A Thanksgiving side dish with strikingly original flavors, ones that avoid all the cinnamon and brown sugar clichés. The glaze for these sliced sweet potatoes is a mix of freshly squeezed orange juice, apricot preserves, and grated fresh ginger, with salt that manages to balance out the sweetness. You make the glaze by simmering just long enough to melt the jam, then arrange the sweet potato rounds in a baking dish so they overlap. Simply baste the sweet potatoes with the glaze as they bake.

Shopping note: Garnets (also known as Sweet Garnets or Red Yams) have bright, orangey-red flesh, a moist texture, and moderate sweetness. To make sure the sweet potatoes overlap easily and cook evenly, buy ones that are about 3 to 4 inches in diameter at their widest point.

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 30 mins 
  • Active: 35 mins 

Ingredients (6)

  • 3/4 cup apricot preserves
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1 medium orange)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger (from about 1 [3-inch] piece)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 4 pounds medium Garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the preserves, orange juice, butter, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until the butter and preserves are melted and smooth, about 6 minutes.
  2. Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle with a third of the apricot mixture (about 1/2 cup), and, using your hands, toss to coat. Overlap the slices in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish (we like to alternate the direction of the rows, as shown in the photo). Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the baking dish from the oven and take off the foil. Drizzle with another third of the apricot mixture and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining third of the apricot mixture and bake uncovered until the sweet potatoes are tender and the glaze has thickened, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the dish to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes before serving.