Looking for a healthy holiday side dish? Here’s one! These fantastic Roasted Sweet Potatoes topped with Pecans, Apples, and Dried Cranberries are beautiful, delicious, vegan (though no one would suspect), and overflowing with flavors and textures.
I do love sweet potato casseroles topped with marshmallows, sweet potatoes topped with streusel, candied yams (from a can in thick syrup), and all sticky sweet sweet potato sides.
But these are also amazing. I know they’re good cause I just ate the two from the photo you’re looking at. Both. Gone.
These could not be more simple and it is okay to prepare the potatoes in advance and reheat before serving. Pecans can be roasted in advance, and dried cranberries need no prep, but wait to cut the apple until before serving so it doesn’t turn too brown or soft.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Apples, and Dried Cranberries
Adapted from The Sweet Life Online (<—- GREAT vegan blog!!)
4 individual sized sweet potatoes or yams
1/4 cup Thai coconut milk (Alternately use Earth Balance or Vegan Cream Cheese)
1/3 cup roasted pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 large crisp apple (I love Honeycrisp), cored and diced
Cinnamon, as garnish
Preheat oven to 400. Scrub the sweet potatoes until the skins are clean then dry them with a kitchen towel. Pierce sweet potatoes all over using a fork or paring knife. Place each potato into a square of aluminum foil with a drizzle of grapeseed oil and sprinkle of salt. Wrap tightly. Roast potatoes until tender, 45-55 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Remove potatoes from foil and cut a large slit from end to end. If they are still too hot wait for them to cool slightly so you can handle them. Use a spoon to carefully scrape out the flesh of the potatoes. Leave enough of a border that the skins will not completely fall apart, 1/2″ or so. Use a fork to mash the potatoes together with the coconut milk. Add salt, pepper, and grated fresh nutmeg to taste. Fresh orange zest would be good, too.
Evenly scoop the filling back into the potato shells. At this point they can be stored for 24 hours. Bring to room temperature then reheat in 350 oven until warm. Top each potato with the pecans, dried cranberries, apples, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
25 Comments
Sandy
November 15, 2012Came across this today…this looks YUMMY! Can’t wait to try it. It’s a definate keeper!
Jessie
November 15, 2012Thanks! Hope you like them!
Lisa
November 18, 2012Oh yum! Just came across this and am now drooling. Can’t wait to make some
Rose
November 19, 2012Found you on Tastespotting - This looks so delicious! I love when a recipe turns out to be as healthy as it looks. I am putting this on my post holiday menu of foods that still taste indulgent but are nice to my body.
Vespa Woolf
November 19, 2012What a simple and festive idea…and sweet potatoes are so healthy, too! Thanks so much.
Samantha
December 17, 2012made this and your Israeli couscous for dinner tonight! can’t wait to eat!!
Susan
August 11, 2013So happy to find this yummy recipes! I have several vegan relatives, and never know what to make! I think I’ll love this myself! Thanks!
Cindy
September 8, 2013New favorite sweet potato recipe. Used the juice from the orange zest rather that coconut milk or butter…eliminated the cinnamon and nutmeg….was very generous with apple, pecans and cranberries. Love it.
Sandra
September 27, 2013I love sweet potatoes, can’t wait to try this recipe
attorney scottsdale
June 14, 2014Howdy! Quick question that’s entirely off topic.
Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4.
I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to fix this issue.
If you have any recommendations, please share.
Thank you!
Michael
August 25, 2014I think a drizzle of honey would be great over this, gonna try this recipe soon.
Barbara
November 15, 2014…or maple syrup
Dawn
November 1, 2014I just made these. While I’m not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, I think even the most reluctant eater would like these. I used 1T coconut oil per potato in place of the milk. I’ve still got a half. I’m going to try Michael’s suggestion and drizzle honey over it. It most certainly is like eating dessert. No sugar whatsoever. Amazing!
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November 7, 2014[…] found one recipe from Jessie Monds with apples, dried cranberries and roasted pecans on a sweet potato. There are also version with […]
Leeta Slama
November 19, 2014Can anyone provide me with a basic calorie count and sugar gram count per serving? I came across this and am dying to try it; yet I have a few diabetics (and people on diets) that I am cooking for this season and need to make sure I don’t provide anything “overly” tempting. This seems like it would be a great twist on the classic marshmallow sweet potatoes recipe that most are ucustomed to.
Sheri Gerdes
November 19, 2014Hi
Thanks for sharing. I have a questions. After you cool cooked sweet potatoe and add the crandberries apples ect do you put back in oven to heat them or serve them like that. Thank you . Sheri
Jessie
December 5, 2014I serve them as is with the apples and cranberries unheated but you can try either way. Please let me know if you heat them and have tasty results!
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Casie
November 21, 2014I had a question about using the grapeseed oil. I do not have any on hand. Would olive oil change the taste?
Jessie
December 5, 2014Certainly olive oil will work or any neutral flavored oil. Hope you enjoy!
Chandra Adams
November 24, 2014No button to “Pin” your recipe to keep for later : ( ?
Jessie
December 5, 2014Oh no, there isn’t? I thought there was. Will check into it, thank you for pointing this out!
Varsha
December 8, 2014I just made these sweet potatoes for lunch and I would have to say they are some of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted. I am in high school and don’t cook very often but had a bit of free time to experiment and I’m so glad I came across this recipe! I will be making it for my entire family soon!
Varsha
December 8, 2014I just made these sweet potatoes for lunch and I would have to say they are some of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted. I am in high school and don’t cook very often but had a bit of free time to experiment and I’m so glad I came across this recipe! I will be making it for my entire family soon!
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