Sweet Candied Yams With Marshmallows Recipe

When you think of candied yams with marshmallows, you may think of Thanksgiving dinner — and with good reason! Candied yams are a classic "special occasion" side, though many people also enjoy them as a weeknight dinner side. After being topped with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows, many might even consider candied yams to be a dessert, proving that the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to this dish. Yams have a subtle sweetness on their own, but by adding sweet toppings, you can truly elevate the dish and bring out the best flavors.

Recipe developer Kristen Carli has crafted a wonderfully decadent candied yam with marshmallows recipe, and it's so easy that you could enjoy it any time of the year or reserve it for those special dinners. "You could absolutely eat this as a side to any dinner. I would recommend saving it for special occasions," Carli says of this dish, also noting that it's "perfect for Thanksgiving." So, if you're looking to add some sweetness to your next dinner or you want the perfect dish for your next dinner party, these candied yams with marshmallows will definitely do the trick!

To get started on your candied yams with marshmallows, you'll first need to gather you ingredients. For this recipe, you'll need large yams, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. That's it! You'll also need a peeler and knife for the yams as well as a baking dish. Also, Carli notes that you can easily use canned yams to simplify this recipe, and the only change in directions is that you won't need to worry about peeling, cubing, and boiling the yams, as they'll already be pre-peeled and cooked.

Once you have your ingredients measured out, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then you can get started on the star of the show: the yams. Using a handheld peeler, peel the skin off of each of the yams, as shown in the picture. Then, you'll go ahead and cube your yams, then get a large pot of water boiling. Add in your yam chunks and boil for about 20 minutes until they're nice and tender. Remember, if you are using canned yams, you can skip this step and move right to assembling the dish.

As your yams finish up boiling, you can go ahead and cube your unsalted butter and then start layering the two ingredients into a baking dish. Start by spraying your baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and then carefully pour your cubed yams into the dish. Then, go ahead and sprinkle your butter cubes throughout the yams. You'll notice that the butter may start to melt slightly, as the yams are still hot from boiling, and this is okay! You'll be popping the dish in the oven to bake soon, so it's okay if things get a bit melted as you're constructing it. 

After you've finished adding the cubed yams and butter to your baking dish, you can finish it off by adding the brown sugar and marshmallows. Start by taking your brown sugar and sprinkling it across the yams, ensuring that it's evenly distributed. Then, grab a handful of marshmallows and start placing them across the yams, also ensuring that they're evenly distributed. It's okay if the marshmallows don't cover the entire surface of the yams, as they'll melt down slightly when they bake, making for a nice and even layer of melted marshmallow once the dish comes out of the oven.  

Once you have fully assembled your yams, butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows into the baking dish, you can go ahead and pop it in the oven. Cook the dish for about 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows have a nice browning and they're slightly melted. From there, you can go ahead and serve your candied yams with marshmallows! You'll notice a wonderfully sweet yet savory flavor thanks to the butter and brown sugar, and the marshmallow topping adds just the right amount of decadence that makes this a truly special dish.

Carli notes that this side dish pairs wonderfully with more savory options, like turkey and gravy, to balance out the sweetness. Whether you want to save this recipe for your next special occasion or give it a go for a Monday night dinner, these candied yams with marshmallows will satisfy your sweet tooth!