Are you looking for a sweet potato recipe that is more savory than sweet? Then check out this recipe for twice baked sweet potatoes! These savory sweet potatoes are flavored with garlic, shallots, rosemary, and thyme then finished off with coconut milk and coconut oil for extra creaminess. They are topped with a savory pecan topping that adds a salty crunch to contrast the creaminess of the sweet potatoes.
This recipe for twice baked sweet potatoes uses coconut milk and coconut oil in place of dairy products such as milk and butter. That means that this recipe is gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, egg free, dairy free, and paleo friendly!
What is in these twice baked sweet potatoes?
What is in these twice baked sweet potatoes? Here are all of the tasty ingredients that are used in these twice baked sweet potatoes.
- Shallots. Shallots are cooked until they lightly brown then added to the twice baked sweet potatoes. The shallots add a whole bunch of flavor to the dish. Don’t be afraid to use more shallots than the recipe recommends – especially if you are using small shallots.
- Garlic. A few cloves of garlic are lightly cooked then added to the twice baked sweet potatoes with the shallots. The garlic provides a nice bite that perfectly contrasts the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
- Coconut oil. Coconut oil is the main fat that is used in this recipe for twice baked sweet potatoes. The coconut oil is used in place of butter so that the end product is vegan, dairy free, and paleo friendly. Some of the coconut oil is added to the shallots and garlic as they cook and the rest of it is added to the potatoes along with the coconut oil and spices.
- Coconut milk. Coconut milk is used in place of a dairy milk or cream in this recipe for twice baked sweet potatoes so that the dish is vegan, dairy free, and paleo friendly. We buy cans of coconut milk in bulk online because it is hands down our favorite plant based milks to use in vegan baking and cooking.
- Rosemary. Some rosemary is added to bring out a savory quality in the sweet potatoes. Rosemary pairs perfectly with sweet vegetables like butternut squash and sweet potatoes – especially when there is already garlic in the mix!
- Thyme. Some thyme is added to compliment the rosemary. Rosemary is generally only added to savory sweet potato dishes, but thyme can be added to either sweet or savory sweet potatoes.
- Salt. Finally, some salt is added to the twice baked sweet potatoes to enhance all of the other flavors in the recipe.
What is in the pecan topping?
These twice baked sweet potatoes are topped with a salty, savory pecan topping that provides a perfect contrast to the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. Here are the ingredients used to make the pecan topping. We included links to some of our favorite certified gluten free spices because we know that sometimes gluten free spices are hard to find!
- Pecans. Pecans make up the base of the pecan topping. You should dice the pecans into small pieces by pulsing them in a food processor (this is the one we use) a few times before adding the rest of the ingredients for the pecan topping. If you do not have a food processor, you can dice the pecans using a high quality chef’s knife (this is our all time favorite kitchen knife).
- Garlic powder. Some garlic powder is also added to the savory pecan topping. The garlic powder adds a bit of a bite to the pecan topping. The garlic powder in the pecan topping compliments the fresh garlic that is used in the sweet potatoes.
- Onion powder. Some onion powder is also added to the pecan topping. If you do not have onion powder, you can use dried onion granules in place of the onion powder.
- Dried oregano. Some dried oregano is added to the pecan topping. The oregano adds a nice, peppery flavor to the pecan topping.
- Smoked paprika. The smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor to the pecan topping. If you do not have smoked paprika, you can also use regular paprika or chili powder in place of the smoked paprika.
- Salt & pepper. Salt and pepper are added to finish off the pecan topping. The salt and pepper enhance the flavor of the pecans and all the other spices in the mixture.
Tips for making twice baked potatoes
Are you looking for more tips on how to make twice baked sweet potatoes? Here are our best tips!
- Do not over mix the potatoes. You should mash and mix the potatoes just enough so that they reach a nice, smooth texture. If you over mix the potatoes then they will get gummy.
- Add the liquid slowly. Some potatoes will contain more moisture than others. You should add the coconut milk to the potatoes slowly to make sure they are not getting too thin and runny.
- Bake the skin alone to get extra crispy skin. If you want to add a little bit of a crunch to this dish, you can bake the potato skins for a few minutes after you remove the flesh from the potatoes. The skins will crisp up rather quickly after the flesh has been removed.
How to reheat twice baked sweet potatoes?
How do you reheat twice baked sweet potatoes? Here is how to reheat twice baked sweet potatoes.
- In the oven. The best way to reheat twice baked potatoes is in the oven. You can reheat the sweet potatoes by cooking them in the oven at 350 degrees for around 10 minutes.
- In the microwave. If you do not want to wait for the oven to heat up, you can reheat the twice baked sweet potatoes in the microwave. You should microwave the sweet potatoes on full power for 1 – 2 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. If your sweet potatoes are particularly large, you should microwave them for more time.
- Consider storing the pecan topping separately. If you have leftover twice baked sweet potatoes that you plan to reheat, we recommend storing the pecan topping separately from the potatoes. The pecans tend to absorb water and develop a soggy texture if they are stored and reheated with the sweet potatoes. The pecan toppings do not need to be reheated at all.
Twice baked sweet potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 2 large shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp salt
Pecan topping
- 1/4 cup pecan pieces
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the pecan topping in a small bowl then cover the bowl and set the pecan topping to the side.
- Rinse the sweet potatoes and poke holes in the skin with a fork. Cook the sweet potatoes in the oven at 425 for 45 minutes. If the sweet potatoes are particularly large or thick, you may need to cook the sweet potatoes for an additional 15 minutes. When the sweet potatoes are done, you should be easily able to press a fork all the way into the center of the sweet potatoes without feeling much resistance.
- Make an incision down the length of the sweet potatoes then use a fork to scrape the flesh out of the sweet potatoes. Try not to tear the skin of the sweet potatoes too much because you will be putting the potatoes back in the skins later.Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher then set the potatoes to the side in a large bowl.
- Chop that shallots and garlic into small pieces.Preheat a pan over medium low to medium heat then add 1 tsp of coconut oil. Add the shallots and cook them for 5 - 10 minutes then add the garlic. Cook the garlic for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, shallots, coconut milk, spices, and the remaining coconut oil to the bowl with the sweet potato flesh and mix the ingredients well.
- Stuff the sweet potato mixture back into the sweet potatoes skins and bake the sweet potatoes for another 10 minutes.
- When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, sprinkle the pecan topping on top.
Substitutions for these sweet potatoes
- Shallots. If you do not have shallots, you can use onions in place of the shallots. We recommend using red onions or sweet onions because they have a more mild, sweeter flavor than regular white onions.
- Coconut milk. If you do not have coconut milk, you can use another plant based milk such as almond milk in place of the coconut milk. Coconut milk has more fat in it than most other plant based milks, so you might need to add a little more coconut oil.
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