Sweet Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter Crumb Topping

I have never been a huge fan of sweet potatoes. Over the years, I’ve found a few ways that I consider them edible, but the bottom line is that they will probably never be a favorite food of mine. However, I also know that lots of people are crazy about them and they are a very popular side dish, so I wouldn’t think of hosting Thanksgiving without serving them. The classic sweet topping with brown sugar and marshmallows is unappealing to me, but this savory version with sage brown butter crumb topping is actually pretty darn good. This dish is a great way to change up your holiday table spread, but it is also a lovely option for a side dish along a nice piece of seared fish or some crispy chicken thighs on any ole’ weeknight.

This recipe can easily be made ahead of time to simplify in your holiday preparations. You can do all of the potato prep and breadcrumb prep, and store them separately until you are ready to bake the dish. When it’s go time, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top, pop into the oven and bake until warm and bubbling. Enjoy!

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40-50 minutes
Yield 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
4 oz. (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter
1-2½ tbsp. minced fresh sage
1 cup warm milk
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Directions

01
Combine the sweet potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes in a large stockpot. Cover with water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to boil until the potatoes are tender, 10-14 minutes. Drain well.
02
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sage. (I prefer to go a little light on the sage.) Mix half of the the sage-butter mixture along with the warm milk into the potatoes; mash and mix with an electric mixer until fairly smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. At this point, the potato mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
03
Toss the remaining brown butter mixture with the bread crumbs and mix until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered until golden brown and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil earlier if breadcrumbs brown too quickly.) Serve warm.

Source

adapted from Martha Stewart