Apple and Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate

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These deliciously sweet and salty Apple and Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate are the ultimate comfort food. Simple to make baked sweet potatoes are overstuffed with shredded apple, cinnamon and crispy bacon then topped with a bright red pop of pomegranate arils and more bacon. The stuffed sweet potatoes make for a tasty side dish, light lunch or dinner or even a warm and cozy breakfast.

>>Scroll down for my step by step video<<

With Thanksgiving less than 2 weeks away, I wanted to share this awesome stuffed sweet potato recipe. My personal chef clients love these cinnamon-y, apple and bacon stuffed sweet potatoes anytime of the year. But they are an especially popular menu choice during the fall and winter months.

the ingredients for stuffed sweet potatoes

• sweet potatoes
• butter
• cinnamon
• kosher salt
• light brown sugar
• apples
• bacon
• pomegranate arils
• fresh parsley

With over 7,500 varieties of apples, it can be confusing which ones to use when. For this recipe I love using a sweet, crisp apple. The apple is only cooked for a very short time. Having a sturdy apple helps it retain some texture when mixed with the mashed sweet potato. My top apple choices for this stuffed sweet potato recipe are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Jonagold.

how to do I perfectly bake sweet potatoes?

Baking the perfect sweet potatoes involves only a few easy steps.

• When shopping for sweet potatoes, choose ones that are have orange or red skin as opposed to the tan or purple skinned potatoes. The orange or red skin potatoes are less starchy and will be creamier and sweeter when baked. The potatoes should be blemish free and firm to the touch.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Due to their high sugar content, sweet potatoes cook at a higher temperature than other potatoes such as russet or Yukon Gold.
• Thoroughly wash the potatoes making sure to remove any and all dirt.
• Using a sharp knife or fork, poke the potatoes several times. This allows the steam to release so the potatoes do not explode in the oven. Oh that would be a HUGE mess!
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the potatoes on it.
• Bake the potatoes from 45 to 55 minutes. Give the potatoes a squeeze. If they are soft, they are ready. If the potatoes are still firm, bake at 5 minute intervals until done.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and they are ready to eat.

can I prepare stuffed sweet potatoes ahead of time?

YES! Stuffed sweet potatoes are ideal for making in advance. Follow these tips and they will taste as fresh as the day they were made.

• The stuffed sweet potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. For refrigerating or freezing, completely cool the stuffed sweet potatoes. Do not bake the stuffed potatoes or top the pomegranate arils or extra bacon. Store the toppings in separate containers. The bacon can be frozen but, the pomegranate arils cannot.
• Store the stuffed sweet potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place in a air tight container (I like these glass containers). When ready to serve, reheat in a 400 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with pomegranate arils and bacon.
• Store the stuffed sweet potatoes in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap each stuffed potato in plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid. Place the frozen potatoes in a 1-gallon freezer bag and store in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat the unwrapped potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes. Top with pomegranate arils and bacon.

chef cooking tips for making apple and bacon stuffed sweet potatoes

• Be sure to bake sweet potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sweet potatoes are high in sugar. While the potatoes bake, the sugar oozes out. If the potatoes are baked directly on the oven racks (like other potatoes) the sugar will drip and cause a smoky mess in the oven.
• Let the potatoes cool about 10 minutes after baking so they are easy to handle. If they are still too hot, hold the potatoes with a couple sheets of paper towels or a dish towel.
• The skins of the baked sweet potato are thin. When scooping them out, leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the the potato pulp along the interior.
• Sweet potatoes mash very easily. I favor a handheld potato masher.
• Using a grater to shred the apples makes the perfect size of apple pieces to mix into the mashed sweet potatoes.
• There will be plenty of filling for the potato skins so don’t be afraid to overstuff them.

If you make these awesome stuffed sweet potatoes, I’d love hearing from you. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.

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more side dish recipe ideas

• Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Fries
• Super Cheesy and Easy Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Broccoli and Cheese Soup
• Easy Slow Cooker Ratatouille
• Melon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Pine Nuts
• Texas Caviar
• Easy Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
• Mac and Cheese Bites

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