Refined and Creative Sweet Potato Side Dishes to Try This Holiday Season
Today on Indy Style, we shared a collection of inspired sweet potato side dishes perfect for your holiday table. These recipes take sweet potatoes beyond the usual casserole with marshmallows and bring bright, smoky, and savory-sweet options that pair beautifully with Thanksgiving classics.
Smoked Sweet Potatoes
Smoked sweet potatoes form the base for many of these recipes. If you plan to smoke your Thanksgiving turkey, reserve a small space for sweet potatoes—just a little smoke adds a rich, unexpected depth. No smoker? Roast or grill the potatoes instead to concentrate their natural sugars and develop a delightful char.
If cutting sweet potatoes feels daunting, watch the Indy Style segment for a quick demonstration that makes preparation easy.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Smoked spice rub or seasoning of your choice
Directions
- Cut sweet potatoes into planks, rounds, or dice depending on the recipe.
- Smoke the pieces for about 2 hours. Diced potatoes can be smoked in a cast-iron skillet.
- If you don’t have a smoker, roast on a baking sheet coated with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; roast until tender and caramelized.
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
This vibrant salad is full of color and flavor and can easily compete for attention on your holiday table. Roasted or smoked sweet potato cubes combine with bright vegetables and a tangy-sweet dressing for a lively side.
Ingredients
- Smoked or roasted sweet potato cubes
- 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup fresh yellow corn
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Directions
- Toss sweet potato cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Spread on an oiled baking sheet and roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized.
- Whisk lemon juice, remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard with a pinch of salt and pepper to make the dressing.
- Combine black beans, green onions, corn, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper with the dressing, then gently fold in the roasted sweet potatoes.
- Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Sweet Potato Noodles Caprese Salad
This autumnal twist on a Caprese salad swaps pasta for spiralized sweet potatoes, adding a pleasant texture and earthy sweetness that bridge summer and fall flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 packages sweet potato noodles or homemade spiralized sweet potato
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Olive oil
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh mozzarella, cubed
- Green onions, sliced
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add minced garlic, then add the sweet potato noodles and sauté briefly.
- Add cherry tomatoes and cubed mozzarella; cook until tomatoes begin to soften and blister and the noodles are tender but not mushy.
- Plate the salad and sprinkle with sliced green onions before serving.
Sweet Potato Pie Bites
These mini bites capture the creamy, spiced flavor of sweet potato pie without a crust—perfect as a dessert or as a sweet, portion-controlled appetizer for holiday guests.
Ingredients
- Smoked or oven-roasted sweet potato rounds
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp half-and-half
- Candied pecans for topping
Directions
- Beat together cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and half-and-half until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
- Pipe a dollop of the cream mixture onto each sweet potato round and top with candied pecans.
Recipe adapted from The Nutritionist Reviews.
Fresh-Ingredient Green Bean Casserole
Skip the canned mushrooms and soup—this fresh-ingredient version elevates the classic green bean casserole. A creamy shallot sauce and the option to add smoked sweet potatoes or fresh mushrooms make it rich, fresh, and comforting.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Half-and-half
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- Smoked sweet potatoes or fresh mushrooms
- Fresh green beans, trimmed
Directions
- In a cast-iron skillet, melt butter and add half-and-half and sliced shallots. Simmer over medium-low heat about 20 minutes until shallots are soft and translucent. Stir in smoked sweet potatoes or mushrooms.
- Trim and blanch green beans until bright and slightly tender.
- Combine green beans with the shallot cream sauce in a baking dish or skillet and bake until the beans are fully tender and the sauce is bubbling.
These dishes showcase the versatility of sweet potatoes and offer fresh, flavorful alternatives for holiday entertaining. Try one or combine several to create a memorable, colorful holiday spread.
How will you serve sweet potatoes this season? If you try any of these recipes, snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @TheProduceMoms.