This dish takes the earthy, caramelized depth of roasted sweet potatoes and balances it with smoky bacon, nutty brown butter, and a bright tumble of spinach for a rich, savory-sweet side that captures everything we love about fall. Indulgent enough for a holiday feast but simple enough for a weeknight, it’s seasonal comfort cooking at its best, grounded in good ingredients—and a scandalous amount of butter.
Active time: 25 min • Total time: 50 min
6
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 oz bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Salt, to taste
- 8 oz fresh spinach
Sourcing Tips: Really good bacon is one of those ingredients that truly takes a dish from solid to extraordinary. A few of our local favorites include Texas Iberico® Oak-Smoked Iberico Bacon—buttery and balanced, made from acorn- and mesquite-fed pigs raised in the Texas Hill Country; Three Six General Oak-Smoked Heritage Bacon—a smoky, savory delight crafted in their San Marcos butcher shop; and Shirttail Creek Farm Pastured Pork Bacon—raised outside Brenham, Texas, and lightly smoked over pecan wood for a subtly sweet, nutty edge.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Brown the butter:
- Melt butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Once melted, it will start to bubble and pop as the water cooks off—swirl the pan and stir gently with a heat-resistant spatula to release the steam.
- After about 5 minutes, the bubbling will quiet and a pale foam will form on top. At this stage, watch closely and keep stirring: dark golden flecks will appear on the bottom of the pan and the butter will begin to smell nutty and toasty.
- As soon as the flecks turn deep caramel brown and the aroma takes on a toasted, nutty quality, remove from heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking, scraping in the flavorful browned bits.
- Cook the bacon: In a small skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until the fat renders and the edges begin to crisp. Do not fully crisp—the pieces should stay tender enough to meld with the sweet potatoes in the oven.
- Roast the sweet potatoes:
- Place sweet potatoes in a roasting pan. Add the brown butter, bacon, bacon drippings, and brown sugar. Toss thoroughly to coat.
- Season to taste with salt and toss again.
- Roast at 425°F for 20–25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until browned and crisp on the edges.
- Finish with spinach: Remove from the oven and immediately add spinach. Toss with the hot sweet potatoes until the greens just wilt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then transfer to a large platter to serve.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Serving temp: Serve warm, shortly after wilting the spinach.
- Storage / Best by: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make-ahead optionality: The sweet potatoes can be roasted ahead and held at room temperature for several hours. When ready to serve, reheat in a hot oven (350–425°F), then toss with spinach and serve.
Original Source: https://recipes.farmhousedelivery.com/brown-butter-roasted-sweet-potatoes-with-spinach-and-bacon/
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