Fondant Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Thyme Glaze
Meet your new favorite holiday side: Fondant Sweet Potatoes with a rich, warm maple-thyme glaze. Crispy on the outside, buttery and tender on the inside, this one-pan wonder is about to steal the show on your Thanksgiving table!
Holiday Side Essential
If you’re looking for an unusual sweet potato recipe that feels a little fancy without the fuss, these Maple-Thyme Fondant Sweet Potatoes are exactly what you need. They’re rustic, delicious, and the perfect match for fall flavors like maple, garlic, and thyme.
What are fondant potatoes? Fondant potatoes (aka melting potatoes) are a classic French cooking technique, where thick potato rounds are seared until golden, then slowly cooked in butter and broth until they’re luxuriously soft on the inside.
This version swaps in sweet potatoes for a seasonal twist, with a buttery maple-thyme glaze that brings the perfect blend of cozy sweetness and savory depth. For holiday meals, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser that pairs beautifully with traditional flavors, and it’s so delicious, you might just want it year-round!
This recipe is part of our Thanksgiving Dinner for 4 roundup, featuring three perfectly curated menus for small Thanksgiving dinner celebrations.
Complete the Menu
Pair these fondant sweet potatoes with these dishes for a cozy fall or winter meal:
- Main: Holiday chicken with cranberry and orange or our pork tenderloin with apples and onions.
- Starter: Prosciutto-wrapped dates or cranberry tartlets with whipped feta for a little festive flair.
- Additional Sides: Maple sriracha glazed brussels sprouts or simply sautéed butternut squash to keep it cozy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Sweet Potatoes – Opt for small to medium-sized sweet potatoes for more manageable rounds and avoid overly wide slices. Keeping the skins on not only adds a rustic touch and extra nutrients but also helps the rounds hold their shape as they cook. However, feel free to peel the skins if that is your preference.
Maple Syrup – Use pure maple syrup for natural sweetness that caramelizes perfectly. Skip pancake syrup here for the most authentic flavor.
Butter – Unsalted butter makes the glaze rich and luxurious. If using salted butter, reduce any additional salt.
Fresh Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs add an earthy aroma that pairs beautifully with the maple glaze. A few fresh leaves as garnish give a pop of color and added flavor.
Garlic – Fresh garlic lends a subtle savory depth that balances the sweetness of the glaze. It infuses the butter without overpowering the dish.
Broth – Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth keeps the sweet potatoes tender while baking and combines with the maple syrup and butter to form a rich, flavorful glaze.
*Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
Seasonal Produce Spotlight: Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a quintessential fall favorite, perfectly suited for the season’s comforting, hearty dishes. With their natural sweetness and adaptability, they bring warmth to any recipe as the weather cools.
Harvested in early fall and stored throughout the colder months, sweet potatoes are at their peak during this time. Available in a variety of colors, from deep orange to rich purple, they not only add vibrant color to your meals but also pack a nutritious punch.
For more on the varieties and nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes, check out these resources: FoodPrint and Serious Eats. Buying them fresh from local farmers’ markets supports the community and ensures the best quality for your cooking!
Step-By-Step Directions
1
Prep the Potatoes
Wash well and slice into thick rounds, leaving the skins on.
2
Sear
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil and a bit of butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add potato rounds in a single layer, season, and sear until golden.
3
Add Butter & Seasonings
Flip potatoes, then add more butter, fresh thyme, and garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. Mix broth and maple syrup, pour around potatoes, and transfer to the oven.
4
Roast & serve
Roast 25-30 minutes, basting until fork-tender and glazed. Garnish with fresh thyme and flaky salt. Spoon any extra maple-thyme sauce over the top. Enjoy warm!
Pro Tips
- Uniform Slices: Try to cut the sweet potato rounds to a consistent thickness for even cooking. This will help each piece become perfectly tender without over- or under-cooking.
- Use Fresh Thyme: Fresh thyme adds a more aromatic flavor than dried thyme, especially when roasted. Sprinkling fresh leaves at the end for garnish provides extra visual appeal.
- Baste Often: Basting the potatoes with the maple-thyme butter sauce as they roast keeps them moist and allows the flavors to soak in deeply. The extra attention here really makes a difference!
- Adjust Sweetness: For a subtler sweetness, reduce the maple syrup slightly, or, if you like it extra sweet, add a small drizzle toward the end for an extra caramelized finish.
- Serve Immediately: These potatoes are best served fresh out of the oven while the edges are still crispy and the insides are meltingly tender.
Perfect Pairings
This fondant sweet potatoes dish is versatile enough for both casual dinners and holiday celebrations. Here’s how you can mix and match it:
- Roasted Meats: Serve alongside our Classic Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast with Gravy or Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions for a cozy, well-rounded main.
- Seasonal Sides: Pair with fall sides like Simply Sautéed Butternut Squash or Mashed Acorn Squash with Sage Brown Butter for added texture and a pop of fall flavor.
- Holiday Appetizers: Start with Baked Brie with Spiced Pears or Cranberry Whipped Feta Bites to make it a truly festive spread.
- Fresh, Fall Salads: Complement the rich sweet potatoes with a Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Salad or Spinach Pear Gorgonzola Salad for a refreshing contrast.
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Fondant Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Thyme Glaze
Equipment
- large oven-safe skillet (cast iron skillet)
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, for seasoning
- 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- fresh thyme leaves and a pinch of flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt, then slice them into thick rounds (about 1.5 inches thick), leaving the skins on for added texture and flavor.
- Sear: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in an oven-safe skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat until the butter is melted. Then place the potatoes in a single layer in the skillet. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Sear until the bottoms are golden and crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Butter and Seasonings: Use tongs to carefully flip the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic to the skillet. Let the butter melt and bubble, for about 1-2 minutes, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Roast in Broth: In a small bowl, whisk the broth and maple syrup together. Carefully pour around the potatoes, and then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes, basting occasionally with the sauce, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the broth has mostly absorbed, leaving a sticky, caramelized glaze.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve warm, spooning any remaining maple-thyme sauce from the skillet over each piece.
Recipe Notes
Top Tips
- Sear Well: Get a good sear for crispy edges and deeper flavor. A cast iron skillet works best.
- Cut Evenly: Slice sweet potatoes into uniform rounds for even cooking and a tender center.
- Baste Often: Spoon the glaze over potatoes as they bake to keep them moist and infuse flavor.
- Serve Fresh: These potatoes are best enjoyed hot from the oven for maximum crispiness.
Leftovers and Storage
- Storage: Cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm and crisp, or in a skillet over medium heat to preserve and revive the texture.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Maplevine Kitchen makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
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