Brown Butter Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole
Brown butter bourbon sweet potatoes bring together creamy roasted sweet potatoes, herb-infused brown butter, and a hint of orange. Finished with crunchy candied pecans, it's a simple prepare-ahead Thanksgiving side dish.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 leaves fresh sage
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- ⅓ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
For the candied pecans
- 6 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups raw pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Bake the potatoes: Poke each sweet potato 6-8 times with a fork and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated 375°F oven until the potatoes are fully tender, and a knife meets no resistance when inserted into the middle, 1 to 1 ½ hours. The size of the potato will determine the time in the oven. Remove from the oven and cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.3 pounds sweet potatoes
- While the potatoes are baking, make the candied pecans: In a skillet, combine the brown sugar, salt, cayenne, cinnamon, bourbon, and water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is melted and bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Add the pecans and continue stirring until the glaze coats the nuts, turns shiny, and smells toasted, 2-4 minutes. If the glaze thickens and becomes grainy, add 1-2 teaspoons of water at a time to thin it. Remove the nuts from the heat and pour onto the remaining prepared baking sheet to cool.6 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 tablespoon water, 2 cups raw pecan halves
- Brown the butter: In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and thyme sprig and continue cooking the butter, swirling the skillet, until it is browned, 4-6 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and thyme and discard.8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, 8 leaves fresh sage, 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Prepare the casserole: Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside. Cut the cooled potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Add the brown butter, salt, black pepper, orange zest, bourbon, yogurt, and maple syrup. Use a hand mixer and whip until the potatoes are smooth, 3-5 minutes. Pour into the baking dish. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the potatoes are warmed through the center, 15-20 minutes.1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons orange zest, 2 tablespoons bourbon, ⅓ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt, ⅓ cup maple syrup
- Serve: Chop the candied pecans and sprinkle them over the baked sweet potatoes before serving.