Thanksgiving side dishes can get a little predictable, right? If you're ready to shake things up beyond the usual pie, I've gathered 22 sweet potato recipes that will absolutely steal the show. From ultra creamy casseroles to ridiculously good desserts, there is something here for every kind of turkey day table.
1. Sweet Potato Cheesecake
This is a light-tasting cheesecake that totally melts in your mouth. Made with a soft sweet potato filling and a buttery gingersnap crust, it's a party favorite. Enjoy it after dinner or, if you're too full after a big turkey feast, save it for an afternoon snack or midnight treat. I won't tell.
2. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
In the rush of party planning, greeting relatives, and hosting friends, you don't always have time to micro-manage a huge feast. So dust off your slow cooker and put it to work! Pile in sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, spices, and marshmallows, then set it and forget it. Open it up a few hours later and you'll have a bubbly casserole all ready to eat with no fuss and no mess.
3. Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Adding sweet potato to baked goods gives them a wonderfully moist texture and soft crumb, just like bananas or applesauce do. This pound cake is no exception. There's mashed sweet potato in the batter along with flour, butter, vanilla, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole
Fun and fruity, this casserole is the best kind of gooey goodness. It's a very rich Thanksgiving side dish made with apple butter, sweet potato puree, cream, honey, and brown sugar. Sprinkle with pecans just before serving and dive in!
5. Sweet Potato Marshmallow Bars
These bite-sized treats layer sweet potato puree onto a biscuit crumb and top it all off with marshmallows. They are basically sweet potato casserole in single-servings. Similar to cheesecake bars, these are best enjoyed chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.
6. Candied Sweet Potatoes
Caramelized sweet potatoes are always a welcome sight on the holiday table, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. This version is buttery and creamy with cozy hints of vanilla, warm spices, and maple syrup. It feels familiar in the best way. But trust me, these are not your usual candied sweet potatoes.
7. Sweet Potato Bites
These cute sweet potato bites hit the sweet spot between adorable and appetizing. They're deceptively simple too. Just slice sweet potatoes into thick rounds and top with maple syrup and marshmallows. How easy is that?
8. Sweet Potato Soup
Thick and creamy, this sweet potato soup is a great way to kick off your Thanksgiving feast. Made with coconut milk, coriander, ginger, and paprika, it's surprisingly complex and makes a wonderful change from the standard turkey day regulars. Smoky, sweet, and very filling, it's an elegant dish that would be equally welcome as an appetizer, a light lunch, or a late-night supper.
9. Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Let's go back to basics with a classic baked potato recipe. Sweet potato lovers already know that this veggie doesn't need a ton of extras to be delicious. Sometimes all it takes is a drizzle of oil, a sprinkling of fresh herbs or spicy seasonings, and some quality time in the oven.
10. Southern Sweet Potato Cake
This beautiful layered cake is ideal for serving a big crowd. The ultra-soft sponge is made with sweet potato and cinnamon, then the layers are sandwiched together with a honey cinnamon buttercream. That same frosting is slathered on top for a thick and creamy finish. If you're an organized baker, you can make the cake ahead and freeze the two layers until needed, which actually helps give the finished dessert an extra dense and moist crumb.
11. Sweet Potato Casserole
This is not your granny's sweet potato casserole, friends. It takes a beloved classic and gives it a seriously delicious upgrade with a brown sugar and pecan topping. Underneath that nutty, crunchy layer is pure smooth and creamy bliss. Every single bite is a celebration of taste and texture!
12. Garlic Butter Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
If savory is more your speed, this herby recipe is the ideal Thanksgiving side. Aromatic garlic butter flavors the potatoes as they bake, letting them soak up all that fragrant goodness. Blended with cream and parmesan cheese, this comforting casserole is gorgeously creamy and smooth.
13. Mini Sweet Potato Pies
Thanksgiving is a crazy time, especially if you're playing host to a large crowd. That's why these make-ahead pies are a great way to lighten your load amid the holiday whirl. Of course, there's a little bit of prep and assembly involved, but you can do it a few days ahead of time. And if you're really prepared, you can even make the filling weeks ahead and freeze it until needed.
14. Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
When you bake sweet potatoes twice, you get a chance to make them even more delicious. The filling becomes even more soft and fluffy while the skin gets even more crispy and chewy. This recipe flavors the potatoes with brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon, making an addictive alternative to the usual casserole or roasted potato sides.
15. Sweet Potato Bread
Sweet, spicy, and soft. I'm head over heels for this chunky sweet bread. Mouthwateringly moist, it's a great way to sneak more vegetables into picky kids or dinner guests. A little like carrot cake and a bit like pumpkin bread, it's naturally sweetened with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
16. Sweet Potato Souffle
Got the inlaws coming for dinner or some work colleagues you need to impress? Serve up these airy soufflés to win dessert. They are light, gorgeously decadent, and served in individual ramekins, which adds such an elegant touch to any holiday table. Flavored with a hint of pumpkin pie spice, they are like pillowy, delicious clouds.
17. Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Take a little inspiration from the deep South this holiday season with this simple-but-satisfying pie. Made with fresh sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, flour, and fall spices, it bakes up to a moist cake that goes with anything.
18. Sweet Potato Muffins
If you're hosting Thanksgiving, you know that your duties don't end with dinner. Your guests might want snacks, your family wants to know what's for breakfast, and friends might stay for brunch. I've learned from painful experiences that it's always good to have something snackable on hand just in case.
19. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Sometimes the most simple casseroles are the very best, and this recipe is living proof. It looks effortless because it totally is, but it is still packed with incredible fall flavor. If you're short on time, canned yams work beautifully here too. Just spread the mashed sweet potatoes in a dish and top with toasted marshmallows and a brown sugar streusel.
20. Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potato
Why eat regular sweet potatoes when you could be eating loaded sweet potatoes? And these are definitely sweet. They are piled high with honey cinnamon butter, caramel, and loads of gooey marshmallows. It's more like a dessert than a side dish, but hey, it's the holidays. If you can't eat dessert for dinner on Thanksgiving, when can you?
21. Cranberry Sweet Potatoes
Tart cranberries are the perfect match for sweet potatoes, adding a lovely balance to their natural sweetness. This unique side dish uses three different forms of fruit: cranberry juice, dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce. The berries are sprinkled right over sliced sweet potatoes, while the juice and sauce come together to make a gorgeous cranberry glaze.
22. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter
I'm drooling at the thought of these caramelized potatoes. They're roasted until tender and browned, then tossed in maple cinnamon butter. Sticky, sweet, and soft, these are the ultimate side for a decadent Thanksgiving feast.
