Simple Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans (30 Min)
“We love this recipe. I’ve been making it since Oct. 2021. It’s a winner. Thank you!” Norma
Indulge in these wickedly good candied sweet potatoes with pecans for your next holiday meal or celebration. The combination of pure maple syrup, zesty lime, and crunchy toasted pecans makes the sweet potatoes sing. And only 30 minutes to make.
What to expect
These candied sweet potatoes are not your typical Thanksgiving casserole with marshmallows or pecan streusel. They are quicker – ~ 30 minutes – not overly sweet, and simply delicious. Perfect for holidays and a Fall potluck.
The recipe is an easy side dish with simple ingredients and only a few steps. The lime, maple syrup, and pecans covering the soft, caramelized potatoes create a wonderful sweet-tangy and creamy-crunchy balance.
It’s a pretty dish for the table, easy to prep ahead for stress-free entertaining, and there’s even a great shortcut.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Fresh sweet potatoes: I use regular sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed. Yams are fine too.
- Glaze: The candied glaze is made with a mixture of butter, maple syrup, lime juice and zest, and a touch of cornstarch for thickening.
Substitutions
- Swap the sweet potatoes with other root vegetables such as butternut squash (lower carbs and sugar) or carrots.
- Replace the pecans with toasted hazelnuts or walnuts.
- Use brown sugar instead of maple syrup (add a little extra melted butter if you do)
- Use lemon instead of lime.
Variations
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or ground cinnamon (about 1/4 teaspoon).
- I love lime, but the other Kook suggests you start with a smaller amount and adjust to your taste.
- Add a few drops of vanilla extract.
- For a savory twist, add some cumin or grated orange zest.
Step-by-step instructions
Shortcut
Buy fresh, pre-cubed and peeled sweet potatoes from the grocery store. A little more expensive, but very convenient. For quicker roasting, you can cut the cubes in half if they are large.
What to serve with candied sweet potatoes
This easy recipe for candied sweet potatoes is a perfect side dish for ham, turkey, roast chicken or brisket. Because they are fairly sweet, I like to serve them with a savory main dish – nothing with a sweet glaze. In our family, they’re a must for our Thanksgiving table.
A few of my favorite pairings are sous vide turkey breast, roast chicken breast, rack of pork, bone-in turkey breast and pork roast sous vide. They’re also a wonderful side dish for a savory brisket, or marinated pork chops.
Recipe FAQs
Candied sweet potatoes have fairly high carbs and sugar, of course. But they also have a few significant upsides. Pecans are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and antioxidants too.
Sweet potatoes and yams are both root vegetables, but they have distinct differences. Yams have dark brown skins, purple or white flesh, and are starchier and less nutritious. Sweet potatoes are sweeter, come in various skin colors, and are commonly found in North America with orange or red skin and flesh. Either can be used for this recipe.
Here’s an article on how to toast nuts in the microwave, stove top or oven. I like toasting nuts in a dry pan on the stovetop, as it’s easier to cook the nuts evenly, it’s quick and you are right there to make sure they don’t burn. The oven method is good as well, but it takes a bit longer.
Yes. Roast the sweet potatoes and make the glaze up to a day ahead. Store them separately in the fridge, then reheat the potatoes in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes and toss with the glaze just before serving. This keeps the potatoes from getting soggy and the pecans nice and crunchy.
More easy sweet potato recipes
- Vegetarian sweet potato hash
- Oven roasted vegetables recipe
- Moroccan chicken with sweet potatoes
- Hasselback sweet potatoes (15 minutes)
- BBQ sweet potatoes and apples
Also, check out these delicious Thanksgiving side dishes from traditional to non-traditional.
Please leave a 5-star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe. Thank you so much!
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large), peeled and cut into 1-1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) pieces, Note 1
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, Note 2 or toasted hazelnuts or walnuts
Maple-Lime Glaze
- 6 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or brown sugar)
- 1 medium lime, juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F/218C.
- ROAST SWEET POTATOES: Place sweet potato pieces on a pan lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with oil. Toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, turning half way through, until potatoes are tender and edges begin browning.
- MAKE MAPLE-LIME GLAZE: While potatoes are roasting, combine all glaze ingredients in a microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir.
- ASSEMBLE: Place roasted sweet potatoes in a serving bowl. Drizzle maple-lime glaze over potatoes. Toss to cover evenly. Sprinkle toasted pecans on top. And extra lime zest if desired. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- Sweet potato alternatives: use yams, butternut squash (less carbs and sugar) or carrots.
- To toast pecan pieces, place on baking sheet in preheated oven at 350F/177C for about 6-7 minutes until aroma is evident and nuts are lightly toasted. Let cool to crisp up. Alternatively, toast them in a dry pan on medium for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
- Substitutions
- Swap sweet potatoes with butternut squash (lower carbs/sugar) or carrots.
- Use brown sugar instead of maple syrup (add a little extra melted butter if you do)
- Use lemon instead of lime.
- Variations
- Add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg or ground cinnamon.
- For less tang, start with a smaller amount of lime and adjust to your taste.
- Add a few drops of vanilla extract.
- For a savory twist, add some cumin or grated orange zest.
- To make ahead:
- Roast sweet potatoes and make the maple lime drizzle ahead of time. Roast the potatoes and let them cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in 375F/190C oven for 10-15 minutes. Or in the microwave on High for about 2 minutes. Before serving, assemble potatoes, drizzle over maple lime sauce and sprinkle with pecans. Add the nuts just before serving. And sprinkle with extra lime zest if you like.
Making this for Thanksgiving. Will serve it over a bed of arugula.
Looks wonderful. I will be making for Thanksgiving next week. Thank you for this.
Hope you like it Norma ?
We love this recipe.
I’ve been making it since Oct. 2021. It’s a winner. Thank you!