Goat cheese and honey are a tried-and-true dream flavor pairing — the culinary equivalent of a couple who finish each other’s sentences. But whip that goat cheese into a cloud, drizzle it with honey that’s been introduced to cayenne and hot sauce, and pile it onto a baked sweet potato? Darlin’, now you’ve got yourself a party, and everyone’s invited.
These aren’t just baked sweet potatoes. They’re plush, blushing little orange pillows that spend over an hour getting cozy in a hot oven until they practically collapse with tenderness. Split them open and they burst forth, steam curling up like they’ve got secrets to tell. Then comes the fun part: a pat of butter melting into the crevices, a generous dollop of that impossibly silky goat-cheese whipped cream (whisked until it’s somewhere between a frosting and a sigh), and a drizzle of hot honey that walks the line between sweet seduction and spicy warning shot.
Scatter over some toasted nuts and a flurry of rosemary, and suddenly you’re not eating a side dish — you’re nibbling on something that tastes like the bar snacks at the fanciest dive bar in town. Sweet, spicy, herby, rich: it’s a lot going on, in the best possible way. Simple baked sweet potatoes never stood a chance.
*You could save some time by using a premade bottled hot honey such as Mike’s or Melinda’s. A word to the wise, if you make your homemade hot honey too early, it could seize up and harden (trust me on this one!). This recipe can easily be cut in half to four servings, which is shown here. See below for main dish options.
Hot Honey Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 small to medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed (about 3 lbs.)
- ¼ cup clover honey *(see head note)
- ½ tsp. ground cayenne
- 2 tsp. hot sauce
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 to 5 oz. goat cheese or blue cheese, softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pats
- ½ cup roasted, salted pecans, coarsely chopped
- Finely chopped rosemary or sage, for topping
Directions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place them along the edges of the pan (where it gets the hottest).
- Bake until tender and reduced in size, 1 to 1¼ hours. A fork should pierce through the largest potato’s center easily.
- To a large bowl, add the goat cheese, heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth, thick and the consistency of sour cream, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the honey and cayenne pepper. Heat the mixture over medium, stirring occasionally, until bubbling. (Watch carefully so it does not burn.) Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the hot sauce and season with black pepper. Use immediately so that the honey does not harden.
- A couple minutes after the potatoes have been removed from the oven, slice each in half lengthwise without cutting through the bottom. Then, using both hands, gently pinch the bottoms up to push out some of the potato flesh. Season with salt.
- To assemble, top each potato with a pat of butter, a dollop of goat-cheese whipped cream, some nuts, a generous drizzle of hot honey and a sprinkle of rosemary.
Adapted from a recipe by Eric Kim for NYTimes Cooking
Pork
- Roasted pork loin or tenderloin. Pork and sweet potatoes are a classic pairing, and the rosemary or sage on top ties right in.
- Pork chops (bone-in, seared or grilled). A simple pan sauce with Dijon or apple cider vinegar would balance the sweetness.
- Roasted ham. Great for a holiday table, especially with the goat or blue cheese echoing a charcuterie vibe.
Poultry
- Herb-roasted chicken (whole or bone-in thighs). Easy, crowd-pleasing, and lets the potatoes be the star.
- Roast turkey or turkey breast. A natural fit for fall and Thanksgiving-style meals.
- Crispy duck breast. Richer and more elegant, and the honey and pecans work well with it.
Beef
- Seared steak (ribeye, strip, or flat iron). The saltiness of a good steak plays well against the sweet heat, especially if you went with blue cheese.
- Braised short ribs or pot roast. Hearty and comforting for a cold-weather dinner.
- Meatloaf. A homey option, especially with a tangy glaze.
Seafood
- Pan-seared salmon. Its richness stands up to the potatoes, and a squeeze of lemon helps cut the sweetness.
- Blackened or grilled shrimp. The cayenne in the potatoes will echo the spice.
