Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes

Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes are fork-tender, sticky and sweet with a buttery caramel toffee flavor. Perfect for a holiday dinner such as Thanksgiving or even a Sunday dinner side dish. This sweet potato recipe is easy to make, soul food that melts in your mouth.

Candied Sweet Potatoes is a one-pot old-fashioned side dish that usually makes an appearance at a holiday meal such as Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. Yet this delicious southern candied sweet potatoes recipe is perfect for any large family gathering or potluck.

The sweet potato pieces are smothered in a sticky syrup of butter, sugars, and warm spices. Since the dish is cooked on the stovetop until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, it allows them to absorb the flavors of the fragrant caramel sauce.

This delicious recipe also has orange juice and zest, which will give it a hint of citrus flavor too. As an option, you can garnish with fresh rosemary, sea salt, and pecan nuts for added aroma, texture, and visual appeal.

While other sweet potato casseroles are baked in the oven, this easy candied sweet potato recipe is cooked on the stove top. This saves valuable oven space for other foods, which is especially welcome during big gatherings when many dishes are made at once.

This quick and easy recipe serves six and is perfect as a side dish for any occasion, bringing a touch of sweetness to your meal. It’s such a simple recipe you might even make this for weeknight dinners when you need some comfort food.

If you’re looking for more sweet potato side dishes, try our Easy Cheesy Mashed Sweet Potato Casserole.

Ingredients and Notes

How to Make Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes

As always, the full recipe is on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ¾ inch cubes. Set them aside.
2. Place butter, brown sugar, white sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and orange juice in a large skillet (or large saucepan) on the stove. Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add cubes of sweet potatoes into the butter mixture, and stir to coat.
4. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 15 -20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Cooking them with the lid on will create a liquid caramel that coats the potatoes. If you prefer a thicker caramel, you can cook them uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to reduce the liquid.
5. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish and serve this perfect side dish warm.
   
   

What to serve with Candied Sweet Potatoes

This easy stovetop side dish is perfect with any Thanksgiving or Christmas main dish such as Turkey Breast, pork chops, or Pineapple Ham. It’s a good pair alongside our Pepper Jelly Cranberry Glazed Ham recipe as well.

Other sides to accompany this sweet potato recipe include Baking Powder Biscuits, Green Bean Casserole, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Just think of any of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and this will be a great match.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover well with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat them in a skillet until warmed through, stirring occasionally.

Make Ahead Instructions

This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance. In fact, the flavors will be even better as the dish sits and the sweet potatoes soak up the syrup. This is why it’s our favorite among all the stovetop sweet potato recipes.

Simply store with an airtight lid in the refrigerator until the big day. Heat it up on the stove-top until warmed through, and serve.

Recipe Variations

There is room to make this recipe your own with some customizations that are sure to please. Here are some ideas:

• Make it creamy: Add ¼ heavy cream or half-n-half cream to the mixture and blend well. This adds that extra rich and creamy taste.
• Add some heat: Add ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or ground ginger to the other spices.
• Top with marshmallows: and bake until the top is melted and a golden brown color. This makes a candied sweet potato casserole dish.
• Garnish: Top sweet potatoes with fresh rosemary, sea salt, and chopped pecans for added aroma, texture, and visual appeal.

FAQS

What is the difference between candied yams and sweet potatoes?

Yams are a root vegetable that comes from Africa, Asia and South America and have a thicker brown skin and whiter flesh.

Sweet potatoes are orange with smooth skin, and become more tender and sweet when cooked. They also contain less starch than yams and are fewer calories.

If you see a Southern Candied Yams Recipe (or Stovetop Candied Yams), chances are they are actually sweet potatoes. I’ve oftentimes seen yams in stores that are actually mislabeled sweet potatoes.

Should you soak sweet potatoes before cooking?

Soaking sweet potatoes releases some of the starch, so that they get more crispy when cooked. Since this is a stovetop candied sweet potatoes recipe that cooks in a sauce, you do not need to soak them before cooking.

More Side Dish Recipes

• Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
• Easy Moist Cornbread
• Slow Cooker Stuffing
• Southern Cornbread Dressing