17 Ways to Make Sweet Potatoes for Thanksgiving

Here's a classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole with a crunchy pecan streusel topping. "This recipe made me a sweet potato lover," says GinaS. "It is awesome! To be honest, I was not crazy about sweet potatoes in the past. My whole family raved over it! It was the most popular dish at our Thanksgiving table."

This is a great compromise recipe between the sweet and the savory. Smoky bacon and caramelized onions tilt this sweet potato side dish toward the savory, while pure maple syrup adds a sweet element that balances it all out wonderfully. "These are fabulous," says Rae. "I loved the salty smokey flavor of the bacon and the onions were a great addition."

Here's one for team savory! These sweet potato boats feature ricotta cheese, shallots, ground ginger, fresh sage, brown sugar, and grated Parmesan cheese. "An excellent recipe," raves ALINDNIC. "I was surprised by the richness of flavor and silky texture that the ricotta lent to the potatoes without the addition of butter or oil." If you like, top them with extra ricotta and chopped sage.

Mix Neufchatel cheese into mashed sweet potatoes for a rich and creamy side. "I love that these potatoes aren't overly sweet," says JenFL. "They're super creamy and were easy to make."

Did you save room for one more classic sweet potato casserole? It's a sweet sensation with the classic marshmallow topping, along with brown and white sugar and cinnamon. Adjust the amount of cinnamon and sugar to your liking. "Easy recipe, fun to make, and totally delicious!" says iloveladiesman217.

Brandy-soaked raisins are the star of the show here. "This is a simple and perfect sweet potato dish," says mauigirl. "The brandy complements the potatoes beautifully and the raisins add a nice touch. Love the fact that they are NOT overly sweet. I will try this with dried cranberries for the holidays. This dish will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table."

Here's a great sweet potato recipe to partner with deep-fried turkey or grilled turkey. "Salty, sweet, spicy, all in one bite!" says France C. "These are delicious! Such an interesting blend of flavors." Adjust the spicy seasonings as you like.

Now for another tasty break from tradition. Here's a great suggestion for making the little dumplings: "Try putting the dough in a floured pastry bag (or a Ziploc with a corner cut out) and squeezing it out like toothpaste," says Rachel D. "Then slice off bits with a sharp knife to make dumplings. You can squeeze them right into the pot of boiling water!" You can make these with butternut squash, too.

Another time-honored take on sweet potatoes, Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes cook till tender in a sauce of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

If you're scaling down your Thanksgiving menu, take note. You can replace your go-to sweet potato casserole and cheesy potato dish with this one decadent side. 

"The brown butter flavor complements the sweet potato and adds richness to the dish. Not too sweet. I'd make or eat these in a heartbeat. Such a good idea for Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving." — voraciousgirl

Chef John will walk you through transforming simple ingredients like eggs, butter, and milk into cloud-like Sweet Potato Souffles. 

"Instead of the 'traditional' sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, this is what our Southern family has had on the table for at least three generations," recipe submitter Christina Kennedy says. It's a staple for other Southern families, too. Here, grated sweet potatoes bake with butter, egg, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, orange zest, and orange juice. 

Don't forget, you can always roast sweet potatoes. Easy enough for a weeknight, our garlicky Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes would seem right at home on a Thanksgiving plate. 

Light, pureed sweet potato soup is a savvy way to incorporate this autumnal flavor into a Thanksgiving menu that already includes a few filling sides. "The earthiness of the sweet potato is balanced with tart apples, spicy ginger, and a touch of zesty lime. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped cilantro, and a few sweet, spicy nuts," recipe creator Julie Julie says, adding that even kids consider it "a Thanksgiving favorite."

Made with marshmallows, corn flake cereal, butter, and brown sugar, these Sweet Potato Balls taste like a traditional Thanksgiving side but look much more fun. Reviewers share their tips on getting the sweet potato mixture to stick together, including adding the cereal to it and chilling it.

"Marvelous! I cut the oranges in half to make it easier to scoop out the flesh then the bottoms in foil while baking. This way the orange skin cooks in its own juice, and you can eat the shell with the sweet potato filling." — LynnInHK