Candied Yams Brown Butter Sage (Print Version)

Tender yams glazed with brown butter and fresh sage create a savory-sweet holiday side dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 pounds yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds

→ Brown Butter & Sage

02 - 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped

→ Candied Glaze

04 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
06 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and arrange yam rounds in a single layer.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter while swirling frequently until golden brown and nutty-scented, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add chopped sage and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour brown butter-sage glaze evenly over yams and toss gently to coat. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
05 - Remove foil, baste yams with pan juices, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until yams are tender and glaze thickens.
06 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh sage if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Brown butter transforms this dish into something unexpectedly sophisticated, with a toasted depth that makes people ask for the secret ingredient.
  • Fresh sage adds a savory whisper that balances the sweetness, so it doesn't feel cloying or one-dimensional on your plate.
  • The whole thing comes together in under two hours and actually tastes better than it looks, which is saying something.
02 -
  • Burnt butter tastes bitter and ruins the whole dish, so watch it like a hawk and pull it from heat the moment it smells toasted, not scorched—there's a split-second difference and it matters enormously.
  • Fresh squeezed orange juice makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor, but room-temperature juice whisks more smoothly into the brown butter than cold juice straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • Use a basting brush instead of a spoon when you uncover the dish halfway through—it distributes the glaze more evenly and lets you see exactly what's happening with the caramelization.
  • If your glaze seems too thin after baking, you can pour it into a small saucepan and simmer it on the stovetop for a minute or two to thicken it before drizzling it back over the yams.
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