I am so ready to talk sweet potatoes with you! Thanksgiving is basically their moment to shine, and I found 23 recipes that go way beyond the usual pie. These sides and desserts are here to make your holiday table absolutely unforgettable.
1. Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Adding sweet potato to baked goods gives them that wonderfully moist texture and soft crumb, just like bananas or applesauce can. This pound cake is no exception. The batter includes mashed sweet potato along with flour, butter, vanilla, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Sweet Potato Souffle
If you've got inlaws coming over or maybe some coworkers you want to impress, these airy soufflés are the answer. They're light, gorgeous, and just decadent enough to feel special. Served in individual ramekins, they look so fancy on a holiday spread. With a hint of pumpkin pie spice, they're like little clouds of deliciousness.
3. Sweet Potato Muffins
Hosting Thanksgiving means your kitchen duties don't stop after dinner. Guests might want snacks, your family will need breakfast, and friends could end up staying for brunch. I've learned the hard way that having something snackable ready to go is always a smart move.
4. Southern Sweet Potato Cake
This stunning layered cake is just the thing when you're feeding a crowd. The sponge is incredibly soft and made with both sweet potato and cinnamon. Between each layer you'll find a honey cinnamon buttercream, which also gets spread thick over the top. If you like to plan ahead, bake the layers and freeze them; it actually makes the finished cake even more dense and moist.
5. Mini Sweet Potato Pies
Thanksgiving can get wild, especially when you're hosting a big group. That's why these make-ahead pies are perfect for lightening your load during all the holiday chaos. You'll do a little prep and assembly, but it can all happen a few days in advance. If you're really on top of things, make the filling weeks ahead and freeze it until you need it.
6. Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Baking sweet potatoes twice gives you the chance to make them even more irresistible. The filling turns extra soft and fluffy while the skin gets wonderfully crispy and chewy. This version adds brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon for an addictive twist on the usual casserole or roasted sides.
7. Sweet Potato Bites
These little sweet potato bites are the perfect mix of adorable and appetizing. They're also secretly so simple: just cut sweet potatoes into thick rounds and top them with maple syrup and marshmallows. Could that be any easier?
8. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
Between party planning, greeting relatives, and hosting friends, there's never enough time to fuss over a big feast. So grab your slow cooker and let it do the heavy lifting! Toss in sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, spices, and marshmallows. Then just walk away. A few hours later, you'll open the lid to a bubbly, ready-to-eat casserole with zero fuss.
9. Sweet Potato Bread
Sweet, spicy, and soft: I am absolutely head over heels for this chunky sweet bread. It's incredibly moist and such a great way to sneak more veggies into picky kids or dinner guests. A little like carrot cake and a bit like pumpkin bread, it's naturally sweetened with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
10. Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole
Fun and fruity, this casserole is the very best kind of gooey goodness. It's a wonderfully rich side dish built with apple butter, sweet potato puree, cream, honey, and brown sugar. Just before serving, scatter some pecans over the top and dive right in!
11. Sweet Potato Marshmallow Bars
Sweet potato puree sits on top of a biscuit crumb base and gets a crown of marshmallows in these adorable bite-sized treats. Basically, they're sweet potato casserole in perfectly portioned single servings. Think cheesecake bars: best enjoyed chilled with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
12. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter
I am honestly drooling just thinking about these caramelized potatoes. They roast until tender and browned, then get tossed in maple cinnamon butter. Sticky, sweet, and impossibly soft, these are the ultimate side for a truly decadent Thanksgiving meal.
13. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Sometimes the simplest casseroles are the absolute best, and this one is a perfect example. It looks effortless because it really is, but it's still loaded with gorgeous fall flavor. If you're in a hurry, canned yams work beautifully in place of sweet potatoes. Just spread the mashed sweet potatoes in a dish and finish with a layer of toasted marshmallows and brown sugar streusel.
14. Sweet Potato Casserole
This is a classic for a reason, but trust me, it's not the version your grandmother used to make. I added a brown sugar and pecan topping that takes it to a whole new level. Underneath all that crunch, the filling is silky and smooth. Every single bite gives you the best of both worlds.
15. Candied Sweet Potatoes
These caramelized beauties are always welcome, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a random Tuesday when you need a sweet veggie fix. They're buttery and creamy with lovely notes of vanilla, warm spices, and maple syrup. It all sounds pretty traditional, right? Well, these are most definitely not your average candied sweet potatoes.
16. Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Let's go back to basics this Thanksgiving with a simple roasted potato recipe. True sweet potato lovers already know you don't need a bunch of fuss to make these delicious. All it takes is a little oil, a sprinkle of fresh herbs or spicy seasonings, and plenty of time in the oven.
17. Cranberry Sweet Potatoes
Tart cranberries are a match made in heaven for sweet potatoes since they balance out all that natural sugar. This unique side gets really fun with three different forms of fruit in the mix: cranberry juice, dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce. The berries get sprinkled right over the sliced sweet potatoes while the juice and sauce come together to create a glossy cranberry glaze.
18. Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Take a little inspiration from the deep South with this simple yet satisfying pie. It's made with fresh sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, flour, and plenty of fall spices. The result is a moist, cake-like dessert that pairs beautifully with just about anything.
19. Sweet Potato Soup
Thick and creamy, this sweet potato soup is a fantastic way to kick off your Thanksgiving feast. It's made with coconut milk, coriander, ginger, and paprika for a surprisingly complex flavor. Smoky, sweet, and super filling, it works beautifully as an appetizer, a light lunch, or even a late-night supper.
20. Garlic Butter Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
If you lean savory when it comes to sweet potatoes, this herby dish is calling your name. The aromatic garlic butter flavors every single slice as it bakes, and the potatoes just soak it all up. A blend of cream and parmesan makes the whole casserole impossibly creamy and smooth.
21. Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potato
Why settle for plain sweet potatoes when loaded ones are an option?! And these are definitely on the sweeter side. They're piled sky high with honey cinnamon butter, caramel, and so many gooey marshmallows. Honestly, it reads more like dessert than a side dish, but it's the holidays. If Thanksgiving isn't the time for dessert at dinner, I don't know what is!
22. Sweet Potato Cheesecake
This cheesecake tastes so light and just melts right in your mouth. A soft sweet potato filling sits on a buttery gingersnap crust, making it a total crowd pleaser. Enjoy a slice after dinner, or if you're totally stuffed from turkey, save it for a midnight treat. I won't tell a soul.