Growing up and for much of my adult life I wanted nothing to do with sweet potatoes. Most recipes covered them in brown sugar or marshmallows, which did not appeal to me or anyone in our family so it was easy to simply walk by them in the grocery store without a second look.
A few years ago we began evaluating nutritional benefits of what we were eating and found a significant difference between regular white potatoes and sweet potatoes.
This was not a change I looked forward to, nor did anyone else around the table, but once we understood the benefit to our heath we couldn’t ignore the impetus for change.
What is a sweet potato?
In stores you’ll find signs indicating Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Garnet Yams, Jewel Yams, etc., but the truth is they are ALL sweet potatoes.
Yams, which are larger and rougher looking, are native to Africa and Asia as well as other tropical regions and can be found in specialty markets. According to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, there are more than a hundred varieties of sweet potatoes ranging in color, sweetness, and texture.
The confusion is perpetuated by the U.S. government continuing to label sweet potatoes as both sweet potatoes and yams in an attempt to distinguish the varieties.
Why choose sweet potatoes over regular white potatoes?
While both share a lot in common nutritionally, sweet potatoes offer more fiber, calcium, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, while not inducing spikes in blood sugar the way regular potatoes do.
For in-depth nutritional analysis, visit www.whfood.com.
For our family, it was clear this would be one of the changes we would make—of course, we would have to leave the brown sugar and marshmallows behind if it was going to qualify as a healthier alternative, but that was fine with us.
As it turned out, it was the added sweeteners that were the turn-off to sweet potatoes, not the vegetable itself.
Beyond the marshmallow …
We have since tried several varieties and to be sure our favorite in most dishes is the light, cream colored sweet potatoes. Though the paler skin offers less beta-carotene, it maintains the other benefits and has helped the kid’s transition without much fuss.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Garlic was our first introduction to the savory side of sweet potatoes and was a big hit. Since then we’ve tried Sweet Potato Hash Browns, Sweet Potato Fries (haven’t posted those yet!), and even Colcannon made with sweet potatoes for St. Patrick’s day. Basically, we have used sweet potatoes as a substitute for regular potatoes in just about everything, including chowders, stews, and dinner rolls with great success.
Savory Sweet Potatoes is a favorite side dish at the holidays and year round.
Once herb-seasoned sweet potatoes are crisp in the oven they are topped with blue cheese and crumbled bacon for a slightly sweet, tangy, smoky side dish to complement just about anything.
Who can argue with blue cheese and bacon, right?
During the holidays, you can dress it up a bit more with a sprinkling of pecans too, or serve it just the way it is here. It’s all good!
Savory Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes , scrubbed & cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil , melted
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary crushed or chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 ounces bacon , cut into 1/4 inch strips (Coleman is a good nitrite-free brand)
- 6 ounces blue cheese , crumbled
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with coconut oil until well coated, then sprinkle each herb, salt, and pepper over potatoes and toss until evenly coated--the amount will be a matter of preference. Arrange in a single layer on the lined baking sheet without crowding individual pieces so sweet potatoes brown evenly.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until sweet potatoes are golden brown. (Check potatoes midway through and stir to promote even browning.)
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and set aside until potatoes are done.
- Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and transfer to a baking dish so that cubes form a one inch layer in the bottom of the dish and are very close together.
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- Sprinkle a layer of blue cheese over the potatoes and then a layer of crumbled bacon. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Gorgina says
The blue cheese really made this great!
albertocook says
Hi I’m Alberto from Italy.
i think this recipes is delicious just look at the pictures…
But i don’ t know what is blue cheese…
I try it with a italian cheese I think the same is good.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Alberto! Try gorgonzola instead, that should be easier to find in Italy and will taste just the same. Thank you so much for your kind comment, please let me know how you like the recipe if you try it. 🙂
Jocelyn says
I just saw this recipe and can’t wait to make it for my next women’s brunch at church 🙂 Thanks, Judy!
Judy Purcell says
Oh, this would be great for a brunch, Jocelyn. 🙂
ChgoJohn says
Now this is how sweet potatoes should be made, with bacon, bleu cheese, and rosemary. It sounds incredible and just might make it to my Thanksgiving table. This will be a perfect dish to replace one that I’ve grown tired of serving. Can’t wait!
Alea @ Premeditated Leftovers says
I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes! Your savory dish looks amazing! I am including this in my Hearth and soul Highlights tomorrow.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I agree with you and your family…I don’t care for sweet sweet potatoes that are covered with lots of sugar and marshmallows. Blue cheese and bacon sound like a terrific addition.
savorysaltysweet says
This dish is a complete meal on its own! It looks incredible. As soon as the weather turns a bit more chilly around here, I am going to give this one a try.
Liz says
Mmmmmm…..I think even my picky hubby would eat sweet potatoes prepared like this. You’re right, these would be perfect for the holidays!
Liz says
I think even the picky hubby would eat sweet potatoes prepared like this! So yummy!
Purely.. Kay says
I am such a potato lover, so you can definitely expect me to make this. I’m already paring it with a dish right now in my head :). Thanks for the wonderful recipes
Raymund says
Its nice to see sweet potatoes here, the combination of sweet and salty flavours looks perfect in this dish
mjskit says
Of course the addition of the bacon is wonderful, but the blue cheese is fantastic! What a great combination for sweet potatoes!
Linda says
As soon as I saw the blue cheese, I knew I had to make it!! The method is quite interesting, I didn’t expect that you made it separately and then combined at the end. I can see making this quite often during the fall season!!