Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping is one of the easiest ever Thanksgiving recipes. Candied Sweet Potatoes is an easy, sweet, and delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipe which you would love to make every year. These are made with Peeled and Chopped Sweet Potatoes which are layered in a casserole dish, topped with a brown sugar sauce and Pecan topping, and baked until it gets tender on the inside and the Pecans get toasty on the outside. This is the perfect recipe for Thanksgiving, where it becomes difficult to differentiate it from being a dessert or a side dish. Well, it's the Holidays after all!
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping
Hey friends! Today, I'll introduce y'all to one of the easiest ever Candied Sweet Potatoes recipes. These are so delicious and one of the best side dishes you could ever make for Thanksgiving.
Why you should be making these Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping?
The first reason is - Unlike a classic Sweet Potato Casserole, this one doesn't require boiling the Potatoes and then mashing it and then baking it. Rather, this one is made with chopped Sweet Potatoes, which are just lined on a baking dish, topped with a sweet and flavored sauce and Pecan topping.
Also, this recipe barely requires any special ingredients. All the ingredients which are used in this recipe are always at our home.
Again, this recipe is totally customizable, as per the ingredients which you have at home.
For example, you can replace Brown Sugar with Maple Syrup or Corn Syrup. *(see recipe notes below for exact quantity)
You can skip the Rosemary and thyme if you do not have them at home and just use some dried Italian seasonings.
You can skip out on the Orange zest and use some Lemon Zest as an alternative.
You can skip the Vanilla and use Bourbon.
I love the crunchy topping of these Candied Sweet Potatoes. It's got a perfect crust, which is almost like a crumb topping over the baked sweet potatoes!
These Sweet Potatoes get perfectly caramelized after they get baked and are so moist and tender. It never dries out.
Also, I always use some spices which I have at home like Thyme, Rosemary, Ground Cinnamon, Grated Nutmeg, Ground Ginger, and a hint of Orange Zest, because that's what makes this stand out.
A little bit of fresh Orange zest makes this dish smell just like the holidays 🙂
How to make Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping
Here, I will walk you through how to make these Candied Sweet Potatoes.
First - Chop the Sweet Potatoes - I have used 2 medium-sized Sweet Potatoes for this recipe. The number of Sweet Potatoes, depends on the servings you're making this for. 2 medium-sized Sweet Potatoes is perfect for 4 servings. So, the simple ratio you got to remember is 1:2.
Take thick, fat, reddish, or copper-skinned Sweet Potatoes. Some Sweet Potatoes are Reddish or Copper colored on the outside but are whitish on the inside. Well, that's absolutely fine, because once it gets cooked, it's going to taste the same.
Next, Peel the skin of the Sweet Potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. One quick advice would be to be careful of the size of the slices because if one of the slices is too thin, it might get overcooked and even get burned because it will be baking with Sugar. And. that will ruin your dish. Also, if one of the slices is too thick, then it will remain undercooked and shall be firm to eat. So, while you're chopping the Sweet Potatoes, be careful of cutting them of equal size.
Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray or use a 3-quart baking dish, grease it with oil or butter. Line with the Sweet Potatoes.
Now, there is no hard and fast rule as to how you should line the Potatoes. You can just throw them all in and layer them in the bottom. If you have a lot of Sweet Potatoes, then arrange them like you arrange scalloped potatoes.
Second - The next step obviously is to make the sauce. This sauce is so easy. All you need is Butter, Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Water, Salt, Ground Cinnamon, Grated Nutmeg, and Ground ginger. You can also add some Thyme, Rosemary, and Orange Zest to the sauce. Throw all of these ingredients in a pot and combine over medium-low flame, until the butter and the sugar melts.
Stir constantly with a wire whisk, so that the sugar doesn't get burned. As the sugar melts and the sauce thickens, take the sauce off the heat and pour over the Chopped Sweet Potatoes.
Finally, use a spatula, to mix the Potatoes with the Sauce and layer it evenly in your dish.
Third - Top with the Chopped Pecan Nuts. And pop this in the oven for 1 hour at 350F or 180C.
After the Sweet Potatoes get done, get them out cool it down to room temperature, and serve it.
This recipe is something which I'm sure you'll love and soon be one of your Thanksgiving favorites.
Can this be frozen?
Yes, absolutely! These candied Sweet Potatoes can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, remember to first bake this entire dish, cool it down, then tightly cover it with a food-grade aluminum foil and again with a plastic food wrap, and then freeze it.
When you want to reheat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it covered with an aluminum foil, for 25-30 min at 180C or 350F or until it is heated throughout.
Can you slice the Potatoes ahead of time?
Yes, of course! I do that always.
You can peel and chop the sweet potatoes and keep them in the refrigerator. Wrap the Chopped Sweet Potatoes in food-grade Aluminum Foil and keep it in the refrigerator. This will stay fresh for up to 2 days.
Make-Ahead Instructions for the sauce
- You can make the sauce ahead of time. Cool it down and store it in an airtight mason jar for about 3 days. Store this in the refrigerator.
- To reuse the sauce, microwave it for 3 min at full power or reheat it on the stove.
I hope you liked this recipe, if you happen to make this recipe, then comment below and rate this recipe. Also, tag me with #recipemagik on Instagram.
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Topping
Ingredients
- 3 medium sized Sweet Potatoes Peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch slices
For the Sauce
- 1 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar 200gm (skip for vegan version)
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter 115gm or 1 Stick
- ½ cup Pure Maple Syrup 118ml
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Water 55ml
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary and Thyme (each) optional
- 1 tablespoon Orange Zest optional
- ½ cup Chopped Pecan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. Grease the baking dish with cooking spray or vegetable oil or butter. Peel the Sweet Potatoes and chop them into 1/2 inch slices. Layer them in your Baking dish.
- Take a saucepan, cut the Unsalted Butter into half and throw in the saucepan. Now to it add the Water, Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Salt, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Grated Nutmeg. Allow this to simmer over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves in the sauce. Now, stop stirring and allow the Sauce to come to a quick boil. Allow it to boil over medium-low flame for 1 min. Take it off the heat and pour over the Sweet Potatoes.
- Add the chopped Pecan over the Sweet Potatoes.
- Bake the Candied Sweet Potatoes uncovered for 30 min. After 30 min, get it out of the oven, add the Rosemary and Thyme over it. Also, add the Orange Zest at this moment. Do not stir. Bake covered for the remaining 30 min.
- Cool it down to room temperature and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can replace Brown Sugar with 1 cup of Maple Syrup or 1/2 cup of High Fructose Dark Corn Syrup. for the Vegan Version.
- Or you can use 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of Maple Syrup.
- Also, if you're substituting the brown sugar, do not add any more Maple Syrup, which is written in the recipe.
- You can peel and chop the sweet potatoes and keep them in the refrigerator. Wrap the Chopped Sweet Potatoes in food-grade Aluminum Foil and keep it in the refrigerator. This will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- You can make the sauce ahead of time. Cool it down and store it in an airtight mason jar for about 3 days. Store this in the refrigerator.
- To reuse the sauce, microwave it for 3 min at full power or reheat it on the stove.
- After you've baked the Candied Sweet potatoes, cool it down completely to room temperature. Wrap with Aluminum foil. Again wrap with Plastic Food Wrap and freeze. This can be stored for up to 3 months.
- To reheat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven, covered with the Aluminum foil, at 350F or 180C for 25-30 min or until it is heated throughout.
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