These Candied Sweet Potato Wedges are a great twist on the classic candied sweet potatoes we make for Thanksgiving. Bathed in brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, it’s the perfect side dish to your next roast, chicken or pork dish.
I always have sweet potatoes in my house though that wasn’t always the case. For years I refused to eat these things as they were ‘odd’ and fugly looking with their orange skin and weird sweet taste. But then Mr. Fantabulous walked into my life with this nasty gold velvet crushed sectional couch and a sack of sweet potatoes.
He was a bachelor whose whole life was pretty much work, school, working out and his guitar. Food was just sustenance. It didn’t have to taste good let alone look good; it just had to do its job, sustain him.
And in walks me – this oddly shaped chubby girl who thinks a brown shirt and black pants can work in an ensemble, that can create a 5-star meal out of canned goods and could write code in her sleep. On the surface we didn’t look like a couple but I knew he was the one. He was (is) my splitapart.
To me/us, we just made sense. For years when I’d go to his place he’d only ever have plain chicken, pasta, sweet potatoes and canned tuna. I swear he only started to date me because my family had a pizza shop and I’d take over a 16″ thick cut square pizza with bacon and pepperoni, an 18″ JC special hoagie, dozen wings and a 2 litre of Coke every Friday night. Oh wait, I can’t forget about the quart of Italian ice I’d get along the way as well. We’d head into his living room sitting on that nasty yellow crushed velvet couch (I HATED that thing!), eat and watch movies til the wee hours of the night.
For years I fought eating sweet potatoes but once I made them and actually gave them a shot I realized “hey, these things are pretty good!” Eventually I fell in love with them and found that they, like “real potatoes” ya know.. the white ones, are universal in usage. I’ve made them in burgers, muffins and other stuff.
One of his favorite ways is baked and filled with brown sugar/cinnamon or candied. Now the candied ones I make at Thanksgiving and truth be told, I’ll use either a yam or a sweet potato then. My inspiration for this recipe was around how I make them at Thanksgiving.
The Thanksgiving ones are a PITA but he loves them. Since I make a ton of potato wedges I tried to make these similar to those but with a candied flair. Now full disclosure I LOOOOOOOOOOOVED these. Like I’ve made these as a meal just for me. Side note: if you saute up some pancetta and add that on top of these it’s amazing as a ‘meal’. He, on the other hand, didn’t care for them. Wait though let me clarify.
He LOVED the taste but hated the shape. Said it “wasn’t normal” as candied potatoes are round slices and not wedges. Told you, he’s a creature of habit. Of course I got the “Why’d you have to go and mess with perfection?” speech to which I just smiled and said “It’s what I do babe.”
When I create recipes I have 2 objectives really:
- Make it taste amazing each and every time
- Make it so it can go with another recipe either as an accent, main dish or dessert. Let it flow nicely.
These potatoes work incredibly well with the meal below as this is what I made with it in my house.
Maple Chipotle Pork Tenderloin
Grandma’s Orange Cream Ice Box Pie
So if you’re looking for an awesome spin for sweet potatoes definitely make this one as it’s a keeper in my house (even if it’s just for me!).
PrintCandied Sweet Potato Wedges with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze
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- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoon unsalted melted butter; divided
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut each potato in half then each half into quarters lengthwise to get spears. If the potatoes are huge, cut each half into fifths. Each spear should be no bigger than 3/4” of an inch at its thickest point. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl of ice water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line 1-2 rimmed baking trays with foil; set aside.
- Remove the potatoes from the ice water, pat dry. Place the potatoes into a bowl, pour in 1/4 cup of the melted butter and salt over top; toss to combine. Pour the potatoes onto the pan(s) in a single layer. Place them skin-side down.
- Roast for 35 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, mix brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Remove the potatoes from the oven; gently push the potatoes around so they do not stick. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over top; reserving 2 tablespoon of mixture.
- Roast for another 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and plate. Mix together the 3tablespoon melted butter and reserved brown sugar mixture in a small sauce pan until melted. Pour the mixture over the potatoes.
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