Plate of sweet potatoes with a hand holding a towel on a wood butcher table

Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without sweet potatoes. Christian’s mom’s are the best.

Christian Petroni

Cooking Recipes

Mom’s Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Recipe from Christian Petroni

I yam in love with this dish — and you'll fall in love with it too!

Chef Christian Petroni is one of New York City’s most prominent Italian-American chefs. He founded Fortina and has appeared on Food Network shows like Beat Bobby Flay, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and many more.

November 8, 2023 2:22 pm

We’ve got Christian Petroni in the house, who’s as much a staple of the Food Network as pots and pans. (Okay, fine, maybe not my best analogy, but dude is on TV a lot.) Christian is awesome, and here to share a recipe close to his heart, calling back to the way he celebrated Thanksgiving when he was growing up: his mom’s Thanksgiving sweet potatoes. And don’t forget to check out the recipe for his Thanksgiving Baked Ziti. You’re gonna love ‘em. -NPH

These sweet potatoes are a special memory for me, because they were the one dish that my mother would task me to help with her prep. She would have this tray of big sliced sweet potatoes, and my job would be to cut the tabs of the butter and to put brown sugar and sea salt on each slice. I took specific pride in that work, not because I thought the potatoes were delicious, which they are, but because it meant that I got to help my mom.

Mom’s Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 6-8 servings

Copy Ingredients

Ingredients

5-6 sweet potatoes
Dark brown sugar
Butter (around 3 tsp.)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Store-bought pancake syrup (or maple syrup)

Directions

Copy Directions

1. Evenly place sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water; bring back to a boil. Make sure not to crowd the pot or stack (important not to overcook, keeping the potatoes firm). Cook until fork tender.
2. Drain the water and let cool. Once cool remove skin and cut into ½-inch coins.
3. Place evenly on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
4. Sprinkle each coin with a copious amount of dark brown sugar.
5. Add a tab of butter to each sliced potato (at least half a teaspoon). Season with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
6. Drizzle with store-bought pancake syrup.
7. Roast in a 375˚F oven until the edges get crispy and caramelized, around 20-25 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, serve hot and get ready to receive lots of pats on the back!