Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Apples (Printable Version)
Cinnamon-spiced apples, walnuts and maple tucked into roasted sweet potatoes for a warm, sweet-savory vegetarian dish.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables & Fruit
01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes
02 - 2 large apples, diced
→ Nuts & Seeds
03 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dairy & Alternatives
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan alternative
→ Sweeteners & Flavorings
05 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish (optional)
09 - 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
10 - Chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub sweet potatoes, pierce each several times with a fork, and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender.
02 - While sweet potatoes bake, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced apples, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until apples are just soft. Stir in walnuts and maple syrup, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
03 - Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, make a slit lengthwise down the center of each and gently open. Fluff the interior with a fork.
04 - Spoon the apple-walnut filling evenly into each potato. Top with dried cranberries and chopped parsley if desired.
05 - Serve warm as a main course or substantial side dish.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Adding maple syrup to the warm apple filling makes the whole kitchen smell like autumn in a bottle.
- This is the rare vegetarian dish that can totally hold the center of the table without anyone missing the meat.
02 -
- If you rush and slice the potatoes right out of the oven, the skins tear and the filling escapes—patience is everything here.
- I once skipped salting the apples and realized that even a single pinch keeps the dish from turning cloyingly sweet.
03 -
- If your apples are very soft, add them later so they keep some bite.
- Adding a pinch of flaky salt over the top before serving makes every flavor pop.