Let me show you how to make my favorite easy Thanksgiving side: candied sweet potatoes! They’re soft, buttery, extra saucy, caramelized, and sweet. I especially love this Thanksgiving side dish because you can prepare the elements of this recipe ahead of time AND purchase the ingredients in advance, too.
Forever my favorite Thanksgiving side dish, these classic candied sweet potatoes make an appearance on our holiday table every year. (I’m surprised I haven’t shared the recipe with you before– these are the best!) In fact, we love them so much that we don’t limit this recipe to only once per year. I love these for Christmas, Easter, or a random Sunday night throughout the year. They’re full of flavor and as far as Thanksgiving side dishes go, they’re REALLY easy.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
These perfect candied sweet potatoes are soft, buttery, extra saucy, caramelized, and sweet. I especially love this Thanksgiving side dish because you can prepare the elements of this recipe ahead of time AND purchase the ingredients in advance, too.
Prep: 15min
Total: 1h25min
Yield: 8
Ingredients:
- 5-6 medium sweet potatoes (3-4 lbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest
- optional for garnish: chopped fresh or dried rosemary, sea salt
Instruction:
- Peel then slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place in a greased 9×13 inch or other 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle salt on top and toss to coat. I just use nonstick spray to grease.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Cut stick of butter in half. (Helps it melt easier.) Combine all the butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the butter has melted. Stop stirring and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. (And orange zest, if using.)
- Pour sauce over potatoes and toss to coat.
- Bake for 1 hour, stopping and stirring the sweet potatoes every 20 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, I cover the dish with aluminum foil so the potatoes bake evenly.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt (if using), then cool uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce is thin right out of the oven but thickens as it cools.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Sauce will be thick after refrigeration, but thins out as you warm the leftovers up. Simply warm in the microwave.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Fresh sweet potatoes Mom grew disappeared fast at our family table when she served them with this easy, flavorful glaze. She still makes them this way, and now her glazed sweet potato recipe has become a favorite with the grandchildren as well! —Rosemary Pryor, Pasadena, Maryland
Prep: 30min
Total: 60min
Yield: 5 servings.
Nutrition Facts: calories 352 calories, Fat 9g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 24mg cholesterol, Sodium 96mg sodium, Carbohydrate 66g carbohydrate (39g sugars, Fiber 6g fiber), Protein 3g protein.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes or 2 cans (15-3/4 ounces each) sweet potatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instruction:
If using fresh sweet potatoes, place in a large saucepan or Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 25-40 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly and peel. Cut into chunks., Preheat oven to 350°. Place sweet potatoes in a 2-qt. baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine butter, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over potatoes. , Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
Baked Sweet Potato
Learn how to bake sweet potatoes with this simple recipe! Serve them as a side dish or stuff them to make them a meal on their own.
Prep: 5min
Total: 45min
Ingredients:
- Sweet Potatoes
- butter
- sea salt
- chives
- dollop of greek yogurt
- a scoop of guacamole
- a drizzle of creamy avocado cilantro lime dressing
- any of these stuffing ideas!
Instruction:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a piece of foil on a baking sheet. Use a fork to poke holes into the sweet potatoes, set them on the baking sheet, and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until puffed up and soft inside when pierced with a fork.
Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes
Cooking sweet potatoes is a staple of many Thanksgiving Day celebrations. Add our sweet potato and marshmallow side dish to your lineup, and wow your family with this quick-prep dish. In just five minutes, you can prep our baked sweet potato recipe, then throw it in the oven, and bake to perfection. Show your kids how to make this sweet potato-marshmallow dish, and start a family tradition that’s sure to last for years to come.
Prep: 5min
Total: 35min
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 Serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 240 , Carbohydrate 44 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1 , Fiber 3 g, Protein 1 g, Saturated Fat 3 1/2 g, servingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 250 mg, Sugar 20 g, Trans Fat 0 g
Ingredients:
- 3 cans (15-oz each) sweet potatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 15 large marshmallows
Instruction:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12×8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place sweet potatoes in sprayed baking dish. Pour butter over potatoes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and salt. Top with marshmallows.
- Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are thoroughly heated and marshmallows are lightly browned.
Best Ever Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe – How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
FAQ
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