Subtly sweetened and topped with crunchy toasted pecans, maple mashed sweet potatoes is a classic Thanksgiving side dish, though you need not wait for a special occasion to enjoy it. It’s an old-fashioned sweet potato recipe for today’s tastes, to enjoy throughout the cool seasons.
This recipe is a close relative, though an updated one, of the traditional dish often referred to as “candied yams.” Did you know that calling sweet potatoes “yams” is actually a misnomer? Yams are rarely sold in this country, so quite often, what you see sold as yams are actually sweet potatoes.
Baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time not only deepens their delicious flavors, but eliminates the need for peeling and chopping — a lot of chopping. Once the potato are done and cool enough to be handled, simply cut them in half and scoop out the tender flesh.
If you plan to make this ahead of a holiday dinner, you can bake the sweet potatoes the day before, then proceed with the recipe and warm the whole thing in the oven at 350º F. or in the microwave just before serving.
Here are lots more delectable vegan sweet potato recipes.
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
Subtly sweetened and topped with crunchy toasted pecans, maple mashed sweet potatoes is a classic Thanksgiving side dish, though you need not wait for a special occasion to enjoy it.
Ingredients
- 6 large or 8 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- Juice of 1 juicy orange, or about 1/2 cup
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecan halves (or 3/4 cup chopped), toasted if you prefer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Wash the sweet potatoes (even though you’ll be peeling them). Prick them all over with a fork. Arrange them on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until you can very easily pierce them with a knife or fork. You can do this step a day or two ahead of time if preparing for a holiday.
- One the sweet potato are cool enough to handle, cut them them in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, transferring it to a flat-ish container (like a standard casserole dish, this will make it easier to mash them) as you go.
- Add the vegan butter (if the sweet potatoes are no longer warm enough to melt it, melt in a small saucepan or in a small container in the microwave before adding), orange juice, syrup, and seasoning.
- Mash until the sweet potatoes are smooth and fluffy and the other ingredients are well incorporated into them.
- If you’ll be serving from the same container, smooth the potatoes down and cover. If you’re transferring to another serving bowl, do so now and cover it.
- The easiest way to toast the pecans, if you’re doing so, is to heat a medium skillet. Add the pecans and toast over medium heat on the dry skillet, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they start to smell toasty.
- Whether toasting or not, top the sweet potatoes with the pecans just before serving.
Notes
If you plan to make this ahead of a holiday dinner, you can bake the sweet potatoes the day before, then proceed with the recipe and warm the whole thing in the oven at 350º F. or in the microwave just before serving.
Variation: Use walnuts in place of pecans.
If you like this sweet potato side dish, you might also enjoy …
See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.
Photos, top and middle: myviewpoint/Bigstock
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