Sweet Potato Skins
Potato skins remind me of football season; a time for lazy grazing of snacks and appetizers. They are the best parts of a French fry and nachos merged into one personalized party all of its own. You get the crunchy outside of the potato skin with all of the tasty layers of ingredients on the inside.
I hadn’t thought to make sweet potato skins until I came across these mini potatoes at Trader Joe’s. The smaller potatoes seemed just the perfect size for a side dish. I use to think of potato skins as only russet potatoes. Why had I never thought to use sweet potatoes? I really felt like I was missing out and this was my chance.
The small potato cooked quickly and kept its shape better than a large russet potato. I took advantage of the sweetness of the potato to adjust the traditional toppings for something more decant. I sprinkled the potatoes with cumin and cinnamon and drizzled them with honey. Adding bacon gave a well needed punch of salt to cut through the sweet and the plain yogurt was a good substitute for sour cream. I highly recommend you incorporate these sweet potatoes into your regular rotation of side dishes.
Sweet Potato Skins Recipe
Serves 2; easily double for more potato skins
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes, skins on
- 1/2 Tbsp softened butter
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp BBQ seasoning
- 2 strips bacon
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- Drizzle of honey
Directions
- Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400.
- Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork and cook both at the same time in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. (The length of time will depend on the size of the potatoes. I use small potatoes so they cook fast. If you have large potatoes, you may need an additional 1-2 minutes. The skins work best when the potatoes are still slightly firm, otherwise the skins become too wilty.)
- Combine 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp BBQ seasoning in a small bowl.
- When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, cut them in half long ways. Using a fork or spoon, scoop out the middle of the potato. Leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the inside of the potato attached to the skin. (Save the insides to eat later instead of discarding it to the trash.)
- Use softened or room temperature butter (not melted butter) to cover the potatoes on the inside and outside. It’s easiest to just use your hands to spread the butter evenly.
- Set the potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the inside of the potatoes with the seasoning.
- Bake the potatoes in the oven for 10-12 minutes until they start to get crispy.
- While the potatoes skins cook, prepare the bacon by laying a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet (or use the same pan as the potatoes if there is space). Cook the bacon about four minutes per side. Or, fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy on each side. Once cooked, place the bacon on a paper towel to remove excess grease. Chop into small pieces.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon, the chopped bacon, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, a drizzle of honey and chopped parsley.
I made these sweet potatoes as a side dish to my Honey BBQ Chicken Fingers. If you do that, I recommend dipping them in the honey mustard sauce.
Use the Extra Ingredients
Save the inside of the potatoes to eat as a side dish. Top them with a little butter and some walnuts or pecans. Or, wrap them in a tortilla with scrambled eggs for a breakfast burrito.
Home
