Candied Yams Brown Butter Sage (Print Version)

Sweet yams glazed with brown butter and fresh sage, offering a savory-sweet side for any occasion.

# 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 fresh 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 with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Arrange yam rounds in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook, swirling often, until butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, approximately 3-4 minutes. Immediately add chopped sage and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Pour brown butter-sage glaze evenly over yams, gently tossing to coat uniformly.
06 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove foil, baste yams with pan juices, and bake uncovered for 15 additional minutes until yams are tender and glaze thickens.
08 - Allow dish to rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh sage if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Brown butter and sage transform candied yams from overly sweet into something sophisticated that doesn't need apologies.
  • It comes together in just over an hour, so you can focus on everything else on your plate.
02 -
  • Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds, so keep your eyes on it and have your sage ready to add the moment it smells nutty.
  • Cutting your yams uniformly thick matters more than you'd think—thinner edges will fall apart while thick centers are still raw, so take the extra minute to slice carefully.
03 -
  • Don't skip the basting step after you remove the foil—running those pan juices over the yams one more time creates a glaze that clings rather than pools at the bottom.
  • If your yams are particularly thick, slice them slightly thinner so they soften in the 45-minute window without needing extra time.
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