Candied Yams Brown Butter Sage (Printable Version)

Tender yams dressed in brown butter and sage glaze with warm spices for a festive 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 Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange yam rounds in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, swirling often, until golden brown and nutty in 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, tossing gently to coat completely.
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 an additional 15 minutes until yams are tender and glaze is thickened.
08 - Allow dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh sage if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like autumn in a baking dish, but without the cloying sweetness that makes you regret second helpings.
  • The brown butter-sage combination elevates this from a childhood memory to something your guests will actually want to talk about.
  • It's genuinely foolproof—there's almost no way to mess this up, which means you can focus on the rest of your meal.
02 -
  • The moment your butter stops foaming and smells nutty is a split-second window—miss it and you'll have burnt butter that tastes bitter and harsh instead of rich and toasted, so don't wander away during those crucial 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Adding the sage immediately after the butter browns means it won't overcook and turn papery, so timing here actually matters more than you'd think.
  • The glaze thickens as it cools, so if it looks thin when you pull the dish out, don't panic—that's exactly what's supposed to happen.
03 -
  • Cut your yams into uniform 1-inch rounds so they cook evenly—thick pieces in the middle alongside thin ones on the edges leads to an uneven dish.
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice makes a noticeable difference compared to bottled because it has brighter acidity and actual juice instead of concentrate and preservatives.
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