Roasted Sweet Potato with Candied Pecans
Jul 17, 2023
"Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My husband has joked that it’s my Super Bowl. I make a mean spatchcocked, dry-brined turkey, but to be honest, my favorite things at Thanksgiving—other than the time with family—are the sides, especially my sweet potatoes with candied pecan topping. What makes these sweet potatoes different from most is roasting them in the oven first and the addition of orange. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness and keeps the bright color, while the orange gives them that little something extra." -- Khela
This recipe was shared by Khela in Episode 5 of Season 2 of The Great American Recipe.
This recipe was shared by Khela in Episode 5 of Season 2 of The Great American Recipe.
- Servings
- 8 servings
- Course
- Side Dish
Tags
Ingredients
For the Sweet potatoes:
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- Grated zest of ½ orange
- Juice of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, or more as needed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
For the Topping:
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lined a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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Using a fork, poke holes all over the sweet potatoes and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a knife. Let the potatoes cool slightly. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F.
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While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the topping. Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, salt, and pecans in a medium bowl. Stir the mixture around until most of the brown sugar has darkened from the butter. Set aside.
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When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and put the flesh in a large bowl, breaking it up a bit with your fingers. Add the orange zest and juice, cream, melted butter, salt, and nutmeg. Using an electric hand mixer, blend the potatoes on medium speed until smooth, adding more cream if needed.
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Lightly grease a small casserole dish. Transfer the potato mixture to the casserole dish, pressing down so it is evenly spread out in the dish. Sprinkle the top with the sugared pecans as evenly as possible, then bake for 15–20 minutes, until the topping is crunchy. Serve warm.
