Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Wow a Crowd: Sweet Potato Soufflé

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and with the holiday season comes a flurry of fall-themed recipes that will no doubt flood the internet.

It can be fun scrolling through your phone looking for new recipe ideas. But, if you are anything like us, that quickly leads to falling into a black hole of craft projects, DIY decorations, and life hacks. We’re looking at you, Pinterest! The next thing you know, hours have gone by, and you still are not any closer to coming up with a solid menu plan for the big day. Allow us to fill one of your side-dish slots with our favorite fall side dish: sweet potato soufflé with a spiced pecan crumble! 

Sweet Potato Soufflé

This dish offers the same sweetness that you would get from the more traditional candied yams, but is balanced by the addition of the spiced crumble on top. We blended cooked sweet potatoes (pro tip: cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave to really speed up the process) with eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, and spices until creamy, then spread it into a baking dish. The topping is a mixture of chopped pecans, brown sugar, butter, fresh sage, garlic, and — wait for it — bacon! It gets a slight kick from chili powder and cayenne, but these can easily be omitted if your crowd prefers a milder flavor. The result is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and we promise that you will have to guard your plate from topping stealers…it is that addictive!

Print Recipe

Sweet Potato Soufflé w/Pecan Crumble

This sweet potato soufflé features a creamy sweet potato filling and is topped with a sweet and spicy pecan crumble making for the perfect Fall side dish!

Course

Side Dish

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Servings

people

Ingredients

For The Soufflé

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

For The Topping

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 6 tbsp butter melted
• 1/4 cup flour all purpose
• 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne

Course Side Dish Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 25 mins Servings people Ingredients For The Soufflé 3 lbs sweet potatoes 1/2 cup brown sugar packed 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup butter melted 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp nutmeg For The Topping 6 slices bacon 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1/2 cup brown sugar packed 6 tbsp butter melted 1/4 cup flour all purpose 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves minced 2 cloves garlic minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cayenne

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then prick them all over with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes in the microwave and heat on high for 8-15 minutes (depending on size), or until they are cooked through to the center and very soft. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.
3. While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, chop the bacon into small pieces. Add the bacon to a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until just crispy, then drain on paper towels. Add the bacon to a clean bowl along with the pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 6 tbsp melted butter, flour, minced sage, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, cayenne, and chili powder. Stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until all of the ingredients are well combined.
4. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, and nutmeg to the bowl with the sweet potato and beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
5. Spray a 2-3-quart baking dish with cooking spray, then spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the bottom of the dish. Cover with the pecan topping, then bake for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Instead of bacon, you can also use pancetta or prosciutto!
• When preparing the filling, you can add the egg last after mixing the other ingredients. This way, you can taste and add more seasoning, if needed.
• The cayenne adds a bit of heat to the pecan crumble, but this can be omitted for those that do not like spice.

Check out our video below to see how it’s made!

Photo Credits: Christina Carter