While sweet potato casserole is a mainstay of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and a delicious accompaniment to meals shared with family and friends, it’s also quite often loaded with sugar and fat. But if you think that’s a reason to not enjoy this dish, think again, as our revamped sweet potato casserole gives you all the flavour you want but keeps it on the healthier side.
Make no mistake; this might not be the super-sweet, gooey-topped side dish you’re familiar with, but not only does it taste great, it’s also better for your waistline.
Sweet potato and spiced apple casserole with toasted maple pecans
Serving size 10
Ingredients:
- 5 medium apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2-1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup pecans (whole or chopped)
- 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, then place them in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or until they are almost fork tender. When done, drain and set them aside.
- Meanwhile, core, peel and cube the apples.
- Add the apples to a large bowl, and completely coat them with the lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, mix together the 1-1/2 tablespoon of melted butter, 2-1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon of allspice and 1/4 of a teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Pour the maple-spice mixture over the cubed apples, and mix thoroughly to coat the apples.
- Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the apple mixture. Stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish, and drizzle with the apple juice.
- Lightly season with salt, and cover with the lid or aluminum foil.
- Bake the casserole for approximately 30 minutes or until the potatoes and apples both are tender. Stir halfway through the cooking time.
- While the casserole is baking, in a small skillet, melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup and pecans. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is bubbling and has started to reduce.
- Pour the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and set it aside.
- When the casserole is done, remove it from the oven, stir it, and then replace the lid or foil.
- Bake the pecan mixture at 375 degrees F until the pecans smell fragrant and the coating is bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Lightly mash the potatoes and apples with a fork or a potato masher.
- Top with the maple pecans, and serve.
Here are some other ways to serve your holiday potatoes >>
Quick tip:
This recipe is designed to be a side dish for a large dinner party, but with a few adjustments, you can easily prepare it for a quick family meal. It’s as simple as cubing one sweet potato and two apples, reducing the maple spice mixture by half and microwaving the entire mixture until tender.
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