Hello, my beautiful readers! I hope you are having a wonderful day. It’s beautiful autumn weather here in Oslo, Norway. I’m craving lots of warm and filling dishes lately. There is something about the crispy, cold autumn air that is so refreshing and makes you want something cozy. So for today’s blog post, I want to share with you my Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe. There are some variations to the recipe, but I find this recipe to be easy, delicious, and healthy.
Then let me introduce you to the Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe.
Introduction to Japanese Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
The mashed sweet potato is a popular side dish, especially for the chilly seasons like fall and winter. In North America, we make mashed sweet potatoes with bright orange-colored sweet potatoes.
This Japanese mashed sweet potato is made with sweet potatoes that you can find easily in Japan. This type of sweet potato is also the most popular type of sweet potato in Korea as well. So that is why it is called the Japanese mashed sweet potato—this dish is called マッシュさつまいも in Japanese, which just means mashed sweet potatoes! Hahaha.
But does that mean that the Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe is just the same as the regular mashed sweet potatoes, only the type of sweet potato is swapped? No, it’s not! Some ingredients are unique to Japanese mashed sweet potatoes, as well as what you eat with them.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients for the Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe.
East Asian sweet potatoes have purple skin and yellow flesh and have a similar flavor and texture to chestnuts. I miss them!
Ingredients for Japanese Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
I lived in Japan for about 4 years, and I find Japanese cuisine to love incorporating sweet taste flavors in the dishes. So I reckon this mashed sweet potato recipe might have developed from the love for sweet flavor in Japan.
Main Ingredients
- Japanese sweet potatoes (They are yellow on the inside and more chestnut-like in flavors and texture)
- Milk & Butter: I used plant-based versions, but you can
Garnish
You can choose different types of garnish for the Japanese mashed sweet potatoes, and they are quite different from North American garnish over the mashed sweet potatoes. Here are some of the most popular garnishes to use on Japanese mashed sweet potatoes.
- Black sesame seeds
- Almond slices
- Chopped pecans or other types of nuts
How to Serve Japanese Mashed Sweet Potatoes
How is this dish served in Japan? I asked my sister-in-law, who is Japanese, and she gave me an insightful comment! She said this mashed sweet potato dish is served as a “sweet-flavored sauce.” That made sense! I watched a Japanese video about this recipe on YouTube, and the woman in the video dipped some sausages into the mashed sweet potatoes and ate them. That looked quite yummy. Here are some of the Japanese dishes you can serve with mashed sweet potatoes as a side dish or sauce.
Serving mashed sweet potato with cutlets is one of the popular ways to eat.
- Tonkatsu (Fried Japanese deep-fried pork cutlet)
- Sausages
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Baked Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce
Did you know that there is also Okinawan purple sweet potato salad? I have the recipe on my blog and you can serve this just like you would with this mashed sweet potato.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Before getting into the Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe, let me tell you a little bit about the health benefits of sweet potatoes, so you can’t wait to make this dish! Based on this recent research about the sweet potato, Sweet Potato Is Not Simply an Abundant Food Crop, here are some of the interesting health benefits you can expect from eating sweet potatoes.
- High antioxidant properties for anti-aging
- Hepatoprotective effects: protecting the liver and keeping it healthy
- Brain health and improvement in memory
- Preventing cancer
- Improves digestion
You can also make these Korean cheese corn sweet potato dumplings with Japanese sweet potatoes!
Japanese Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe | Perfect Side Dish for Fall
Original Japanese Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare sweet potatoes. You will need about two to three Japanese sweet potatoes for this recipe. Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then peel the skin.
- Put the sweet potato and two tablespoons of water in a heat-resistant container. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, heat in a 600W microwave for 5 minutes, and drain the remaining water.
- Check if the sweet potatoes are cooked and soft. If it is, then mash it with a fork. Add milk and butter and mix well until smooth. Add salt and mix again.
- Sprinkle some toasted black sesame seeds to add a more Japanese touch. Serve hot as a side dish. Enjoy!
Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe Variations
1. Opt Out Butter for the Healthier Version
You can totally opt out of the butter in the recipe if you want to make it healthier.
2. Make Easy Sweet Potato Salad
You can make an easy sweet potato salad from this mashed sweet potato recipe! If you have some fresh paprika and onions, chop them into small pieces and mix them with the mashed sweet potato. You can also add some sweet corn or herbs like parsley. You have now delicious, easy, sweet potato salad.
3. Add Sweet Potato Skin
Did you know that sweet potato skin has way more fiber and nutrition than the sweet potato flesh that we usually eat? For that reason, people who are on a diet in East Asia like to eat the skin too. When making the mashed sweet potato, you can also add some chopped sweet potato skin to add some nutrition and color! I love the purple skin of the Asian sweet potato.
How to Store Mashed Sweet Potato
Mashed sweet potatoes can go bad very quickly. The water content in sweet potatoes can make the dish spoil or ferment (you can eat fermented mashed sweet potatoes, and I’m sure it’s even healthier). But it will taste sour and smell like yeast! I’m not sure if you want to eat that.) So please store your mashed sweet potato in the fridge right away. I recommend eating it within 3 days from the day you made it. If you want to serve it after 3 days, you can store it in the fridge. It can last quite well in the freezer.
Summary of Japanese Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
I hope you enjoyed this mashed sweet potato recipe that is in Japanese style! I love the soft, creamy, comforting, and sweet taste of this mashed sweet potato. This dish goes so well with many types of Japanese dishes, especially for the chilly seasons like fall and winter. You can also make this mashed sweet potato easy, even easier than mashed potatoes.
If you enjoyed this Japanese mashed sweet potato recipe, please let me know! I will see you again with another delicious recipe.
My Other Sweet Potato Recipe
Sweet Potato Latte | Cozy and Sweet Korean Goguma Latte Recipe
This popular Korean sweet potato latte, aka goguma latte, is so sweet, soft, and creamy! Make this sweet potato latte at home to warm your body and soul. 🤤🍠
Sweet Potato Rice Cake Recipe | Inspired by Korean Tteok
This sweet rice cake is so easy to make, delicious, and incredibly chewy! Naturally sweetened with sweet potato and date paste, it is also healthy. Learn more.
My Other Japanese Recipes
Vanilla Matcha Latte Recipe | Japanese Matcha Drink Recipe
This vanilla matcha latte recipe is a beautiful green tea matcha drink recipe! You’ll fall in love with the earthy, round, slightly bitter, and sweet flavors.
Best Yuzu Sorbet | Refreshing Ninja Creami Sorbet Recipes
If you love citrus sorbet, you might love this yuzu sorbet recipe too! Make this best yuzu sorbet recipe with a few ingredients. It’s a wonderfully refreshing Japanese citrus sorbet. Learn more.
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