This Honey Glazed Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole is the ULTIMATE way to feast on Sweet Potatoes this Holiday Season – or any season for that matter! This recipe contains no refined sugar, and instead uses apples and honey to achieve the perfect sweetness.
I have become a huge sweet potato fan over the last year. In fact, we don’t hardly ever buy white potatoes anymore. My favorite sweet potato recipes include my Oven Baked Crispy Sweet Potato Fries (because who doesn’t love fries?), Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, and Sweet Potato & Sausage Breakfast Hash!
What do I love about them? Their nutritional content is awesome. They are high in vitamins and fiber, and can be prepared in a number of different ways. This Honey Glazed Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole is SURE to please a crowd!
It’s different than your typical mashed sweet potato casserole drowning in brown sugar and pecans. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a fantastic way to enjoy your sweet potatoes. But. They aren’t super awesome for you.
Two cups of sugar? The me of today would NEVER make a recipe with that much sugar in it. YIKES! Not to say these are entirely “healthy“. They still have some honey and butter to make them fabulous, but not an insane amount. Just enough to sweeten it up just a bit.
What’s the difference between a sweet potato & a yam?
You’ve probably wandered through the produce section and seen both sweet potatoes and yams. I’ll bet you’ve even wondered what the difference is. I came across this explanation from Kitchn: What’s the Difference Between Yams & Sweet Potatoes that is a fantastic explanation.
I found this nugget of information quite interesting “Sweet potatoes are not a type of yam, and yams are not a type of sweet potato. They are both tuberous root vegetables that come from a flowering plant, but they are not related and actually don’t even have a lot in common.”
What it comes down to is per common U.S. grocery store labeling, a yam is a soft sweet potato with a copper skin and deep orange flesh. And a sweet potato is a firm sweet potato with golden skin and lighter flesh. But really, that’s technically not correct… I recommend jumping over to Kitchn for all the specific details!
What are the best apples to buy for this casserole?
Just about any apple will work well. I used Gala apples, which are “mildly sweet and vanilla-like, with a floral aroma”. Perfect for this casserole! Because this recipe lacks refined sugar I prefer apples that are more on the sweet side and less on the tart side.
If you have a variety that you’re curious would work well in this recipe I found the chart on The Yummy Life to be incredibly helpful: Comparing Apples to Apples – the best for eating and cooking.
How To Make Honey Glazed Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole (step-by-step)
1. Gather the ingredients. You’ll need sweet potatoes, apples, honey, butter, cinnamon, vanilla & pecans. You’ll want to bake your sweet potatoes right away. This will take around 45 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes). Once slightly soft with a light squeeze remove from oven & cool.
2. Wash, peel, slice & core your apples. Most fruits and veggies have a waxy film on them. I like to wash with this Fit Organic Veggie Wash. It’s available at most grocery stores or you can snag it on Amazon!
3. Set apples aside. Depending how long the rest of the process will take you, I recommend drizzling with a little bit of lemon juice to keep them from going brown.
4. Peel cooled sweet potatoes and cut crosswise until 1/2 inch thick slices.
5. Alternating with the apple slices and sweet potatoes, arrange in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
6. In a small saucepan melt together honey, butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Remove from heat.
7. Chop pecans roughly & place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast on broil until fragrant, approx. 5 minutes.
8. Pour honey mixture over top of apple & sweet potato slices. Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until heated throughout.
9. Serve immediately & enjoy!
Important tips for making Honey Glazed Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole
- Plan ahead! Since the sweet potatoes require baking before the recipe can be assembled, make sure you plan at least an hour before you really want to get going.
- The size of your potatoes will determine how much time will be needed in the oven. The smaller the potatoes the less baking time, as such, the larger the potatoes the longer the baking time.
- Do not over bake your potatoes! You want them to be only slightly soft to a light squeeze. Over baked potatoes will result in mashed potatoes. They will be impossible to slice into discs to achieve the layering this recipe calls for.
- Prepare and measure your ingredients while the potatoes are baking – but wait to slice your apples until your sweet potatoes have cooled and are either sliced or ready to be sliced. This will prevent them from browning.
- If you would rather have your apples sliced and ready to go while your sweet potatoes are cooling I recommend drizzling with a small amount (a teaspoon or so) of lemon juice and tossing apples to coat. This will prevent browning.
- One of my favorite kitchen tools for this recipe is my Johnny Apple Peeler – it peels, cores and slices within seconds! I snagged mine on Amazon several years ago and love using it for recipes like these.
- Honey can be such a sticky mess to measure. I like to spray my measuring cup with cooking spray before measuring. By doing this, when you turn out the honey into the saucepan it will fall right out!
- While toasting the pecans isn’t a requirement, I highly suggest it. Not only is it super easy to do, it enhances the flavor of the nuts and adds a special touch to this casserole. Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper makes for easy cleanup.
- Do not turn your back on the oven while your pecans are toasting. They can go from toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds. It only takes a handful of minutes, so be patient and keep an eye one them!
Want more delicious sweet potato recipes?
- The Perfect Sweet Potato Chips
- Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potato & Beef Stew
- Honey-Sweetened Apple & Sweet Potato Mash
If you make this recipe I’d love to hear your thoughts. Be sure to leave a comment below and/or rate the recipe; or if you take a photo & share to social, tag @triedandtasty so that I can check it out! Also, be sure to follow Tried and Tasty along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter to keep up with all the latest recipes!
Honey Glazed Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole
This Honey Glazed Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole is the ULTIMATE way to feast on Sweet Potatoes this Holiday Season - or any season for that matter! This recipe contains no refined sugar, and instead uses apples and honey to achieve the perfect sweetness.
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 apples
- 1/3 c. honey
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- garnish chopped toasted pecans optional
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 F.
-
Place un-pierced potatoes on a baking sheet and bake 40-45 minutes (depending on size). As soon as potatoes are soft with a light squeeze they are ready. Let cool.
-
Peel, slice & core your apples.
-
Set apples aside. Depending how long the rest of the process will take you, I recommend drizzling with a little bit of lemon juice to keep them from going brown.
-
Remove the peel from the sweet potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/2-in-thick slices. Alternating with the apple slices and sweet potato slices, arrange in 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.
-
In a small sauce pan melt together honey, butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Remove from heat.
-
Chop pecans roughly & place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast on broil until fragrant, approx. 5 minutes.
-
Pour honey mixture over top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes until heated throughout.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Plan ahead! Since the sweet potatoes require baking before the recipe can be assembled make sure you plan at least an hour before you really want to get going.
- The size of your potatoes will determine how much time will be needed in the oven. The smaller the potatoes the less baking time, as such, the larger the potatoes the longer the baking time.
- Do not over bake your potatoes! You want them to be only slightly soft to a light squeeze. Over baked potatoes will result in mashed potatoes. They will be impossible to slice into discs to achieve the layering this recipe achieves.
- Prepare and measure your ingredients while the potatoes are baking - but wait to slice your apples until your sweet potatoes have cooled and are either sliced or ready to be sliced. This will prevent them from browning.
- If you would rather have your apples sliced and ready to go while your sweet potatoes are cooling I recommend drizzling with a small amount (teaspoon or so) and tossing to coat. This will prevent browning.
- One of my favorite kitchen tools for this recipe is my Johnny Apple Peeler - it peels, cores and slices within seconds! I snagged mine on Amazon several years ago and love using it for recipes like these.
- Honey can be such a sticky mess to measure. I like to spray my measuring cup with cooking spray before measuring. By doing this, when you turn out the honey into the saucepan it will fall right out!
- While toasting the pecans isn't a requirement I highly suggest it. Not only is it super easy to do, it enhances the flavor of the nuts and adds a special touch to this casserole. Lining your baking sheet with makes for easy cleanup.
- Do not turn your back on the oven while your pecans are toasting. They can go from toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds. It only takes a handful of minutes, so be patient!
Recipe Adapted from Food Network Magazine Volume 5 No, 9
*This recipe was originally published 11/21/13. Most recent update 11/19/18.
Michele
About how many cups would the sweet potatoes and apples be each? They come in so many sizes. I am looking forward to trying it.
This looks so good! What a great dish to make for fall!
Can this be put together a day ahead and then baked the next day?
Lisa B.
You can speed things up a bit by microwaving the sweet potatoes (pierced and wrapped individually in plastic wrap.or a damp paper towel) for about 3 minutes. Cool then slice. Also, if you’re concerned about the glycemic index, you can use agave nectar instead. I added a bit of orange zest and it turned out great. Served it with pork chops.
Joeleen
Just made this dish for Christmas dinner, it was delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper
Jane
Can I make it the day before and reheat on Thanksgiving?
Yvonne
Hi Jane, absolutely! This recipe stores well in the fridge for several days and reheats great.
mindy harris
Hi I am in the middle of making this recipe, are the apples supposed to be really cooked, like baked apples when done? I am experimenting tonight with the recipe to bring to family for thanksgiving. It seems like it should be awesome.
I am just wondering about, how the finally results are supposed to be. Do you expect it to have a firmer texture than the usual sweet potato casserole?
Yvonne
Hi Mindy! I find that the apples usually end up quite cooked, like baked apples. The finished texture of the sweet potatoes is usually ever so slightly firm – not crisp by any means, but a very slight amount of bite when you sink your teeth into it. Hope that helps and I hope that you enjoyed the recipe! :)
mindy harris
A
Loren Ericksen
Very pleased with how this recipe turned out. I didn’t have nuts, so added raisins instead. A great replacement dish for marshmallow yams!
Yvonne
Hi Loren, I’m so happy to hear that you’re pleased with how the recipe turned out! Raisins sound like a great substitute for the nuts!
I add cranberries, along w/ the apples & nuts. They give it a tangy zing!☺
Yvonne
Hi Lisa, that’s a great twist on the recipe and I’ll have to try it, it sounds delicious!
Muriel
How do I adjust the recipe for 15 people?
Yvonne
Hi Muriel, as it is written the recipe serves about 6 people – so if you’d like to feed 15 people I would suggest doubling, or even tripling the recipe (or making it two or three different times). Hope that helps!
Tatiana
What is the purpose of pre-baking the sweet potatoes? Does it make them less mushy or something?
I will be bringing this dish to a thanksgiving dinner, if it needs to be heated up before eating, could it get warmed up in microwave?
Also could I substitute walnuts for pecans?
Yvonne
You can warm it up in the microwave (I wouldn’t know the exact reheating times), although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. I think it’s best reheated in the oven or toaster oven on 350F for 15-20 min.
Walnuts are awesome in this recipe.
Jenn
Can this be made in a crockpot
Yvonne
Hi Jenn! I don’t see why not! You may have to adjust the cook times a bit since the crockpot will cook differently than the oven, but if you don’t mind keeping your eye on it, I would think it would work just fine. Keep in mind that you’ll need to cook the sweet potatoes in the crockpot until they are slightly tender to the touch, before you add the apples – since the apples need a lot less cook time than the sweet potatoes. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!
Amber
What kind of apples should I use???
Yvonne
You actually can use any type, so whichever is your favorite! We usually buy fuji!
Vicki
I used Pink Lady apples
Yum!
Jamie
Would this freeze well before baking do you think ?
Looks delicious!
Yvonne
You know I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t guess so. You could try with a little portion – but if I had to guess I would say no.
Nancy Quinn
Pinned this one! Love sweet potatoes and this looks awesome!!!!
Yvonne
It’s a fantastic dish – you’ll have to try it for sure!
My husband seriously loved this dish, I don’t usually do a sweet potato dish, but I’m going to have to start, I didn’t get any, he ate it before I got to try any!
Yvonne
That makes me so happy! I’m so glad. We always have sweet potatoes, but usually in a much more unhealthy format. This is a better option. Too bad you didn’t get to try it!
What did you guys do with all that food? Lol. This side dish sounds fabulous by the way!
Yvonne
We divived it up among all of us :) And… thank you!
We just love sweet potatoes and this looks heavenly!! Pinned :-)
Yvonne
Awesome! This will be a great one for you to try!
Aimee Berrett
Mmm, Ive never been a huge sweet potato for thanksgiving fan. But after tasting these you might have converted me! With the yummy apples and the sweet honey. Oh so good!
Yvonne
Really?! That’s awesome! So glad you liked it!!
I have a confession to make, I had sweet potatoes for the first time this week. I need to make them for myself. They are delicious! This looks amazing.
Yvonne
Yes you do! They are so yummy!
My car smelled amazing for a few days after this photo session! Glad to finally get my hands on the recipe!
Yvonne
Anytime!
Oh yum that sounds good r
I’ve never really tried sweet potato casserole before. I might have to give this a try though. I like that you mixed the apples into the mix. Thanks for the recipe!
Yvonne
You’ve got to at least taste it, at least once! I love it! The apples are a really nice touch and add just the perfect sweetness!
This looks so good! I only recently started liking sweet potatoes. I think I’d really like this. Pinned!
Yvonne
Sweet potatoes are great – the more you try them, the more you’ll love them – this dish is a great place to start ;)