Can we all just agree that Candied Yams are a poor representation of Sweet Potatoes? Like, is it dessert or a side dish? I was always so confused by it.
I honestly thought I didn’t like sweet potatoes because of the candied yams at Thanksgiving! Little did I know that sweet potatoes are actually amazingly delicious and can be savory too. No offense to candied yams, I just think it is time to upgrade our sweet potatoes and let some things stay in the past.
I created this recipe so that we can enjoy sweet potatoes again at Thanksgiving and show the world that sweet potatoes are more than marshmallows and pineapples! These sweet potatoes are a little sweet and savory and packed with so much flavor.
The Hasselback Method
I find that two wooden spoon handles work best, some people use chopsticks but wooden spoons are much easier to work with. This will ensure that you don’t cut all the way through the potatoes so you can create that classic hasselback effect.
Use your palm to hold the spoons together so the sweet potatoes cannot move, you really have to wedge the sweet potato in good to make sure you will get the best cuts. The more cuts the better!
Make sure to use a sharp knife so the cuts can be even and thin. I used the Chef’s Knife by Wusthof and it sliced the sweet potatoes like butter. I have included the link at the bottom if you are interested in upgrading your knife collection.
Happy Thanksgiving and Enjoy!
Maple Spiced Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- 2 Wooden Spoons
- Knife
- Foil lined baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Potatoes Medium
- .5 cup Neutral Oil
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Brown Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 4 Cloves Garlic crushed
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Fresh Lime juiced
Garnishes
- Feta Cheese crumbled
- Cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Clean and scrub the sweet potatoes and dry with a paper towel.
- Using the handles of 2 wooden spoons, position the sweet potato flat in between the handles so the handles do not move. Slice the potato with a knife several times, making skinny slits down the whole potato. The spoons will prevent you from cutting all the way down the potatoes.
- In a large bowl, mix the oil and spices. Dip and rub the mixture all over the sweet potatoes making sure to get the mixture in the little slits.
- Place the sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes.
- Once a knife easily goes into the bottom of the sweet potatoes, turn the oven up to 425 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes, just to get a little colour on them.
- In a small pot, melt the butter on medium high and allow to brown. Once the butter is brown, remove from the heat and add the garlic. Stir constantly for 1 minute and add the maple syrup and lime juice.
- Place the sweet potatoes on a platter and drain off and excess oil. Top with feta cheese, the brown butter sauce and cilantro. Enjoy!
