Baked Basil Sweet Potatoes with Bacon are a super fun sweet potato dish that everyone will love! One of my favorite savory sweet potato recipes of all time, this comforting, creamy and fresh preparation, is a meal in and of itself. 
Sometimes I methodically plan out what I’m going to cook for you. Sometimes days in advance. Sometimes weeks in advance. Not this time.
It was only after I took the sweet potatoes out of the oven, when I saw their beautiful orange, soft “meat” fluff up with a fork, that I thought it should be shared. I just knew something special was about to happen.
However, although they’re super tasty on their own, I couldn’t just share the potato. I mean, c’mon.
I had to mix it with a few other flavors and textures.
This was going to be fun and delicious.
I love that sweet potatoes can work so beautifully in both desserts and dishes that are perfectly suited for lunch or dinner.
What’s in Baked Basil Sweet Potatoes with Bacon?
(Yes most of the key ingredients are in the title, but there are a few more.)
- olive oil
- sweet potato
- applewood smoked bacon
- basil
- Gruyère
- honey
- chile powder
Bacon! I was so happy I remembered I had just a few strips left after our lazy weekend breakfast.
Then I remembered I had Gruyère in the cheese drawer. My favorite cheese! When Gruyère melts it’s super creamy and has a nut-lilke taste that’s delicious with the subtly sweet, sweet potatoes.
That was exciting! Perfect, in fact.
Well, almost perfect.
I just needed one more thing that would bring all of this rich deliciousness to life, something fresh, something green.
Ahhh, basil! That was it.
Just look at how the bright green brings this entire dish together — to life, if you will.
And that’s exactly what happened — these Baked Basil Sweet Potatoes with Bacon came together step-by-step, minute-by-minute. I was totally improvising as I went along, and the result was scrumptious.
What to Serve With Them
- These are a fabulous side dish to have with chicken or meat.
- They can be a totally satisfying main course on their own.
- I especially like serving these Basil Sweet Potatoes with salads.
And can you imagine what a hit these would be as part of a Thanksgiving spread!?
And if these Basil Sweet Potatoes with Bacon sound good to you, you’ll love these other savory sweet potato recipes too . . .
- Skillet Spiced Sweet Potato Braised Chicken
- Sweet Potato Shiitake Sausage Soup with Udon Noodles
- Curried Corn Stew with Lentils and Sweet Potato
- Ginger Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Enjoy!
A super fun sweet potato dish that everyone will love!
All of the measurements in this recipe can be give or take -- it does not have to be exact!
- olive oil for the pan
- 3 small to medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 4 strips applewood smoked bacon
- 12 large basil leaves, washed and dried, roughly chopped
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon honey
- sprinkle of chile powder, mild or hot, depending on what you like
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and adjust a rack to the center.
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Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and drizzle it with olive oil. Then evenly sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper.
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Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, and then cut them in half, lengthwise. Place them on the oiled and seasoned parchment-lined sheet pan, round side up. Roast them in the preheated 375 degree F oven until they are super soft, about 30 minutes.
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While the sweet potatoes are roasting, add a layer of paper towel to a plate and set aside. Then add the bacon to a large sauté pan, over medium heat, and cook until it's crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Let the bacon strips drain on the towel-lined plate.
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Crumble the bacon and mix it with the basil.
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Once you remove the sweet potatoes from the oven, use a fork to gently mash the them inside of their skins. (Keep the oven on!)
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Top each one with an equal portion of the basil-bacon mixture.
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Now top each one with an equal portion of the cheese, drizzle all of them with the honey and sprinkle each with a touch of the chile powder.
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Place the sheet pan in the 375 degree F oven just to melt the cheese and bring the flavors together, about 5 minutes.
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Serve!
I ask you, what could be better than this? Mark is a baked sweet potato junky now (wouldn’t touch them when we met 22 years ago!!). Dinner one night this week! (Really, I am not kidding!)
Love it, David! If Mark likes them, I’ll be happy. 🙂
OMG. This would be like perfect Super Bowl food for me. And they’re beautiful! Wish I could get fresh basil….
Thanks so much, Mimi! You could also use sage — about half the amount. 🙂
I never thought of making sweet potatoes this way. You had me at bacon
Yay! Hope you try them and thank you!
I LOVE the color of those sweet potatoes. This looks so perfect. I love the sound of bacon and cheese…. yumm
Thanks so much, Veena!
Yum. Now I know what I want for dinner.
Yay! Enjoy! 🙂
Sweet potatoes + bacon + gruyère = what dreams are made of. 🙂
If only I’d thought of that. 😉 Love it!
Now you have seriously blown my mind! Got to get some bacon!
Kaye, you must! My favorite bacon is Nueskes (applewood smoked). They have it at Gelson’s. 🙂 xo
I wouldn’t even need a fork and knife to plow through this one. GREG
oooh messy! i like it. 😉
Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe. The ingredients listed are such high-quality. Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Anna! Hope you love it!