Mashed Coconut Boniato (Sweet Potato) — Dairy-Free Vegan Recipe

Mashed coconut boniato (white sweet potato) is a simple, flavorful dish that fits many clean-eating plans. It’s naturally dairy-free and vegan, making it a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes for holidays or everyday meals. These photos were refreshed May 2016 as part of a photography update.

Good morning! This is the second post in our Clean Eating: Cuban Style series this week, and it’s a personal favorite. If you’re like me and prefer your sweet potatoes without added sugar or candied toppings, this recipe will be a revelation. I avoid overly sweet preparations—no marshmallow-topped yams or sugared sweet potato fries—because they mask the vegetable’s natural flavor. This Cuban-style preparation highlights that natural sweetness without adding sugar.

This recipe comes from my in-laws and uses the white Caribbean sweet potato called boniato rather than the orange-fleshed yam often found in U.S. markets. Boniato has a subtle, starchy sweetness that pairs beautifully with coconut, and it doesn’t require any added sweetener.

Fun trivia: sweet potatoes are not botanically related to regular potatoes. They’re a root crop more closely related to the morning glory family, which explains their different textures and flavors.

The magic of this dish is its simplicity: three main ingredients—white sweet potato (boniato), coconut cream, and salt—create a rich, creamy mash that’s vegan, dairy-free, and suitable for many allergy-conscious diets (unless you have a coconut allergy). The texture is smooth and the coconut adds a subtle richness without overpowering the potato.

We served it with Cuban-style slow cooker chicken and homemade grass-fed meatballs, and it was equally good with a fried egg for breakfast. This versatility makes it an excellent side or a simple main when you want something comforting and wholesome.