Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Love sweet potatoes, but want to jazz them up a bit? This Twice Baked Sweet Potato recipe uses the bold flavors of mascarpone, garlic, and oregano to complement the classic, sweet tuber.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes take the deliciousness of whipped sweet potatoes and put them into their own little, serveable boats. #twicebakedpotatoes #sweetpotatoes www.savoryexperiments.com


 

While most people are making sweet version of this dish with marshmallows and brown sugar streusel toppings, I wanted to go the savory route.

Yams vs Sweet Potatoes

Here goes the question someone will undoubtedly ask: are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing? Long story short, the answer is NO.

Although they look similar, they are very different and chances are you’ve probably never had a real yam.

For the in-depth explanation, I suggest you check out what Alton Brown has to say about the subject. This will make for a great dinner conversation, especially the part about, “man yams.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes take the deliciousness of whipped sweet potatoes and put them into their own little, serveable boats. #twicebakedpotatoes #sweetpotatoes www.savoryexperiments.com

If you want the Cliff Notes version, here goes: both are root vegetables that come from a flowering plant. However, yams are long, cylindrical, and have an almost bark-like exterior. They are also drier and more starchy in terms of texture.

Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, have tapered ends and skin similar to the potatoes we all know and love. The skin and flesh color of these can all vary based on the specific type of sweet potato we are talking about and they are not just the orange/copper colored variety you immediately envision.

Health Benefits

Sweet potatoes also popular on the health front. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Anti-oxidants are something they also tout. And may (I repeat may) have cancer-fighting properties, boost the immune system, and support healthy vision.

Now those are all things I can get behind. The fact that they are naturally delicious as all get out is just a bonus. And while they are not a low-carb vegetable, they help you to feel full and are great to include in your weekly diet.

angle view of stuffed sweet potato with cheese and chives

A lot of people will skip the skin in a twice baked potato, but I urge you to think again. Not only does it have great texture, because it is baked, it is also holding onto a bunch of fiber and potassium.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

This Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe makes use of the orange-flesh variety of sweet potato, but feel free to try it with other sweet potato varieties if that is what your grocery store is carrying or if you want to try it with something different yourself.

In addition to sweet potatoes, you’ll need:

  • Garlic
  • Mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Butter
  • Seasonings: Kosher salt, oregano
  • Toppings: Chives and Maldon Salt

Next you’ll bake the sweet potatoes just like you would a regular twiced baked. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. The biggest difference here is that sweet potato skins are a little thinner and more delicate than other potato varieties, so be gentle and know they will be a little floppy.

Combine the flesh with cheese, butter and seasonings, whipping well. Then scoop back into the skins. Bake again and top with chives!

Did You Know SweetPotato is One Word?

Did you know that sweetpotato is actually one word? Most people still use two, so we do as well, but in 1989 this nun (not an adjective) was officially changed to one word to help standout against it’s very commonly confused cousin the yam.

And as we know, sweet potatoes are not yams! You’ve likely never even had a yam in your lifetime because they aren’t grown in the US. So bring up this little bit of trivia at your table tonight.

Serve Them With

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes can be served as a side dish or entree. Sweet savory and just plain delicious, it is no wonder they go fast. With 300 calories a serving, they are a winning recipe!

Pair them with an Instant Pot Whole Chicken, King Ranch Chicken, Crock Pot Pork Loin or even Chicken Kiev.

More potato recipes:

angled shot of stuffed sweet potatoes on board

Apple Spiced Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

5 from 6 votes
These Apple Spiced Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are are piled high with a luscious cinnamon apple filling that has crunchy pecans and bright lemon!
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spoon in dish of twice baked potato casserole

Twice Baked Potato Casserole Recipe

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You will love how simple it is to make this easy Twice Baked Potato Casserole! Everything you love about twice baked potatoes is wrapped up into one easy dish.
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corn flake topping on sweet potato casserole

Sweet Potato Souffle (Marshmallow & Pecan Topping)

4.94 from 44 votes
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans is the ultimate sweet potato souffle recipe using fresh sweet potatoes, pecan topping and marshmallows.
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Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes take the deliciousness of whipped sweet potatoes and put them into their own little, serveable boats. #twicebakedpotatoes #sweetpotatoes www.savoryexperiments.com
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes take the deliciousness of whipped sweet potatoes and put them into their own little, serveable boats. #twicebakedpotatoes #sweetpotatoes www.savoryexperiments.com

Twice Baked Sweet Potato Recipe

4.88 from 16 votes
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes uses bold flavors like mascarpone, garlic, and oregano to complement the classic, sweet tuber.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce both potatoes several times with a potato nail or serving fork (something long). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
  • Place potatoes on the rimmed baking sheet and cook for 40-45 minutes. Potatoes should be soft to the touch. Remove and allow to cool until you are able to handle them. 
  • Sweet potato skins are not nearly as hearty as other types of potatoes, so be gentle. Cut them in half and spoon out cooked flesh to a large mixing bowl. 
  • Blend with mascarpone, gruyere cheese, kosher salt, butter, and dried oregano. 
  • Spoon mixture back into potato skins. 
  • Coat a small, high sided baking dish with cooking spray. Place filled sweet potatoes into the dish. Try to make them fit snug so they don’t fall over. 
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 
  • Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving. Top with chives and Maldon sea salt. 
  • Your opinion means a lot to us. Please come back and leave us a comment to let us know if you made any modifications and how the recipe turned out! 
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 300 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 29 g, Saturated Fat: 18 g, Cholesterol: 76 mg, Sodium: 462 mg, Potassium: 25 mg, Vitamin A: 1055 IU, Vitamin C: 1.3 mg, Calcium: 228 mg, Iron: 0.4 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 300
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked sweet potatoes, twice baked sweet potatoes
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    This is just the side dish I was looking to complete our Thanksgiving menu! My son loves sweet potatoes so Im sure this will be one recipe we make a lot!

  2. This looks like such a tasty way to use sweet potatoes! I love finding recipes that aren’t the traditional sweet potato casserole.

  3. I usually go for marshmallows and brown sugar when I’m making sweet potatoes, but these look really good. Maybe I should do both this year – give both a savory and sweet option.

  4. I LOVE sweet potatoes.. I think they always get a bad rap by so many people. I’ve never thought to use them with lemon.. Interesting combo.

  5. These look great Jessica. I loved that you used Greek yogurt, I use it all the time in recipes. Such a versatile ingredient.