Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter & Sage

I really like sweet potatoes but I never used to. I guess my taste buds are changing as I get older because they have such a nice flavor and I actually prefer them over regular potatoes now. I had some buttermilk left from when I made the Red Velvet Cake on Sunday and I didn't want it to go to waste so I used that in place of the milk to mash these potatoes. 

I am also a popcorn fanatic and tend to eat it at least 3 times a week for my evening snack, but I don't like the microwave kind. I prefer the old fashioned method of cooking it on top of the stove in a pot with a little bit of Canola oil. Then, this is the best part, I brown the butter so it gets a nutty flavor and drizzle that on my popcorn. I even have  a special bowl that's just for popcorn. It is a 1970 something rust colored Tupperware plastic bowl. (It looks pretty good for being over 30+ years old, don't you think?! lol) It was my Mom's and when I went off to college, the bowl followed me. It has a few burn marks in it and the outside rim is cracked, but it will and always be known as "The Popcorn Bowl". My oldest daughter is already laying claim to it and fights me for it whenever we make our snack(I got her hooked on it too). She only has 2 more years until she's off to college and has already informed me that this bowl is coming with her...we'll just have to see about that now won't we! :)


Anyway, back to the sweet potatoes. So the browned butter made me think of how good that nuttiness would taste in these sweet potatoes and it was. I melted the butter, then let it simmer until it started to foam and turn slightly brown, careful not to burn it. Then add the chopped sage and buttermilk so that it is slightly heated before you add it to the cooked potatoes so that it doesn't curdle. These were delicious and the family loved them!

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter & Sage
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1/2 c. Low Fat Buttermilk
4 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped
1 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste


Add potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain water. While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan until it starts to foam and turn light brown (it will also start to smell nutty). Add the sage, brown sugar and buttermilk and simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes; just until the buttermilk heats up. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cooked potatoes and blend together with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.


Enjoy!