While sweet potatoes are an excellent source of various essential nutrients, their availability can be limited by season. This is why exploring recipes that use canned sweet potatoes is a great way to enjoy these nutritious tubers year-round. Canned sweet potatoes come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks. They’re already cooked, making them convenient for many recipes, but they lack the sturdy texture needed for some dishes like fries.
Additionally, unlike fresh sweet potatoes, the skins can’t be used in recipes because they’re only filled with flesh. Another important consideration is the difference between canned sweet potatoes and canned yams. Although yams have a distinct rough brown exterior and starchy flesh, the terms ‘sweet potato’ and ‘yam’ are often used interchangeably in the US. When it comes to canned varieties, recipes typically accommodate either one without issue.
With this in mind, I’m excited to share 15 creative ways to use canned sweet potatoes, including both traditional side dishes and sweet treats. Some of my personal favorites include Sweet Potato Dump Cake and Sweet Potato Cookies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. So, let’s dive into the list and explore the many possibilities!
Sweet Potato Casserole
While sweet potato recipes often take center stage, this pecan praline topped sweet potato casserole is a masterclass in balancing flavors and textures. The combination of tender sweet potatoes with the rich, buttery topping – comprised of brown sugar, flour, and toasted pecans – elevates the dish to new heights. What’s more, the recipe itself is remarkably simple: just mix together the sweet potato ingredients, add the topping, and let it bake until golden brown.
A crucial step in this process is allowing the casserole to cool for 20 minutes before serving, which allows the flavors to meld together harmoniously.
Oatmeal Sweet Potato Muffins
Muffins are the perfect way to repurpose canned sweet potatoes, combining their natural sweetness with the crunch of an oatmeal crumb topping. The result is a satisfying snack or morning treat that’s sure to please. This recipe yields twelve muffins, with all the classic ingredients you’d expect from a muffin, plus a can of sweet potatoes for added moisture and flavor. The topping itself is a delightful blend of oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla.
Just be aware that these muffins take a bit longer to bake, clocking in at around 25 minutes. And the best part? They make perfect gifts or office treats – just package them up and share!
Sweet Potato Bread
Indulge in a rich and decadent slice of sweet potato bread infused with the warm, aromatic flavors of chai spice. This moist and memorable loaf is perfect for satisfying your cravings. Feel free to get creative by adding hints of banana or mini chocolate chips – the choice is yours! If you want to take it to the next level, top it off with a creamy frosting or glaze. Just be sure to measure accurately to achieve the perfect balance of moisture and texture.
And don’t worry if you want to mix things up, you can easily substitute the chai spice with pumpkin pie spice. Just keep in mind that this loaf requires some time in the oven – plan for at least an hour of baking to get it just right.
Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Canned yams can be just as effortless and scrumptious as their sweet potato counterparts, with the added convenience of being transformed into a mouthwatering casserole in a slow cooker. This game-changing hack frees up valuable oven space when you’re juggling multiple dishes. The essential ingredients include canned yams, rich butter, heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon.
To give it a delightful twist, mini marshmallows are added towards the end of the cooking process to achieve a perfect melt. Moreover, scaling up the recipe is a breeze in a slow cooker, allowing you to easily prepare a larger quantity if needed. With just four hours of gentle simmering, your casserole will be ready to impress!
Sweet Potato Dump Cake
The humble dump cake has taken on a new twist with the introduction of canned sweet potatoes. At its core, this dessert still relies on the classic yellow boxed cake mix, but it’s elevated by the addition of sweet potatoes, orange juice, and brown sugar. The result is a delightful balance of savory and sweet flavors that will leave you wanting more. While pecans or other nuts add a satisfying crunch, they’re entirely optional if you prefer to keep things nut-free.
And if you thought things couldn’t get any better, just wait until you discover the crushed pineapple lurking in the mix. With its simplicity and ease of preparation, this sweet potato dump cake is sure to become a new favorite.
Sweet Potato Sheet Cake
Here’s another innovative recipe that utilizes canned sweet potatoes, this time yielding a rich and decadent sheet cake. The result is reminiscent of a spice cake, thanks to its dark color and cream cheese frosting. To make it, you’ll need two cans of yams in syrup. The batter is divided between two sheet pans or cake pans, allowing for a stunning two-layer design with a creamy frosting spread between and atop the layers. For added texture and visual appeal, toasted pecans are sprinkled on top.
Sweet And Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
Combining soup and canned sweet potato recipes is as natural as gathering around a campfire with marshmallows roasting on the flames. This versatile sweet potato soup, made possible by the convenience of canned sweet potatoes, can be enjoyed throughout the year. The harmonious blend of zesty flavors includes tart apples, spicy ginger, and a hint of lime, creating a delightful taste experience.
To begin, sautéed shallots in oil set the stage for adding Granny Smith or McIntosh apples, ginger, lime zest, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper, allowing the mixture to simmer until the apples are tender. The next step involves combining the mixture with broth, sweet potatoes, and salt, then bringing it all to a boil. Finally, an immersion blender smooths out the texture, while a dollop of heavy cream added at serving time elevates the dish to new heights.
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
Imagine taking canned sweet potatoes and turning them into something entirely new – dinner rolls! That’s right, sweet potato dinner rolls that are surprisingly easy to make and yield a fluffy, soft texture. While they may not have an overtly sweet potato flavor, the addition of yeast in the recipe cleverly consumes the natural sugars, resulting in a unique taste experience. It’s a perfect blend of science and cooking.
This bake-from-scratch recipe comes with clear instructions and requires about an hour for the dough to rise. Once ready, divide it into 16 balls and let them rise again before baking – the end result is simply fabulous!
Sweet Potato Salad With Canned Yams
In a surprising twist, we’re taking the humble canned yams to create an intriguing sweet potato salad. The combination of textures is truly captivating – think soft, cooked sweet potatoes, creamy boiled eggs, crunchy green onions and celery, and a tangy kick from the mayo or Miracle Whip. With the sweet potatoes already cooked, all that’s required is draining and chopping them into manageable pieces.
Then, it’s simply a matter of slicing and dicing the remaining ingredients before combining everything in a harmonious medley. This salad is best served chilled, with the flavors melding together perfectly after several hours of refrigeration.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
The quintessential sweet potato casserole is a staple at many Thanksgiving tables, topped with the iconic mini marshmallows. While some may prefer to make it in their slow cooker, this recipe takes a more traditional approach, cooking it to perfection in the oven. The combination of canned sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla creates a delightful blend of flavors that’s sure to please even the most discerning palates.
It’s a super easy and crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for your holiday gathering.
Sweet Potato Banana Crunch
While traditional sweet potato casseroles are delicious, why not mix things up and add some unexpected twists? This unique recipe takes a classic approach by incorporating banana and Cornflakes for added depth of flavor. The combination of canned sweet potatoes, mashed banana, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt is simplicity itself to prepare, and the addition of toasted pecans adds a satisfying crunch.
But the real showstopper is the topping: alternating rows of mini marshmallows with a crunchy Cornflakes-brown sugar-butter mixture creates a visually appealing and indulgent treat that’s sure to impress.
Sweet Potato Cookies With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Discovering the versatility of canned sweet potatoes in cookie recipes is a game-changer! The combination of soft-baked cookies and luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing is a match made in heaven. What’s even more impressive is that these same cans of yams can be used as both a side dish and dessert. One unique twist in this recipe is the need to refrigerate the batter for at least an hour before baking, allowing the flavors to meld together perfectly.
The frosting itself is a decadent blend of cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla, resulting in a truly scrumptious treat that’s sure to impress.
Mouthwatering Pie With Canned Sweet Potato
After months of research, we’re excited to share our top picks for canned sweet potato pie recipes! For those who want to get creative, we’ve included a recipe and guide for making your own homemade pie crust. The filling is a delightful combination of pureed canned sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, whipping cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and eggs.
Simply blend the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, then pour the mixture into your chosen crust and bake to perfection. For optimal serving, allow at least four hours for the pie to fully cool and settle – trust us, it’s worth the wait!
Candied Yams
Discovering the simplicity of candied yams is a revelation! Despite having enjoyed these sweet delights many times, I had never taken the leap to prepare them myself until now. The process is remarkably straightforward, requiring little more than a few basic ingredients and some gentle heat. To begin, drain the canned yams and arrange them in a baking dish. Next, dice the butter into small pieces and distribute it evenly across the yams, allowing its richness to mingle with the sweet potatoes.
A sprinkle of brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract adds depth and balance to the mixture, while leaving room for personal touches like additional spices or aromatics should you desire them. The end result is a dish that embodies the very essence of comfort food – warm, inviting, and utterly delightful.
Fruited Sweet Potatoes
As a culmination of these creative recipes utilizing canned sweet potatoes, I’d like to introduce an unconventional yet tantalizing recipe that will undoubtedly surprise and delight your taste buds. Fruited sweet potatoes, featuring the sweetness of pineapple and golden raisins, is a unique twist on traditional side dishes.
The harmonious blend of ingredients baked together in a casserole includes mashed sweet potatoes, crushed pineapple, bourbon, brown sugar, toasted coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt. Simply mix, pour, and bake the mixture to create a show-stopping, head-turning side dish that’s sure to become an instant favorite.
The bottom line
As you explore the world of canned sweet potato recipes, get ready to be inspired by a treasure trove of creative ideas. You may find yourself on a culinary adventure that fills your recipe box with innovative and delicious options for future baking endeavors! Your search for inspiration has led you here, where you’ll discover 15 easy and versatile recipes using canned sweet potatoes as the star ingredient.
From comforting side dishes to satisfying entrees and even decadent desserts, these recipes showcase the many faces of this beloved ingredient.
