'Tis the season to stuff EVERYTHING.
Bought too much Thanksgiving produce (and STILL working through turkey leftovers?!) Make these Thanksgiving stuffed sweet potatoes. Roasted sweet potatoes are hollowed out and filled with sauteed brussels sprouts and turkey and topped with cranberry sauce for a fresh take on all those turkey day leftovers.
While a microwave works in a pinch, I firmly believe that the best way to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. The longer cooking period allows more time for the enzymes in the sweet potatoes to convert their starches to sugars, and this results in a noticeably deeper sweetness and a more tender texture than you would get if you zapped it in the microwave.
Like most Thanksgiving leftover recipes, these stuffed sweet potatoes can be customized to fit whatever leftovers you happen to have. Extra green beans? Saute them with the turkey instead of the brussels sprouts. Leftover stuffing? Add that in too. No cranberry sauce but—miraculously!—a surplus of gravy? Drizzle that over instead. And by the way . . . you don’t even need actual turkey. You can totally make these with shredded rotisserie chicken breast and still channel those holiday flavors and vibes well in to January.
Enjoy!
Thanksgiving-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
(Makes 4)
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbsp. neutral oil
1 ½ cup brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (about 3 oz.)
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 cup (4 oz.) leftover shredded turkey breast
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup leftover cranberry sauce
2 tbsp. shaved Parmesan cheese
Equipment: metal baking sheet, medium pan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°. Prick sweet potatoes on all sides with a fork and place on a metal baking sheet. Roast until completely soft, 50-60 minutes. Let cool.
In a medium pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add brussels sprouts and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly wilted, 2-3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes more. Season with pepper.
Using a small sharp knife, cut out a long narrow oval slit in the top of each sweet potato. Pinch both ends together slightly to encourage sweet potatoes to open, then using a fork, dig out about two-thirds of the sweet potatoes, leaving at least a ½” shell remaining (be careful to leave the shell intact!)
Transfer sweet potato insides to a small bowl (you should have about 1 cup) and mash with a fork. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to gently combine.
Stuff seasoned sweet potato mixture back into shells, banking it mostly around the sides. Fill the center with turkey and brussels sprouts, then dollop with cranberry sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Originally publishd November 28, 2024.
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