Servings
Font
Back
0 from 42 votes

Holiday Stuffed Sweet Potato

Recipe video above. Stuffed sweet potato made for holiday feasting! Twice baked sweet potatoes stuffed with crispy bacon, toasty pecans and swirls of browned butter with melty cheese, and a crunchy sage-panko topping. A swoon-worthy combination of flavours and texture, this is the individual servings version of my sweet potato casserole.Excellent special occasion starchy-side dish with holiday flavour vibes. Get ahead by assembling then baking on the day!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 8 halves
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 x 300g / 10oz sweet potatoes , skin on, washed and dried
  • 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 tbsp pecan nuts (Note 2)
  • 200g / 7 oz streaky bacon , chopped (Note 5 to omit)
  • 1 1/2 cups colby cheese , shredded (Note 3)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
Panko topping:
  • 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp sage leaves , finely chopped (Note 4)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan forced).
  2. Bake - Prick the skin of the potatoes 15 times with a fork. Place on a foil lined baking tray and bake for 75 minutes or until soft all the way through (check with a butter knife).
  3. Scoop - Once potatoes cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes just to handle. Cut in half lengthwise then scoop out the flesh, leaving a 0.5cm (0.2") wall (use a tea towel if hot). Place flesh in a bowl.
  4. Stuffing (*see below for prepping components*)- Mash the potatoes with a fork. Then add the browned butter, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder and paprika. The add half of each the pecans, bacon and cheese (rest reserved for toppings). Stir until combined.
  5. Stuff - Place halved sweet potato back on a paper lined baking tray and stuff them equally with filling. Sprinkle with leftover cheese and bake for 25 minutes until cheese is melted.
  6. Crunchy topping - Top with reserved pecans, bacon and panko mixture. Bake for another 3 to 4 minutes
  7. Rest for 5 minutes then serve!
Stuffing & topping components
    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare these while the potatoes are baking.
  2. Browned butter - Melt the butter in a small silver pan or saucepan over medium heat. Leave to simmer on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until (when you push foam aside) you see little golden-brown bits and it smells nutty. Immediately pour into a small bowl (including the golden bits) and set aside.
  3. Toast pecans - Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add pecans and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until they have golden spots. Transfer to cutting board, cool then finely chop.
  4. Crispy bacon - Add bacon into the same pan over medium heat. When the fat starts to melt, turn the heat up to medium high and cook until golden (4 to 5 minutes). Scoop out bacon with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl. Leave leftover fat in the pan.
  5. Golden panko - Still on medium high, add the Panko topping ingredients. Stir until golden, around 2 minutes, then scrape into a bowl.

Notes

  • Sweet potato - If your potatoes are larger or smaller, that's fine. There's enough topping / filling for around 1.2kg / 2.4lb sweet potato.
  • Nuts - sub almonds, walnuts, macadamia or other of choice.
  • Cheese alternatives - sub cheddar, tasty, gruyere, Monterey jack, gruyere, swiss cheese. If using mozzarella, I’d mix in 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese for a flavour / salt boost.
  • Sage works so well with the flavours in this dish (fresh, not dried). Rosemary is my back up herb here. Fallback - just use parsley for the green specks in the topping!
  • To leave out bacon - it will still be great without because there's so many other flavours going on here. If you really want to compensate, then add 1/4 cup parmesan into the filling and 2 tbsp into the Panko mixture. It will take the place of the flavour and salt punch you get from bacon! 
  • Assemble ahead - The potatoes can be cooked and stuffed, then baked the next day. Leftovers will keep for 4 days though there's nothing like freshly baked!
  • Nutrition per serving.