Ina Garten Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ina Garten chipotle smashed sweet potatoes turn roasted sweet potatoes, chipotle in adobo and maple syrup into a creamy, spicy-sweet side dish in 2 hours 15 minutes. This make-ahead smashed sweet potato recipe fits Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas tables and cozy fall suppers.

Simmer the milk, cream and chipotle together for the full 5 minutes before it meets the potatoes, so the smoky heat spreads through every spoonful. Skip it and you get uneven pockets of spice instead of one smooth, balanced bite.

Ina Garten built this dish after falling for the sweet potatoes at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Cocina in New York City, where she and Jeffrey share small plates. Her version keeps the smoky chipotle and sweet maple pairing, and she mixes it coarsely in a stand mixer so it stays creamy but not baby-food smooth.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Calories

365

kcal

Roasted sweet potatoes get beaten with a chipotle cream and maple syrup into a coarse, velvety mash. A final bake in the oven heats it through and leaves the top lightly set.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes (6 potatoes)
  

• 1 cup whole milk
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, with seeds, such as Goya (see note)
  

• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can of chiles)
  

• 1/4 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
  

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. That way the sticky potato juices won't burn onto the pan.
• Roast the potatoes: Set the 4 pounds of sweet potatoes on the pan and pierce each one 4 times with a small knife. Roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a knife slides in easily and the insides feel very tender.
• Peel the potatoes: Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them, and leave the oven on. Then peel off the skins and drop the flesh into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Simmer the chipotle cream: Combine 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, though it might look curdled.
• Mix the mash: With the mixer on low, pour in the chipotle-milk mixture, then add 1/4 cup maple syrup, 4 tablespoons diced butter and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Mix until the potatoes are coarsely pureed, which keeps a little texture.
• Bake until hot: Pour the mixture into a 9 x 12 x 2-inch oval baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. It's ready once it's heated through and steaming.
• Season and serve: Sprinkle with a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve it hot, straight from the baking dish.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Where do I find chipotle chiles in adobo sauce?

Look for the small cans in the Latin section of your grocery store, where Goya is an easy brand to spot. You'll use both the minced chiles and a spoonful of the sauce from the same can.

Can I make chipotle smashed sweet potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, mix everything and spoon it into the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you're ready, bake it at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes until hot, which is a little longer than the fresh version.

How can I make them less spicy?

Use less minced chipotle and scrape out the seeds, since the seeds carry a lot of the heat. You can also keep the adobo sauce and cut the chiles, which leaves smoke without as much fire.

Can I use a potato masher instead of a mixer?

A potato masher works fine if you don't have a stand mixer. Mash the peeled potatoes in a large bowl, then stir in the warm chipotle cream, maple syrup, butter and salt until it's coarsely smooth.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Undercooking the potatoes is the big one, because firm spots stay lumpy and won't blend into the cream. Wait until a knife slides in with no resistance, even if that takes the full 1 1/4 hours.