Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Sage is the super easy side dish your Thanksgiving table needs this year. It’s pared down, but still gives that holiday-worthy pizzazz.
easy roasted sweet potatoes is exactly the kind of dish I’ll be cooking this Thanksgiving
These baked sweet potatoes are a breeze to toss together (no peeling!) but still feel traditional and comforting. Thanksgiving is one of those meals that just has to be right, and we don’t want to make any compromises! This dish puts the delicious and traditional flavor of sweet potatoes on your Thanksgiving menu without as much fuss, time, and calories as the more classic sweet potato casserole piled high with marshmallows and brown sugar. I don’t think you’ll miss it!
two ingredients make these roasted sweet potatoes extra-special and extra-flavorful:
buckwheat honey
Buckwheat honey, if you’ve never tried it before, is a dark, almost molasses-like honey made by bees who forage for nectar in buckwheat fields. It’s got a deep rich flavor that I love using in this dish because it subtly enhances the potatoes and doesn’t go overboard sweetening an already sweet veg (I’m looking at you marshmallows!) Buckwheat honey is complex, so it keeps things balanced. Try maple syrup if you can’t get buckwheat honey.
fresh sage
Sage stands out in the herb world as having one of the most, if not the most, intense flavor/aroma. I can’t help but rub a leaf of sage between my fingers and inhale that amazing scent. Lots of earthy, fresh sage keeps this recipe from feeling too cloying. Plus that vivid green is so pretty with the orange potatoes.
no need to peel sweet potatoes for this dish
Give them a good scrub and then slice away with a sharp knife. The peel is edible and nutritious, and will soften up during baking, you won’t even notice it. Arrange them in an overlapping spiral to fit your dish, drizzle with oil and honey, and pop into the oven for about an hour, that’s it. For something that comes out looking so beautiful and tasting so good, it feels like cheating!
more Thanksgiving sides for a simple gathering
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Buckwheat Honey and Sage
Equipment
- 11" oval gratin dish
Ingredients
- 2 large, or about 3 medium, sweet potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
- 3 tsp buckwheat honey, or other strongly flavored honey
- 3 tsp olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp fresh sage, sliced, plus a few small leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly butter a baking dish (I used an 11 inch oval gratin dish)
- Arrange the sliced sweet potatoes in an overlapping spiral in your dish. Fit them in as snugly as you can but try to keep them in a single layer so they cook evenly. Overlapping is fine, see photos in post for reference.
- Drizzle 2-3 tsp of olive oil over the sweet potatoes, along with about 2 tsp of the buckwheat honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 60-70 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Pierce with the tip of a small sharp knife to check.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. For a nice glossy sheen, brush on a little more olive oil on top of the potatoes, and lightly drizzle with another 1/2 or 1 tsp of buckwheat honey. Sprinkle with the fresh sage.
Nutrition
I made these for Thanksgiving 2022, and I made a few changes. Since honey can be a pretty strong flavor, I used half honey and half maple syrup. Heated them together in a small saucepan with a few tablespoons of butter and a couple drops of vanilla extract. I mixed together more than the recipe called for (roughly double) so I could drizzle more when they were done baking. EVEYRONE loved them, even family members who said they don’t like sweet potatoes! So good, you will not be disappointed! Thanks, Sue!
Love your variation Michelle, the vanilla is an inspired choice!
How and when do I place the sage during baking?
Sue, I would love to make this ahead and reheat. Have you tried that? If not, how is it reheating leftovers? I don’t want to be ugly! lol Thank you~~ France
Looks amazing and your photography is superb. Can’t wait to try! 🙂
If I`m unable to find buckwheat honey I do have some Steens Cane Syrup,would that work? BTW I`m making the maple cheesecake soon now that the cream cheese is on special,will be using the organic grade A dark amber from Costco,$9.99 for 33 oz. jug.I know crazy right!
I’ve never used Steen’s syrup before, so I’m afraid I can’t say for sure! So glad you are trying the maple cheese cake — if you’ve got the maple syrup I think that would be a great substitute for the buckwheat honey in this recipe, too!
Good morning! Looks so pretty! What are your thoughts on using Molasses, or Molasses mixed with Pure Maple Syrup from our trees? Have a blessed Thanksgiving! Thank you!
I think molasses might be a bit strong for this dish, but maple syrup would be perfect ~ especially from your own trees 🙂 Sometimes I boil down maple syrup just a bit to thicken it if necessary. Happy Thanksgiving to you too, France.