Description
A comforting and flavorful holiday side dish featuring roasted sweet potatoes glazed with maple syrup and topped with crispy bacon. Perfectly sweet, savory, and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds / 900g), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste (kosher salt recommended)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain and crumble once cool. Reserve about 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast sweet potatoes for 15 minutes, flip, then roast another 15-20 minutes until tender and edges brown.
- While sweet potatoes roast, add minced garlic to reserved bacon fat in skillet over low heat. Sauté about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Turn off heat, stir in butter and maple syrup, then add cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir until butter melts and glaze is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer roasted sweet potatoes back to mixing bowl while hot. Pour warm maple glaze over potatoes and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Add crumbled bacon and fresh thyme leaves, toss again. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
Reserve bacon fat to add smoky flavor to the glaze. Use real maple syrup for best caramelization and flavor. Cook bacon until crispy but not burnt. Cut sweet potatoes evenly for uniform roasting. Can prepare sweet potatoes and bacon a day ahead and combine before serving. For vegetarian option, substitute bacon with smoked tempeh or mushrooms and use vegan butter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 6
Keywords: maple glazed sweet potatoes, bacon side dish, holiday side recipe, roasted sweet potatoes, maple syrup glaze, easy holiday sides