Holiday Side Dish: Smashed Sweet Potatoes

At our small Thanksgiving dinner, we skipped the mashed potatoes since none of us is a big fan.  My mom and I love sweet potatoes so we included those on the menu.  I had never tried this Barefoot Contessa recipe before but was not disappointed.  It was a delicious way to enjoy our Thanksgiving sweet potatoes.

This recipe couldn’t be easier, can be made in advance, and doesn’t even require you to dirty a pot for boiling the potatoes since you roast them.  A perfect holiday recipe!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Barefoot Contessa

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish.

Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.

Serves 8.