Maple Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for Thanksgiving

For more years than I can remember, it was always my job to bring three vegetable side dishes to our family’s Thanksgiving dinner. One of those recipes is my Pecan Topped Slightly-Sweet Sweet Potato Casserole. It’s an epic recipe that everyone (even my sometimes finicky  90-year old dad) loves. This year, because of COVID, we’re downsizing our holiday celebration to just our family of four. I’m so sad I can’t be with my parents and extended family and friends, and I’m sure a lot of you can relate to that disappointment too. Regardless of the number of people at my table (or yours), veggie side dishes will still be the star of our Thanksgiving, though my usual too-heavy-to-carry casseroles will be getting downsized. That’s where this new recipe for Maple Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes comes in. Every bite of these naturally-sweet spuds is reminiscent of everyone’s favorite casserole, but instead of a giant casserole, the recipe for Maple Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes calls for just two halved sweet potatoes. Easy peasy.

Each sweet potato half is like it’s own mini casserole. It’s a small batch side dish that you can serve at the holidays or any time of year.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without sweet potatoes on my table. Rich in vitamin A and fiber and naturally sweet, it’s one of my favorite fall and winter vegetables. Any chopped nut would be great on top. If you’re not partial to pecans, go for walnuts or even pistachios.

Recipe testing on Zoom with my wonderful Boston University nutrition intern, Linfei.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and slice in half lengthwise.

Place in a steamer basket and steam until fork tender.

Smash, drizzle, top, and serve.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Maple Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

 

Author: Liz Weiss

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: Holiday

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This year I'm all about hosting a small Thanksgiving gathering. I'll be downsizing the portions, but I don't want to give up any of my favorite holiday flavors. This easy side dish reminds me of the casserole I always bring to our family/friend dinner, but it serves four versus a crowd. Double it if you want leftovers.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 12 ounces each, scrubbed clean and sliced in half, lengthwise

For the Drizzle:

• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon orang zest
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• A few pinches kosher salt

For the Topping:

• ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• A few pinches kosher salt

Instructions

1. Fill a large saucepan with an inch of water. Place the potatoes in a steamer basket and lower the basket into the pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and steam the potatoes at a low boil until they are fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are steaming, prepare the drizzle. Place the orange juice, oil, maple syrup, zest, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Set aside.
3. To make the topping, place the pecans, oil, maple syrup, zest, and salt in a small bowl and stir until the nuts are evenly coated with the oil and syrup. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
5. When the potatoes are done, carefully remove from the steamer basket using tongs and place on the foil-lined baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, lightly mash the sweet potato flesh with a fork. Be careful not to break the skin. Pour the drizzle evenly over the sweet potato halves and let it soak in. Top the potato halves evenly with the pecan mixture.
6. Bake until the nuts are lightly toasted, 5 to 10 minutes.

Notes

You can steam the potatoes two to three days a head of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before your feast, re-heat the potato halves in the microwave before you smash, drizzle, top, and bake.

3.5.3251