Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe (2024)

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Sugar and spice and everything nice…that’s what this Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers recipe is made of! An easy side dish, perfect for fall.

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When I wasa new mom and wife,sweet potatoes were cooked in my kitchen only one time per year: Thanksgiving. And, it was almost alwayscanned sweet potatoes (or yams). Let’s just say thatI was oddly intimated by fresh sweet potatoes.

When I made sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, it was always a “classic” sweet potato casserole, topped with marshmallows. My husband and I would enjoy it. But the kids? It wasn’t their thing. There was always a ton of leftovers, and I figured that my kids just didn’t like sweet potatoes. But, did that stop me? Nope. I continued to make them most years, citing that it wasa tradition.

But, over the last several years, I learned that my kids actually DO like sweet potatoes. They just didn’t like MYsweet potato casserole. I figured this out byoccasionally working them into other meals over the years. They love sweet potato fries (even opting for them over regular fries at restaurants) and one of their favoritefall dinnershas been our DIY Baked Sweet Potato Bar.

They also enjoy my Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa and Kale (although one of the kids prefers it without the blue cheese). And I’ve even started serving a much better sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving that they LOVE and insist that I have to make more of it this year. And, yeah, it has no marshmallows on top.

But, when it comes to all the ways I’ve cooked with sweet potatoes, this Spiced Sweet Potato Skewers recipeis their winner.

Ingredients Needed for Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers:

Cooking Equipment needed for Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers:

Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe (3)

Of course, what’s not to like? It includesbacon and sugar. The kids love it, I love it, and David goes CRAZY for them. They’re almost too good, so enjoy in moderation.

To get started on your Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers recipe, you’ll first peel andcut sweet potatoes into about 1 1/2″ chunks. Place them in a bowland toss witholive oil.

In a small bowl, you’ll combine brown and white sugar, as well as several spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.

With metal skewers, alternate achunk of sweet potatoand 1/4th of a slice of baconthat has been folded in half (or smaller if necessary). Don’t pack your sweet potato and bacon together tightly. Make sure to leave a tiny bit of room between each bacon slice and potato chuck to allow even cooking. Repeat the pattern until you have about 7 pieces of sweet potato and 6 pieces of bacon on each skewer.

Due to how firm sweet potatoes are, I do not recommend using bamboo skewers. I recommend usinggood, but basic, metal skewers.

Note: if you are wanting a vegetarian version, you can leave the bacon off. You can also use less bacon – just place 2-3 sweet potato chunks between 1 piece of bacon.

Roll each skewer in the spiced sugar mixture. You may want to presssome of the spiced sugar onto the potatoes and bacon. Tap your skewer gently to remove any excess.

Place each skewer on top of oven-safe cooling racks that are placed on top of arimmedbaking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and bacon is fully cooked. Serve and enjoy!

Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe

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Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe (9)

Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe

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  • Author: Brandie Valenzuela
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Description

Sugar and spice and everything nice…that’s what this Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers recipe is made of! An easy side dish, perfect for fall.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound sliced bacon
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Place oven-safe cooking racks on top of a large rimmed baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place cut sweet potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Set aside.
  3. Without separating bacon slices into individual pieces, cut entire slab of bacon slices into fourths (when laying horizontally in front of you). This is easiest by cutting slab in half and then cutting each of those portions in half again.
  4. In a small bowl, combine sugars and spices. Pour spiced sugar mixture onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.
  5. With metal skewer, slide on a chunk of sweet potato, then 1 small piece of bacon (which is 1/4th of a bacon slice) that has been folded in half (or smaller if necessary). Make sure to leave a tiny bit of room between each bacon slice and potato chuck to allow even cooking (don’t push them tightly together). Repeat pattern until you have about 7 pieces of sweet potato and 6 pieces of bacon on each skewer.
  6. Roll each skewer in the spiced sugar mixture. You may want to use your hand to hold some of the spiced sugar to press more of it onto the potatoes and bacon. Tap your skewer gently to remove any excess spiced sugar. Place skewer on top of the the cooling racks on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining skewers. Discard any remaining spiced sugar.
  7. Bake skewers for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and bacon is fully cooked.

Notes

Note: if you are wanting a vegetarian version, you can leave the bacon off. You can also use less bacon – just place 2-3 sweet potato chunks between 1 piece of bacon.

  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Recipe Card powered bySpiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe (10)

Want even more potato side dishes?

My Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe ismy contribution to the November#12Bloggers Event that happens on the 12th of every month. It includes myself and 11 blogging friends and we all create recipes around a common theme — all of the recipes have 12 ingredients or less too. This months theme is Potato Side DishRecipes— here are the links to allof the other great potato side dishes:

Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the tips and tricks of sweet potatoes? ›

Selection and storage tips: Choose firm, small- to medium-sized potatoes with smooth skin. Avoid cracks, soft spots and blemishes. Choose sweet potatoes with a bright, uniform color. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place for use within two to three weeks or at room temperature for up to a week.

Do you have to poke sweet potatoes before baking? ›

1) Always poke a few holes.

Before baking, use a fork to prick each sweet potato several times. You don't need to jab the fork in deep. We're creating steam vents. Otherwise the pressure in the sweet potato could build up so high in the oven that it explodes—an unlikely possibility but one best avoided!

What makes sweet potato sticky? ›

Initially, it may be off-putting, but it's actually indicative of a healthy potato and a flavorful meal. FoodsGuy explains that this thick, white, sticky liquid is just a mixture of sugar and water from the sweet potato leaking a bit after getting excited by the prospect of being part of such a delicious meal.

Why cook sweet potato? ›

And they taste about as good as any other raw tuber until you start cooking it! As soon as sweet potatoes start to heat up during cooking, a special enzyme particular to sweet potatoes goes to work. This enzyme breaks down the tasteless, chalky starch into maltose – in other words, the starch becomes sugar.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy.

Is it better to wrap sweet potatoes in foil when baking? ›

Wrapping sweet potatoes in foil helps in a few ways. It prevents the exterior of the tuber from drying out and overheating too quickly, which would minimize enzymatic activity; it also results in a more evenly cooked texture.

How many holes should you poke in a sweet potato? ›

Pierce the potato 2-3 times with a fork. Rub oil all over the potatoes. Rub salt all over the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes.

What happens if you forgot to poke holes in a baked potato? ›

I would just skip poking the potato all together. It is very rare that a baked potato will burst if the steam can't escape.

What is the liquid coming out of sweet potato? ›

The ooze is actually referred to as "sap." It is made up of sugar and starch combined with the moisture found in the vegetable, and it escapes out of the damage made from the knife. The sap really equals the sweetness. If it's pouring out of your potato, that means it's a sweet and delicious vegetable.

What are the white dots in my sweet potatoes? ›

All it is is just a mixture of the natural sugar. starches in water that comes out like sap. when the cell walls of the plant are damaged and cut. This is actually indication of a really fresh potato, so it may taste even sweeter and better.

Is it OK to eat a sweet potato everyday? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potato? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

Is it better to microwave or bake a sweet potato? ›

It's really the best way. Microwaving sweet potatoes cuts down cook time by 45 to 55 minutes, and, according to a 2018 study, helps maintain the potato's nutritional value. All cooking methods cause foods to lose some of their nutrients, but the quicker your potato cooks, the more nutrients it will retain.

What are some interesting facts about sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. Sweet potatoes are great sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium. Sweet potatoes can be white, yellow, red, purple or orange. The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are sweeter than the other varieties.

Why not to boil sweet potatoes? ›

Despite their sweet taste, these potatoes have an intermediate glycemic index (GI) level, meaning they are digested and absorbed fairly slowly, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. But, a lot of these benefits, including nutrients and taste, can be lost by boiling sweet potatoes.

How do you make sweet potatoes easier to cut? ›

how to soften sweet potatoes For Cutting
  1. Parboil – peel and trim off both ends of the sweet potato and place in a saucepot with water. ...
  2. Microwave – use a fork to poke holes into the sweet potato and microwave for 2-3 minutes, depending on size.
Apr 14, 2023

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