Sweet potato skins are a delicious and satisfying appetizer that’s sure to impress your guests. Packed with flavor and loaded with toppings, these crispy potato skins are the perfect way to start any meal. And with a basil cream sauce drizzled over the top, they’re sure to be a crowd-pleaser. So if you’re looking for a tasty and easy-to-make appetizer that’s sure to impress, give these loaded sweet potato skins a try!
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 5 strips candied bacon, cooked and diced
- Drizzle of creamy basil sauce
- Chives, chopped for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Line a large baking sheet with foil. Wash and dry each sweet potato and set aside.
- Drizzle olive oil over each sweet potato. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow to cool before handling.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, scoop out the sweet potato flesh, leaving a layer of sweet potato inside. TIP: save the scooped-out sweet potatoes to make sweet potato mashed potatoes for another day.
- Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet face up, sprinkle the potatoes with cheddar cheese and candied bacon.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with the spicy basil cream sauce and chopped chives.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the candied bacon.
- ½ pound Farmland’s Hickory Smoked Thick Cut Bacon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions (Easy Candied Bacon)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil or add a wire rack to the baking sheet. Arrange the Farmland’s Hickory Smoked Thick Cut Bacon slices on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar and freshly cracked black pepper. Pat the brown sugar into the bacon so it sticks.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Ingredients (Basil Cream Sauce)
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions (Basil Cream Sauce)
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Looking for more game day recipes? Give these a try:
Sweet Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chives chopped
Candied Bacon
- 5 strips thick cut bacon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Basil Cream Sauce
- 5 large basil leaves
- 1/2 small jalapeno pepper, seeded
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
- Bake the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over each sweet potato. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow to cool before handling.
- Cook the bacon. While the sweet potatoes are cooling, arrange the bacon slices on the foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar and freshly cracked black pepper. Pat the brown sugar into the bacon so it sticks. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Make the basil cream sauce. Add the basil leaves, jalapeno, Greek yogurt, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, scoop out the sweet potato flesh, leaving a layer of sweet potato inside. Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet face up, and sprinkle the potatoes with cheddar cheese and candied bacon.
- Bake again. Bake the loaded sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve. Serve with the spicy basil cream sauce and chopped chives.
Notes
Nutrition
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