parmesan honey butter sweet potato stacks
Okay okay, a Thanksgiving concept on October 19, but dudes, making these ahead of time ain’t no sin.
After last year’s smashingly successful Cheddar Ranch Potato Stacks, I couldn’t wait to try a sweet potato version. While I ran and after I baked up this recipe, my mom and I were chatting on the phone about how minimal an influence sweet potatoes had on both our childhoods. I don’t think I tried a sweet potato until I was in college – I think all the images of marshmallow-laden Thanksgiving casseroles put me off immensely. Still weirds me out, even though I enjoy both marshmallows and sweet potatoes now. Just not together.
Match made in HELL, more like.
Last year, I think, I baked a sweet potato casserole that I actually quite enjoyed – it used a streusel topping instead of the fucken weird marshmallows, and the body of the dish was infused with lots of bourbon. It was solid, and maybe quelled my cynicism about sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving.
But, not all of us want to bake a whole casserole, maybe because the gathering is small, or the energy is low, or all the guests involve loathe sweet potato casserole. That’s where these simplistic little beauties come in. Small ingredients list, big flavor impact. Let’s go.
Potatoes? Sweeeeet
First: if you don’t own a mandolin, I suggest you get one. They’re typically priced under $30 and are extremely handy for many kitchen projects, including this one. If you don’t own a mandolin, and refuse to buy one for whatever reason, be very diligent in slicing with a sharp-ass knife. The result likely won’t be the same unless you’re a professional chef, but it’ll do.
Wash and dry a few big sweet potatoes, then slice ’em up with your choice tool. You should have a nice big pile of tatoe rounds when all is said and done.
Four little components make up this wonderful coating: butter, honey, parmesan, and garlic. And I guess salt and pepper, so six components, but I honestly don’t even count those because if you don’t have s&p in your kitchen, you’re in a bad place, son.
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter, honey, and garlic together until the butter is totally melted. Stir in the parmesan, salt, and pepper. A good pinch of the latter two will do.
Grab your biggest mixing bowl (or a Dutch oven, like I did) and toss in your potatoes. Pour over the honey butter mixture and flip the taters around until they’re fully coated. Two wooden spoons or your clean hands work well for this step. Be patient here – you might need a couple minutes of mixing to get everything nice and buttered up.
Stacks Stacks Stacks-Stacks-Stacks Stacks
Grease a full muffin tin with butter, then maybe 3-4 slots of a second tin. I got 16 stacks out of my tests, but you may get a bit more or a bit less depending on the size of your potatoes, and the stacks themselves.
Assembling the potato stacks needn’t be an overly science-y endeavor. They’ll be tasty regardless of how lopsided they are.
But, if you’d like a bit of aesthetic appeal, form each stack with the larger rounds on the bottom and smaller ones atop. See photos if you’re a bit baffled. Don’t be afraid of filling your tins all the way to the top – they’ll shrink down a bit as they bake.
Cover the muffin tins with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 20-25. The butter and honey caramelize around the sweet potatoes and create a wonderfully crispy snap on the exterior, while the body of the potatoes remains soft. Luscious.
To release the potatoes from their tin prison, run a knife around the edges of the muffin tin slot and gently lift the stacks out. Sprinkle with flaky salt, add a cute little thyme sprig for aesthetic, then serve!
These go well with almost anything, but I think the Chickpea Meatballs Au Vin is an aptly rich dish that demands some sweet potato stacks on the side. Or, Sage Butter Cider Glazed Salmon, or Bourbon Brown Sugar Salmon, swapping out the mash for these babies. Mmhmm.
And, if you want to make these ahead of time, they do very well a few days prior to baking. Just assemble in the muffin tins as directed, cover, and pop in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Easy peasy! Especially for the pre-Thanksgiving rodeo we’re all inevitably to face in a bit more than a month.
A bit more than a month? SHIIIIIIT.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
What a sweettater:
Chewy Spiced Sweet Potato Bagels
Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Kale and Feta Salad
Sheetpan Shawarma Salmon and Sweet Potatoes
Sheet Pan Spicy Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls
parmesan honey butter sweet potato stacks
Ingredients
- 4-5 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 6 tbsp salted butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- flaky salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 12-slot muffin tin and 4 slots of a second tin with butter.
- Use a mandolin to thinly slice the sweet potatoes. If you don't have a mandolin, you're shit out of luck…unless you're particularly dexterous and can very finely slice them with a sharp knife. Highly recommend investing in a mandolin, however.
- In a bowl, heat the butter, honey, and garlic in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then heat an additional 20-30 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Whisk in the parmesan cheese.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a very large bowl. Pour over the honey butter mixture and toss until very thoroughly combined. Take your time with this – you might need 1-2 minutes.
- Stack the sweet potatoes in the prepared muffin tins, starting from larger slices on the bottom and smaller slices on top. Fill each tin slightly over the top – the potatoes will shrink when they bake. Spoon any remaining honey butter over the potatoes.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes longer until crisp and caramelized. Let cool slightly, then run a knife around the edges to release the potatoes and lift out of the tins. Serve warm with flaky salt.
