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Crispy Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon & Bleu Cheese

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Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese is an easy, show-stopping side dish that transforms humble sweet potatoes into a savory, crave-worthy accompaniment. The finished dish may not be the prettiest, but it delivers a winning contrast of tender, creamy interiors with crisp, caramelized edges, brightened by crumbled bleu cheese and fresh chives.

Crisp on the edges and tender at the center, these Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese are a simple but stunning side dish to accompany any grilled or roasted meat or a lovely light meal on their own.

The recipe starts with small, young sweet potatoes so you can leave the skins on. The potatoes are cooked twice: first steamed (or microwaved) until just tender, then smashed and roasted at high heat. The initial steaming ensures a soft interior; the high oven temperature creates the signature crisp, caramelized edges without drying the center.

To add depth and a touch of smoky richness, the potatoes are roasted with bacon fat. A little bacon grease prevents sticking and encourages browning. After smashing the steamed potatoes so some of the flesh peeks out of the skins, drizzle with the reserved bacon fat and roast until edges are golden and crisp. Finish with crumbled bleu cheese, reserved crisp bacon, and minced chives for a combination of tang, salt, and freshness.

Crisp on the edges and tender at the center, these Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese are a simple but stunning side dish to accompany any grilled or roasted meat or a lovely light meal on their own.

This side is versatile: serve it alongside grilled or roasted meats, include it on a holiday table, or enjoy it as a light meal. The contrast of textures and flavors—sweet, smoky, creamy, and slightly sharp—makes these smashed sweet potatoes especially memorable.

Cook’s Notes

  • Buy the smallest sweet potatoes you can find for tender skins and even cooking. Many stores sell bags of small sweet potatoes with microwave directions—those work well and save time.
  • Use the bacon twice: crisp the bacon for topping and reserve some of the fat to roast the potatoes for optimal flavor and browning.
  • Score the sweet potato skins before smashing to control where the interior bulges out. Smash firmly so each potato flattens slightly but still holds together; this creates the best crispy-to-tender ratio after roasting.
  • Choose your favorite bleu cheese—Maytag, gorgonzola, Danish bleu, or smoked bleu all pair nicely. Adjust the amount to taste.

Tools That Help

  • Sheet pan for roasting
  • Potato masher or the bottom of a measuring cup to smash
  • Flexible spatula to transfer the finished potatoes without breaking them
Crisp on the edges and tender at the center, these Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese are a simple but stunning side dish to accompany any grilled or roasted meat or a lovely light meal on their own.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese

Rebecca Lindamood

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  

  • 1 pound small or baby sweet potatoes steamed to tender
  • 12 strips bacon cooked crisp
  • 1/4 cup bacon fat
  • 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions

 

  • Preheat oven to 450°F.

    Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat on a sheet pan. Add the tender sweet potatoes and toss to coat lightly. Score the skins, then use a potato masher or the bottom of a measuring cup to smash each potato so some of the interior protrudes from the skin but the potatoes still hold together.

    Drizzle the remaining bacon fat evenly over the smashed sweet potatoes. Roast in the hot oven until edges are crisp and caramelized, about 18 to 22 minutes.

    Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish with a flexible spatula. Top with crumbled bleu cheese, the reserved crisp bacon, and minced chives. Serve warm.

Video

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use with your preferred tool.

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Crisp on the edges and tender at the center, these Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese are a simple but stunning side dish to accompany any grilled or roasted meat or a lovely light meal on their own.