Food

20 Ways to Eat Sweet Potatoes, Fall's Most Versatile Vegetable

Sweet or savory, mashed or fried, there's no wrong way to do this root

By SAVEUR Editors

November 23, 2015

Sweet potatoes have an amazing ability to walk the long between sweet and savory dishes. So we've rounded up our favorite recipes for everything from casseroles to gnocchi to fries and pie. Go simple and roast them, then use them as the base for a hearty vegetarian sandwich or sophisticated crostini. Or go ahead and mash them for what may be the best pumpkin pie you'll ever eat. (Hint: There's no pumpkin in it.)

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble — This sweet potato casserole is an especially festive, over-the-top take on the Thanksgiving classic, topped with a crisp pecan crumble and dotted with marshmallows.Todd Coleman

Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich with Rajas Salsa — Meaty sweet potatoes serve as the base for this vegetarian sandwich. Get the recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich with Rajas Salsa »Joseph De Leo

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce — These vibrant, mildly sweet gnocchi were developed by stylist Judy Haubert as a gluten-free option to accompany Portland chef Jenn Louis' rich Gorgonzola cream sauce.Farideh Sadeghin

Garlic and Sweet Potato Crostini — Sweet and savory, crunchy and creamy come together on little toasts, which pair cubes of sweet potato with a flavorful spread featuring lemon zest, capers and sour cream.Helen Rosner

Sweet Potato Purée — The staff of Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bistro prepares this decadent version of sweet potato casserole each year as part of a Thanksgiving feast for veterans and their families. The potatoes are first baked in foil packets with allspice, butter, honey, and brown sugar. Then, infused with aromatic sweetness, they're puréed with creamy mascarpone cheese and topped with marshmallows.Eilon Paz

Mashed Yams with Lime and Honey — Creamy baked yams mashed with butter, lime juice, and honey make an easy, bright autumn side dish.Helen Rosner

Sweet Potato Honey Fries with Curry-Honey Sauce — An aromatic combination of spices elevate the humble sweet potato oven fry to something truly special.Maxime Iattoni

Spicy Sweet Potato Cakes — These easy pancakes are made from a mash of roasted sweet potatoes. They get a fiery kick from Thai chiles and a crispy crust from a coating of panko.Ingalls Photography

Shredded Collard Green Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cashews — The flavor of raw collard greens combines perfectly with tender roasted sweet potatoes and tangy, rich goat cheese in this hearty salad.Ryan Liebe

Sweet Potato Salad — Roasted sweet potatoes are married with candied ginger in a citrus vinaigrette in a salad recipe from Kansas home cook Sue Ashline.James Oseland

Sweet Potato Casserole with Bourbon and Pineapple — A variation of traditional sweet potato casserole gets its depth of flavor from bourbon and pineapple.Anna Stockwell

Maple Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes — Maple syrup enhances the sweetness of this simple sweet potato mash.Maxime Iattoni

Brigtsen's Scallops with Sweet Potato Puree and Onion Marmalade — Sweet potato puree and onion marmalade enhance the natural sweetness of scallops in this dish.Todd Coleman

Rosemary Focaccia — Toasted carob powder, yogurt, and grated sweet potato add complex flavor and chewy texture to this Croatian take on focaccia from home cook Tatjana Ciciliani.Andrew Ingalls

Lentil Stew with Coconut (Dalma) — In the east Indian state of Odisha, this lentil stew, fragrant with coconut and enriched with silky, thinly sliced onions and long-simmered sweet potatoes, is an everyday staple.James Roper

Sweet Potato Fries — The pale yellow, thin-skinned sweet potato and the moister, orange-fleshed American "yam" (which is not really a yam, but another kind of sweet potato) both work well for these alternatives to conventional french fries.Helen Rosner

Sweet Potato Pie — Using boiled sweet potatoes rather than baked ones gives this pie a beautifully vibrant color.Todd Coleman

Korean Noodles with Beef and Vegetables (Chap Chae) — Slippery sweet potato noodles turned golden from the cooking juices and soy sauce, crunchy vegetables, and tender beef make for a satisfying dish.Penny De Los Santos

Fish, Green Banana, and Root Vegetable Soup (Tapou) — Tender root vegetables and fried fish make this garlicky stew a satisfying meal.Penny De Los Santos

Lemon-and-Herb-Roasted Vegetables — Chopped whole lemon and spicy fresh ginger lend brightness to hearty roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and carrots.

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