Roasted sweet potatoes tossed in brown sugar, pecans, and butter, combining into a sticky caramelized coating of bright flavors and incredible textures. An amazing easy side dish for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas!
Ahhh Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes!! Who can resist a slightly sweet, slightly crunchy, savory, straight-up delicious sweet potato dish? Not I. Not I indeed.
Looking for more holiday menu ideas? Check out my other favorites such as Spatchcock Turkey, French Onion Mac and Cheese, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, and Apple Stuffing with Celery Herbs and Onions.
Sweet Potatoes with pecans and Brown Sugar
Say hello to this delicious roasted sweet potato side dish tossed with pecans and brown sugar. I have created and enjoyed many sweet potato dishes in my life, and this pecan crusted roasted sweet potato recipe is one of the best for sure!
Soft cubes of sweet potatoes are tossed in brown sugar and butter, bringing warm flavors to these sweet potatoes. It is then seasoned with chopped pecans, bringing crunchy textures and nutty flavors to the dish.
The mixture of brown sugar, pecans, and butter creates this sticky caramelized texture that flavorful sweet potato cubes are coated in after they are baked in the oven.
In addition to its amazing taste, I love making sweet potato with pecans for Thanksgiving and Christmas because it is simple and straight-forward. It calls only four ingredients! FOUR. And yes, that includes the sweet potato itself.
Unlike the traditional sweet potato casserole, there’s no need to boil the potatoes, and there’s no mashing involved! Simply just chop and bake, and let the oven do the work!
Think of brown sugar pecan crusted sweet potatoes as the super quick version of my sweet potato casserole with pecan toppings…the kind you make when you want a short cut!
An advantage of making these brown sugar roasted sweet potatoes and pecans as a side dish on holidays is that you can easily double or triple this recipe to serve a bigger crowd. And it doesn’t take much more time! You’ll just need a larger baking sheet. 😉
Ingredients
As I mentioned, one of the many things I love about this Brown Sugar Pecan Sweet Potatoes is that it takes only FOUR ingredients.
But it is so good you won’t believe it takes only four ingredients.
Here’s what you need:
- Sweet potatoes: peel and dice into 1-2 inch cubes before baking. For larger cubes, bake longer. For smaller cubes, bake for less time.
- Brown sugar: do not substitute with granulated sugar. Brown sugar is an important ingredient in this! Brown sugar has molasses in it which create a rich, warm, caramelized flavor.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter instead of unsalted butter so that we can get a pinch of salt into our sticky caramel mixture. If you only have unsalted butter, that would work too! The real reason why butter is needed (besides the fact that butter bring AMAZING flavor) is that it acts as a glue. It helps the rest of the stuff stick to the sweet potatoes.
- Pecans: for the crunch! Use chopped pecans. If you just have whole pecans, you’ll want to chop them into smaller chunks.
How to make Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Cube sweet potatoes
To make these pecan-crusted sweet potatoes, we will start by peeling and chopping up two large sweet potatoes (equivalent to ~1.5 pounds).
Chop sweet potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes (or cube-like shapes)…each about the same size so they cook evenly.
Step 2: Add other ingredients
Bring sweet potatoes cubes into a large bowl, and add the chopped pecans and brown sugar.
Then, since it is, after all, the holidays, we melt butter and pour it onto the sweet potatoes.
If you are not making this during the holidays, just pretend like it is the holidays after all.
It works for me all the time. 🙂
Give the sweet potato, brown sugar and pecan mixture a good stir to evenly coat the sweet potatoes in all the goodies.
Step 3: Bake
Spread the sweet potatoes onto a jelly roll pan, and avoid overlapping them.
Bring that sheet pan of sweet potatoes straight into the pre-heated oven, and bake for around 40 minutes (at 350℉) until sweet potatoes are light brown and tender.
Optional: Sprinkle the top of the dish with a handful of extra chopped pecans to garnish.
Once brown sugar pecan crusted sweet potatoes are done, they will be soft on the inside, and sticky and caramelized on the outside.
Combined with crunchy pecans, prepare for a mixture of crunchy and soft textures in every bite. Yum!
At this point, I usually have to practice self-control and stop myself from eating all of them off the sheet pan!
Variations and Substitutions
- Nut options: While pecans provide a delightful crunch, you can experiment with other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. Each brings its own unique flavor and texture to the dish.
- Sugar alternatives: If you’re avoiding brown sugar, try using maple syrup or honey. These alternatives add a different layer of sweetness and may caramelize slightly differently, so keep an eye on them while baking.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice for a warm, festive flavor. These spices complement the sweetness of the potatoes and the richness of the nuts.
- Use a mix of potatoes: If you’d like to add some color variation, toss in some white or purple potatoes with your sweet potatoes. This adds both visual appeal and a mix of textures.
- Lower fat option: To reduce the fat content, try using a butter substitute or simply reduce the amount of butter. Be aware that this may affect the richness of the final dish.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Make ahead: You can assemble the dish ahead of time up until the point of baking. Cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before you plan to bake it. This is particularly helpful during the busy holiday season when oven space and time are at a premium. When ready to bake, let it sit out for about 30 minutes to reach room temperature, then follow the baking instructions.
Storage: If you have leftovers, let the dish cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. The sweet potatoes should be stored in the refrigerator and can last for up to 3-4 days without losing their flavor or consistency. You could also freeze it, but be aware that this may affect the texture of the dish.
Reheating: To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Bake until heated through, approximately 20-25 minutes. For a quicker method, individual servings can be microwaved. Stir halfway through if possible to promote even heating, and add a touch of butter or moisture if the dish seems dry. However, you will lose the crunchy texture if the dish is microwaved. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to serve
Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes is a perfect, traditional side dish to ham, chicken, steak, pork… just about any kind of meat or protein.
It’s also a fantastic side dish for a smaller, easy Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday dinners.
And if you must, it is totally acceptable to grab a fork and just eat it by itself. I may or may not have done this multiple times in the past…
So many options, and so delicious in every way!
Tips and Tricks
A few things to note:
- Use fresh potatoes: Always opt for fresh sweet potatoes over canned ones for the best texture and flavor in your dish. Fresh potatoes have a firmer consistency and hold their shape when cooked.
- Uniform potato size: Make sure sweet potatoes are around the same size so that they cook evenly. The bigger pieces they are, the longer it will take to cook.
- Space them out: Brown sugar pecan sweet potatoes should not overlap or be over crowded on the baking sheet, if not potatoes wouldn’t caramelize as well. If doubling the recipe, make sure you use a larger sheet pan than a jelly roll pan (10″x15″inch size).
- Easy cleanup: To make cleanup easier, you can place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and throw away the foil when you are done baking.
- Watch the last few minutes: Keep a close eye during the last few minutes of baking to avoid burning the pecans or the sugar. The high sugar content can caramelize quickly and lead to an overdone or charred top.
- Rest before serving: Let the dish sit for a few minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows flavors to meld and the sugars to settle, making the dish easier to serve and tastier.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would avoid canned sweet potatoes for this recipe. Fresh sweet potatoes are recommended for the best taste and texture. Canned sweet potatoes will cook very differently since they are already soft.
For those with nut allergies, consider using seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) as a substitute. These provide a nice crunch without the allergen concerns. Alternatively, you could omit the nuts entirely and enjoy the sweet potato and brown sugar combination on its own.
To create a healthier version, cut down on the amount of butter and brown sugar. You can also add oats or chia seeds to the topping for added fiber and nutrients. Using coconut oil instead of butter is another way to reduce saturated fats. Remember to balance the sweetness to your liking while maintaining a reasonable amount to achieve the desired caramelization.
Absolutely. To double the recipe, use a larger baking dish or split the mixture between two dishes to ensure even cooking. Be mindful that baking time might need slight adjustment, so check for doneness by piercing the sweet potatoes with a fork.
If your dish turns out watery, it might be due to the high moisture content in the sweet potatoes or insufficient baking time. Ensure you pat the sweet potatoes dry before tossing it in butter, brown sugar and pecan pieces. Baking uncovered with a consistent oven temperature should help evaporate excess moisture.
Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil if the top is browning too quickly. Keeping an eye on the dish, especially in the final stages of baking, helps avoid over-toasting the pecans.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Sweet Potato Recipes!
Dedicated to my fellow sweet potato lovers!
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Spicy and Sweet Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato and Kielbasa Hash
- Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
- Holiday Praline Yams (Sweet Potato) – by my blogger friend, Kathleen from The Fresh Cooky!
Other Easy Holidays Recipes!
We love to bring you no-fuss, straight-forward dishes for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. And this Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes is definitely one of them.
Here are a few more easy holiday recipes that I think you will love!
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Honey Butter Rolls
- Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Caramelized Onions Sautéed Green Beans
Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes ~ 1.5 lbs
- 4-5 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
- Scrub sweet potatoes, peel, and dice into 1-2 inch cubes. Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Melt salted butter and chop up pecans.
- Add brown sugar, chopped pecans and melted butter to sweet potatoes. Mix well to evenly coat sweet potatoes.
- Transfer sweet potatoes to a jelly roll pan (10'x15'), and spread them out. Do not overlap the sweet potatoes.
- Bake for ~40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
I took a huge risk and made these–for the first time–for my Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone at the table agreed that these were the BEST sweet potatoes ever! I will do this again and again, thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for taking a chance on my recipe and trying it! 🙂 And I’m so glad you all loved it!! Thanks for sharing!
These were delicious! I made them for Thanksgiving and they were a hit. I will definitely be making these again soon.
That’s great, Val! Thanks so much for sharing. We make this year round as well and love it! 🙂 Enjoy!
Do you need to turn these at all while they are baking?
Nope! No need to turn them!
This recipe is simple and absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Do you think there would be a way to prep / make this ahead of time and just have to reheat it?
Absolutely! It can totally be made ahead of time!
yes, that’s what I did and worked well! the pecans actually end up even more caramelized.
can I cook 2 sheets at the same time?
If you can bake them side by side then yes! I would avoid overlapping them on top of each other
Can you use chopped frozen sweet potatoes?
I think that should work. I have not used it before but I don’t see why you won’t be able to. Please let me know how it goes!
Adding some cinnamon is great too.
Great idea! YUM!
Made this for Thanksgiving as another sweet potato option and everyone loved it! Gonna be making it again come Monday just for us!
Yay! So glad to hear! And I totally make this on a regular basis too! 😀 Not just for the holidays!