14 No-Marshmallow Sweet Potato Dishes for Thanksgiving

Roasted sweet potatoes and onions in a blue bowl
Photo: Mackenzie Schieck

There's nothing in the Thanksgiving rule book that says sweet potatoes have to be smothered under a blanket of sticky, sweet marshmallows. So, let's break tradition and bring these no-marshmallow sweet potatoes to the table instead. Some play up the sweet in sweet potatoes, while others go to the savory side. Either way, your marshmallow-phobic friends will thank you.

01 of 14

Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Caramelized Onions

sweet potatoes with caramelized onions
cheerychirp

Smoky bacon and caramelized onions play well with sweet potatoes in this savory dish. "Excellent," says STUARTRICE. "We made this for Thanksgiving. I made it the night before to be as prepared as possible for dinner. Warmed it after the turkey came out and microwaved the sauce. A nice time-saver for this yummy dish."

02 of 14

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese
Photo by Allrecipes Magazine.

Individual sweet potato boats have a certain rustic charm to them that aligns beautifully with Thanksgiving's earthy vibe. But if you want to dress them up a bit, top them with a little extra ricotta cheese or chopped sage.

03 of 14

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Cubes of roasted sweet potatoes and onions in a shallow white bowl
Happyschmoopies

Rock_lobster reminds us to cut the onions into wedges so they can stand up to the high oven heat without shrinking into nothingness.

04 of 14

Sweet Potato Oranges

orange halves stuffed with sweet potatoes
LynnInHK

Here's a clever serving idea: Fill orange halves with mashed sweet potatoes to make individual cups. Go a step further and press pecan halves into the filling before the oranges go into the oven.

05 of 14

Smushed Apples and Sweet Potatoes

sweet potato and apple puree in a glass dish
larkspur

Two iconic fall flavors come together to make this comforting mashed potato side dish. Just a note about the sugar: A tart apple like a Granny Smith might need the full 1/4 cup called for in the recipe, but if you use a sweeter apple, you could dial back the sugar.

06 of 14

Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

sweet potato latkes on a white plate
Christina

If you're all about the radical reinvention of Thanksgiving side dishes, give these latkes a go. For a less spicy version, try Kerry's Sweet Potato Latkes.

07 of 14

Sweet Potatoes with Brandy and Raisins

serving dish and plate of Sweet Potatoes with Brandy and Raisins
Mackenzie Schieck

Raisins go for a boozy brandy soak, then get baked up with brown sugar and sweet potatoes. Recipe reviewer mauigirl suggests using dried cranberries instead of raisins, which sounds pretty amazing. What do you think?

08 of 14

Baked Autumn Veggighetti

spiralized sweet potatoes and squash
Francine Lizotte, Club Foody

Break out the spiralizer to make this healthy, gorgeous side dish. To save work on Thanksgiving, prep the vegetables the day before and store them overnight in a zip-top bag.

09 of 14

Sweet Potato, Pear, and Pineapple Bread Pudding

bread pudding with sweet potato, pear, and pineapple
Keysha Costly

It's a side dish. It's a dessert. It's whatever you decide it should be. Serve it with Pineapple-Coconut Sauce if you want to win Thanksgiving forever.

10 of 14

Sweet Potato Crisp

slice of Sweet Potato Crisp on a white plate
Joey Joan

"Everyone at my house likes this at Thanksgiving. You can add any spices you want to the sweet potato, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc. The topping is nice and crunchy." —RB1953

11 of 14

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash

cheesy sweet potato and butternut squash casserole
Allrecipes

For an unexpected side dish, give sweet potatoes a cheesy makeover. Asiago cheese, sage, butter, olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper help this casserole achieve the ideal balance of savory and sweet.

12 of 14

Sweet Potato Streusel Casserole with Coconut

Sweet Potato Streusel Casserole with Coconut on white plate
Christina

If you're accustomed to marshmallowy sweet potatoes, you'll find a more-than-worthy replacement in this sweet potato casserole. Flaked coconut and pecans give its crumbly streusel topping five-star flavor.

13 of 14

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions

Roasted sweet potatoes and onions in a blue bowl
Mackenzie Schieck

Wondering why we keep returning to sweet potato and onion dishes? Let this review from MDMCQUEEN convince you: "I wasn't sure how well sweet potatoes and onions would work together, but to my surprise, they were delicious!" Add almonds slices for crunch and amaretto liqueur for sweetness.

14 of 14

Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes

orange-glazed sweet potatoes in a square dish
CoOkInGnUt

Orange zest and orange juice infuse syrupy sweet potatoes with a flavor that's not as "overpoweringly sweet as the marshmallow recipes are," as reviewer pokawa puts it.

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