Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (2024)

Published . By Alyssa Brantley 46 Comments

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Combine your leftover ham with spinach and cheese to make delicious gluten-free stuffed sweet potatoes that the whole family will love!

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (5)

One of the best parts about serving a whole baked Ham at your holiday table is the guarantee that you will most definitely have leftovers!

This year at Thanksgiving, we are planning on having both maple glazed ham and my foolproof roasted turkey!

Since I know I am for sure making my Mom’s famous leftover turkey barley soup with the turkey carcass, I thought why not get creative with the ham instead of the usual soup or egg dish?

The other day, we baked way too many sweet potatoes (cook once, eat twice right!?).

I opened the fridge to see what I could throw together for dinner and it hit me – stuffed sweet potatoes with the leftover ham, some greens, and of course, melted cheese to bring it all together!

I tested this recipe with and without the spinach and I am happy to report that while it works both ways, it’s way better WITH the spinach, the kids think it’s herbs and you get a boost of baby greens.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Ingredients:

  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Olive Oil
  • Baby Spinach
  • Spices (Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder)
  • Leftover Ham
  • Shredded Cheese

How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes:

  1. Bake the sweet potatoes. This can be done in advance (up to a couple of days) or right before you want to prepare the dish. If you have an electric pressure cooker, you can make Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes to save time.
  2. Prepare your filling. This filling uses leftover (already cooked) ham, baby spinach, and melted cheese so it comes together very quickly once the potatoes are cooked!
  3. Transfer the stuffed sweet potatoes to the oven. Bake until cheese is melted and just golden. That’s it!

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (6)

Recipe Tips:

  • You can bake the sweet potatoes in advance (up to 3 days) to save time.
  • You can also freeze these stuffed sweet potatoes (once stuffed) prior to baking and bake from frozen for 60 to 75 minutes at 350.
  • I recommend buying a bag of pre-cleaned baby spinach to save time.
  • If you are a fan of swiss cheese, that is an excellent substitution for the mixed shredded cheese.

Need another idea to use up Leftover Ham? Try these Savory Waffles with Leftover Ham and Cheddar.

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (7)

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:1 hr 15 mins

Total Time:1 hr 25 mins

Combine your leftover ham with spinach and cheese to make delicious gluten-free stuffed sweet potatoes that the whole family will love!

Course:Lunch, Mains

Cuisine:American

Keyword:gluten free stuffed sweet potatoes recipe, how to make stuffed sweet potatoes, leftover ham recipes, stuffed sweet potato recipe, what to do with leftover ham

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 515 kcal

Author: Alyssa Brantley

Ingredients

  • 4 mediumsweet potatoes
  • 2teaspoonsextra virgin olive oil
  • 8ouncesbaby spinachchopped
  • 1/2teaspoonsalt
  • 1/4teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1/2poundleftover hamcut into 1/4" cubes
  • 8ouncesshredded cheese blend (mozzarella, Monterrey jack, cheddar)divided

Instructions

Sweet Potatoes:

  1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350F. Clean potatoes and poke each several times with a fork.

    Place potatoes on a lined baking sheet and bake on center rack for 45 to 50 minutes until tender (they don't have to be 100% cooked at this point as you will continue baking them later but tender enough to cut and scoop out most of the insides).

    NOTE: This step can be done in advance (up to 3 days).

Stuffing:

  1. While potatoes are cooking, cut the leftover ham into 1/4" cubes and chop baby spinach.

  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and then chopped spinach.

  3. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and saute spinach 3 to 4 minutes, until wilted. Drain excess liquid and transfer to a mixing bowl.Add chopped ham and 4 ounces of the shredded cheese (save the other 4 ounces for the topping!). Set aside until sweet potatoes are cooked and ready to be scooped out.

  4. Remove cooked sweet potatoes from oven (leave oven on) and use a paring knife to cut an oval on the top about 3/4 of the way deep into the potato, essentially making a "potato boat" or shell to be stuffed.

  5. Transfer the cooked potato insdies (scooped out of each potato) to the bowl with the ham, cheese and cooked spinach.

  6. Mix filling well and stuff 1/4 of filling into each potato "shell", packing tightly.

  7. Top each stuffed potato with 1 ounce of the leftover shredded cheese mixture and place back into the oven for 20 minutes or until filling is heated through and cheese is melted. If desired, broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes to brown cheese. Remove, allow to cool for 3 to 4 minutes, serve and Enjoy!

NOTES:

  • You can bake the sweet potatoes in advance (up to 3 days) to save time.
  • You can also freeze these stuffed sweet potatoes (once stuffed) prior to baking and bake from frozen for 60 to 75 minutes at 350.
  • I recommend buying a bag of pre-cleaned baby spinach to save time.
  • If you are a fan of swiss cheese, that is an excellent substitution for the mixed shredded cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Amount Per Serving (1 stuffed potato)

Calories 515Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 90mg30%

Sodium 1551mg67%

Potassium 1134mg32%

Carbohydrates 49g16%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 37947IU759%

Vitamin C 21mg25%

Calcium 533mg53%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.

UPDATE NOTES: This stuffed sweet potatoes recipe was originally published in November 2017 and was most recently updated in October 2020.

EverydayMaven.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (9)sensed says

    your all recipe is good and I liked it a lot.

    Reply

    • Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (10)Alyssa Brantley says

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply

  2. Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (11)Bec says

    Oh em gee! What a fantastic idea for leftover ham, or even Thanksgiving turkey!

    I’m putting this on next week’s menu plan.

    Reply

    • Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (12)Alyssa Brantley says

      Yay!! You are going to love it!

      Reply

  3. Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (13)Christina says

    I’m all over these! Absolutely delicious and easy too!

    Reply

    • Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (14)Alyssa Brantley says

      Thanks Christina! We love quick and easy meals like this!

      Reply

  4. Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (15)Sarah Robinson says

    Yum! Such a great idea to use the ham and cheese! Thanks for making my lunch time a little more interesting this week! 🙂 I just happen to have everything on hand!

    Reply

    • Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (16)Alyssa Brantley says

      Nothing like an easy and delish lunch Sarah!

      Reply

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Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should sweet potatoes be soaked before baking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

What is the sticky liquid from sweet potato? ›

The ooze is actually referred to as "sap." It is made up of sugar and starch combined with the moisture found in the vegetable, and it escapes out of the damage made from the knife. The sap really equals the sweetness. If it's pouring out of your potato, that means it's a sweet and delicious vegetable.

What tastes good on top of a sweet potato? ›

Salt, Pepper, and Butter – the OG classic way of serving your sweet potatoes. Greek Yogurt and Green Onion – one of my personal favorites! you can do sour cream instead of Greek Yogurt if you prefer. Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Butter – ok, I'm a big fan of savory but this combo is also a favorite!

What brings out the flavor of sweet potatoes? ›

Browning butter packs in tons of flavor, without dulling the sweet potatoes. Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness. A touch of maple syrup, butter, and a bit of chopped thyme are the only embellishments these naturally sweet sweet potatoes need.

Is it better to wrap sweet potatoes in foil when baking? ›

Wrapping the sweet potatoes in foil ensures that they don't dry out too quickly, and allows you to add aromatics if desired.

Do sweet potatoes taste better baked or boiled? ›

Baking whole sweet potatoes in the oven or cutting them into cubes and roasting them caramelizes the potatoes' starchy flesh, making it sweeter and giving it a silky smooth texture. Even if you are making mashed sweet potatoes, they will taste better with oven-cooked potatoes.

Do you pierce sweet potatoes before baking in the oven? ›

1) Always poke a few holes.

Before baking, use a fork to prick each sweet potato several times. You don't need to jab the fork in deep. We're creating steam vents. Otherwise the pressure in the sweet potato could build up so high in the oven that it explodes—an unlikely possibility but one best avoided!

What are the white dots in my sweet potatoes? ›

All it is is just a mixture of the natural sugar. starches in water that comes out like sap. when the cell walls of the plant are damaged and cut. This is actually indication of a really fresh potato, so it may taste even sweeter and better.

Is it safe to eat sweet potatoes with black spots? ›

Dark spots on sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes that develop dark spots may be infected with a fungal disease that may cover the entire skin surface. The injury is superficial, however, and does not affect eating quality.

Why are my sweet potatoes tasteless? ›

So if you want a sweet, sweet potato, you have to cook it until it reaches 135–170°F (57–77°C). And you want to keep sweet potatoes in that range for as long as possible. That will maximize how sweet the potatoes taste.

What makes sweet potatoes better? ›

Because of their fiber and vitamin contents, sweet potatoes are often considered the healthier choice between the two. Sweet potatoes are likely healthier than regular potatoes. They have a lower GI, more fiber, and large amounts of beta carotene.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

What is compatible with sweet potatoes? ›

Aromatic herbs such as dill, thyme, and oregano work well with Sweet potatoes. Alyssum makes a perfect living mulch for them while attracting beneficial insects like wasps.

What do we eat in sweet potato? ›

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a starchy, sweet-tasting root vegetable. It has a thin, brown outer skin with bright-coloured flesh – most commonly orange, but other varieties include white, purple or yellow. You can eat sweet potatoes whole or peeled and the leaves of the plant are edible, too.

What is needed for sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes grow best in light, sandy soils but grow well on heavier soils, high in clay and amended with organic matter. Full sun requires direct light at least 6 hours/day; prefers 8 - 10 hours/day. Days to maturity: 85 - 120.

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