Description
Delightfully sweet and tangy, these Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes combine tender sweet potato chunks with a luscious orange-flavored glaze studded with dried cranberries. Baked to perfection, this vibrant side dish offers a perfect balance of citrus zing, warm spices, and subtle caramel notes, making it ideal for holiday dinners or everyday meals alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 1 (40-oz) can cut sweet potatoes with syrup
- 2 (15-oz) cans cut sweet potatoes with syrup
Glaze
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 5½ Tbsp brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp undiluted frozen orange juice concentrate
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Drain Sweet Potatoes: Drain the canned sweet potatoes, carefully reserving ½ cup of the syrup for the glaze.
- Cut and Arrange Potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces if needed, then place them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and the reserved syrup. Stir the mixture well.
- Boil and Add Cranberries: Bring the glaze mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then promptly remove it from the heat and stir in the dried cranberries to soften them slightly.
- Coat Sweet Potatoes: Pour the warm orange glaze evenly over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish, making sure all pieces are well coated.
- Bake: Bake the sweet potatoes uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Using canned sweet potatoes with syrup adds natural sweetness and moisture, which enhances the dish’s flavor.
- If fresh sweet potatoes are used instead, cook and mash them lightly before glazing.
- The orange juice concentrate can be substituted with ¼ cup fresh orange juice plus 1 tsp orange zest for a fresher taste.
- For added texture and flavor, consider sprinkling chopped pecans on top before baking.
- This dish reheats well and can be made a day ahead to deepen the flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
