Smashed Sweet Potatoes

There is so much going on texture-wise that I ate three of them with my fingers almost immediately. The bottoms and edges get crisp in the oven, while the inside of the sweet potato stays soft. Then you get sweet toasted marshmallows, crunchy pecans, buttery maple cinnamon, and little hits of coarse salt.

My only complaint was that I should have made more.

I cut three sweet potatoes into four thick rounds each, which gave me 12 individual smashed sweet potatoes. They work especially well as a Thanksgiving or holiday side when you want the flavors of a sweet potato casserole but something a little different on the plate.

If sweet potatoes always make it onto your holiday menu, my sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is the more traditional version, while crock pot sweet potato casserole is helpful when you need to keep the oven free.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients for these smashed sweet potatoes:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 pound total – Leave the skins on and cut each potato into four thick rounds, about 1 1/2 inches each.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil – Brushed over the potatoes before roasting.
• 3 tablespoons butter – Browned on the stove for a richer, toasted flavor.
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup – Stirred into the brown butter.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Coarse sea salt – This is important. The salt balances the maple and marshmallows and gives you little salty bites throughout.
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• Nonstick cooking spray – For preparing the baking sheet.

How to Make Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Boil the Sweet Potato Rounds

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Wash the sweet potatoes and slice them, with the skins still on, into approximately 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds. I cut each of my potatoes into four pieces to make 12 rounds total.

Place the sweet potato rounds in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork slides easily into the potatoes. They should be tender but still hold their shape.

Drain well.

Smash and Roast

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the cooked sweet potato rounds cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Using the bottom of a drinking glass, gently press each round until it is approximately 3/4-inch thick.

Brush the tops with olive oil.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are hot and the edges and bottoms have begun to crisp.

If you like this boil-smash-roast method, I also use it for smashed red potatoes, only that version goes savory with Parmesan.

Make the Maple Brown Butter

While the potatoes finish roasting, add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat.

Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring or swirling frequently. The butter will melt, foam, and then develop browned specks and a nutty smell.

Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the butter is browned.

Let it sit for a minute before carefully stirring in the maple syrup. The mixture may bubble when the syrup hits the hot butter.

Stir in the cinnamon.

Add Pecans and Marshmallows

Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and drizzle the maple brown butter over each one. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Top each smashed sweet potato with a few pecans and mini marshmallows.

Place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until the marshmallows are toasted. Keep an eye on them because marshmallows can go from lightly browned to burned very quickly.

Serve immediately.

One Tip Before You Smash Them

I learned this one on the very first potato.

I tried pressing down on the cooked sweet potato with my glass, but the skin was holding everything together. I pushed harder and then—bam—the potato suddenly collapsed and the glass slammed down onto the baking sheet.

For the rest of them, I carefully used a knife to cut through the skin along the sides before smashing. That gave the soft potato somewhere to spread when I pressed down and made the whole process much easier.

You may not need to do this with every sweet potato, but if the skin feels like it is fighting you, make a small slit or two through the side of the skin before pressing. Just be careful because the potatoes will still be hot.