Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

I’ve always loved sweet potatoes and our Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes is a dish I think about constantly, especially around the holidays! The center of the potatoes are so soft, tender and flavorful. It’s the perfect slightly sweet and savory side dish that can also double as a vegetarian main dish.

I also like that this dish only uses a handful of simple ingredients and can be prepped and assembled ahead of time. It’s the perfect side dish for big meals like thanksgiving or other holiday meals, when there seems to be endless dishes to make. It never fails to be delicious and satisfying however you enjoy it!

How to Make Our Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until sweet potatoes have softened.

3. Once sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, slice each potato in half and carefully scoop the flesh out into a mixing bowl (be sure not to tear the skins).

4. Begin mashing warm sweet potatoes with butter, cream and garlic until smooth.

5. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg until fully incorporated.

6. Fold in feta and thyme until fully combined.

7. Scoop mixture into a piping bag, fitted with a large star tip, and pipe potatoes back into the sweet potato “shells.”

8. Turn oven up to 425˚F and bake sweet potatoes for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and top potatoes with crumbled feta and chopped pecan and serve.

Tools You Will Need

• knife
• cutting board
• mixing bowls
• wooden spoon
• potato masher
• measuring spoons
• liquid measuring cups
• dry measuring cups
• baking sheet
• piping bags
• large star piping tip

Some of Our Favorite Variations

• Try using brown butter in this dish! The nutty flavor is really delicious and adds a special touch to the sweet potatoes.
• If feta isn’t to your liking, try using crumbled goat cheese, or even some shredded gruyere.
• For a sweeter alternative, omit the garlic, feta and thyme and instead add 2 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and ginger (or any combination of the four) to the sweet potato mixture as you mash everything together.
• Serve side dish with a side of sour cream or even some Greek yogurt if you want to add just a little something else to it.
• Make this dish more decadent by adding some crumbled bacon on top or stirring some into the baked sweet potato flesh before piping the mixture back into the skins.

Tips and Tricks for Twice Baked Sweet Potato Success

• Use a sharp knife to slice each baked sweet potato in half, to help prevent the skins from tearing.
• The addition of the egg in the filling before piping them back into the potatoes is important! Not only does it help to prevent your potato filling from drying out when they’re twice baked, but they also help to keep the potato filling creamy. The egg also help to brown the tops and create a thin and crisp crust.
• It’s important to leave at least 1/4 inch thick layer of potato in the skins so the potato halves hold together, especially when trying to pipe the filling back in and twice baking them.
• If you don’t have a piping bag and pastry tip, you can just scoop the filling back into the sweet potato skins with a spoon (creating a mound) and then gently run the tines of a fork over the top to create some texture.
• If the tops haven’t browned as much as you would like, you can drizzle the tops with some melted butter and place them under a broiler and broil for a minute or two until the tops are nicely browned.

Prepping Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Ahead of Time

The twice baked potatoes can be prepped up to 3 days ahead of time. Prep the recipe until the end of step 4. Store filling an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Separately store the skins in a single layer, in an airtight container until ready to use.

When ready to serve potatoes, gently warm the filling. Stir in the egg, feta and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Continue with the rest of the recipe and serve.

More Sweet Potato Recipes You Will Love

• Roasted Sweet Potato, Salami and Arugula Pizza
• Sweet Potato Gnocchi
• Roasted Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Flatbread
• Sweet Potato and Leek Soup
• Roasted Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with a Cilantro-Garlic Cashew Sauce
• Cheesy Sweet Potato Fritters
• Seared Scallops Over Roasted Sweet Potato Puree
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Rosemary