1" or 2" chunks. You can also leave them whole and with the skin on, if you prefer.*
3. Carefully add sweet potatoes to the boiling water. Reduce heat to Medium-High and keep a slow boil throughout the duration of cooking.
4. Boil sweet potatoes until they are cooked through:
5. For 1" cubes - 12 to 15 minutes.
6. For 2" cubes - 20-25 minutes.
7. For whole potatoes - 40-50 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• 1 pound of sweet potatoes will give you a little less than 2 cups of sweet potato puree.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Puree Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 49 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 31mg1%

Potassium 191mg5%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 8044IU161%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.