Ah, potatoes. The ultimate comfort food.
Air fryer mashed potatoes are a quick and easy side dish that you can customize to be very healthy or very indulgent.
And they won’t take up room in your oven – perfect for Thanksgiving!
This recipe uses sweet potatoes, but white potatoes work perfectly too!
How to Air Fry Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are delicious and so good for you – all year long.
But there is something about autumn that makes sweet potatoes completely crave-able.
And when you cook these up in your air fryer, you can enjoy nutritious sweet potatoes without having to take up space in your oven for an hour.
This is particularly handy at Thanksgiving when you really need that oven space for your turkey.
To air fry whole sweet potatoes, start by rubbing the clean potatoes with olive oil, then place them on the air fryer rack or basket, leaving space between.
Cook at 400 degrees for 50 minutes, using tongs to flip halfway through.
Your potatoes will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside when done.
You can then serve them baked, or you can take one more step to make creamy mashed sweet potatoes.
Making Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
To make them mashed, simply remove the skins and place the potatoes in a large bowl.
Add butter and beat with an electric mixer to combine. Slowly add milk and continue mixing until the desired consistency is reached.
Many people enjoy adding brown sugar, maple syrup, or other sweeteners to their potatoes.
But when you bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees, it brings all their natural sugars to the forefront.
Air fryer sweet potatoes don’t need extra sweeteners, but I do recommend adding butter or cinnamon on top for an extra burst of flavor!
Can I use an air fryer to heat mashed potato leftovers?
Now we all know leftovers are a big part of Thanksgiving, so you probably want to know, “Can I heat up mashed potatoes in an air fryer?”
Absolutely!
Simply scoop leftover mashed potatoes into the air fryer baking pan or other oven-safe dish that fits in the air fryer basket.
Add a little butter and reheat at around 300 degrees for 5 minutes.
Making Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
For a more indulgent sweet potato side dish, try making smashed potatoes in the air fryer.
For this method, you’ll want to peel your sweet potatoes and slice them into 1-inch thick slices.
Toss them with olive oil and spices such as cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, or paprika.
And of course plenty of salt and pepper!
Lay the potatoes on the air fryer rack or basket in a single layer – do not crowd them or they won’t get crispy.
Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Take the sweet potatoes out and “smash” them gently with a spatula.
Drizzle with a little melted butter and maple syrup, then cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
The secret to making these savory, air fryer smashed potatoes is the butter and maple syrup that gets the outside crispy and caramelized.
Need another sweet potato side dish idea?
Try this sweet potato casserole too! If you’re having a large buffet, why not serve both?
Ingredients You’ll Need for Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
- 2 to 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed, rinsed and dried
- 2 to 4 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ½ to ¾ cup milk, depending on desired consistency
You’ll also need an air fryer. There are several that we like, including the Ninja Air Fryer
How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Rub clean potatoes with olive oil.
Place potatoes on the air fryer rack or in the basket.
Be sure to leave space between them. Don’t stack them either.
Cook at 400 degrees for 50 minutes, using tongs to flip halfway. The potatoes will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside when done. Remove from air fryer and cool slightly to touch.
Remove skins from sweet potatoes and place potatoes in a large bowl.
Add butter to potatoes and beat with an electric mixer to combine. Slowly add milk and continue mixing until desired consistency is reached.
Serve with additional butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, or other desired toppings.
Sweet, buttery, and whipped up to a fluffy delight, these Air Fryer Mashed Sweet Potatoes are so good, you’ll definitely want to make them more than once a year!
More delicious side dishes and appetizer recipes
Garlic Parmesan Basil Roasted Carrots
Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Shrimp Skewers
Cheesy Garlic Stuffed Meatballs
Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes: Mashed or Smashed!
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Knife or potato peeler
- Air Fryer
- Bowl large
- Electric Mixer
- Measuring Cup
Ingredients
- 2-4 Medium Sweet Potatoes Scrubbed, Rinsed, and Dried
- 2-4 teaspoons Olive Oil
- ½ cup Butter (One Stick)
- 1/2-3/4 cup Milk Depending on the Desired Consistency
Instructions
- Rub clean potatoes with olive oil.2-4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, 2-4 teaspoons Olive Oil
- Place potatoes on air fryer rack or in basket leaving space between and without stacking.
- Cook at 400 degrees for 50 minutes, using tongs to flip halfway. Potatoes will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside when done. Remove from air fryer and cool slightly to touch.
- Remove skins from sweet potatoes and place potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add butter to potatoes and beat with an electric mixer to combine. Slowly add milk and continue mixing until desired consistency is reached.1/2 cup Butter, 1/2-3/4 cup Milk
- Serve with additional butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, or other desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I love to cook and entertain. I have a lot of fun sharing traditional food and drink recipes as well as putting a new spin on the classics. I strive to provide easy to make recipes that are perfect for the home cook, bartender and entertainer.