10 Best Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet potatoes are a classic Thanksgiving ingredient. This year, instead of the usual casserole topped with marshmallows (though they’re delicious, too), try one of these recipes.

Contributor Sally Vargas says, “Sweet potato pie is pumpkin pie’s first cousin. Like good cousins, they’re best friends, practically identical twins, but with just enough differences in flavor and texture to tell them apart.”

Simply Recipes Founder Elise says, “This is a recipe that lends itself well to adaption. Play with the spices, swapping out the thyme and cumin for other favorite mixes. Chili powder or fresh ginger would both be fantastic. This is also a great time to break out those little jars of exotic spice mixes with names like ras el hanout or harissa that you might have lingering in the cupboard from other recipes.”

Contributor Lisa Lin says, “My friend topped his sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, and while I gamely gave it a try, I just couldn’t get past how overly sweet and mushy the marshmallows made the dish. To me, melted marshmallows belong in s’mores and rice krispies treats.

“When I started making sweet potato casseroles for my own Thanksgivings, I decided to skip the marshmallows altogether and topped my casserole with a nutty pecan crumble instead.”

Contributor Sally Vargas says, “Roast—don’t boil—the sweet potatoes. If you roast the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them, you say goodbye to tedious peeling! The potatoes become soft in the oven, and after a few minutes of cooling, the skins slip off like magic.”

Contributor Sheela Prakash says, “Roasting is my favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes, not only because it’s a largely hands-off method, but because it results in ultra-creamy flesh with crispy, caramelized edges.”

Contributor Rachel Knecht says, “Making mashed sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot solves multiple problems at once: it’s easier (no hovering required, just set it and forget it), quicker, and doesn’t take up valuable stovetop or oven space. An Instant Pot also uses less water than boiling.”

Elise says, “I love creamy soups served with some crusty bread on the side for dipping. Serve the soup as a main on its own, or alongside beef, pork, chicken, or black beans. Because it’s rich and creamy, the soup would do well served with a side salad of fresh lettuce greens tossed in a light vinaigrette.”

Elise says, “Looking for a special holiday side? Here’s a festive dish that alternates the flavors and colors of vibrant sweet potatoes with buttery yukon gold potatoes, all sitting on a bed of caramelized onions.”

Elise says, “Candied yams properly occupy the middle position between the mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce. Potatoes are starchy and rich with butter and cream, while the cranberry sauce is sweet and intensely tart. The yams borrow from each and by so doing bind the traditional Thanksgiving plate together.”

Elise says, “A sweet potato pie is fantastic adorned with nothing but a dollop of whipped cream, of course. But add a caramel pecan topping, and this pie becomes irresistible.”