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You are here: Home / Side Dishes / Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Posted by Jessica Pinney on November 9, 2015, last updated February 9, 2021

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A clear serving bowl filled with sweet potato mash and garnished with a cinnamon stick. Text reads "Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes"

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. You know why? Because it’s not about giving gifts or dressing up, it’s just about the food! And of course family…but mostly the food!

Like many holidays, Thanksgiving involves a lot of traditional recipes. Almost everybody has one or two recipes that they make every year. I usually like to switch it up and try something new, especially when it comes to the turkey.

There is, however, one recipe that is so delicious that I have made it every Thanksgiving for about 5 years now. I have honestly never had sweet potatoes that taste quite like this version. It’s incredibly creamy because of a few cups of cream, a stick of butter (hey, it’s the holidays), and a “secret ingredient”.

A peeled banana and a cinnamon stick are bathing in a baking dish filled with butter and cream.

Wondering just what that secret ingredient is? It’s a banana! A roasted banana to be exact. It may sound crazy, but everyone I’ve ever served these for has raved about them. Give it a try! Don’t tell your guests what the secret ingredient is, see if they can guess. No one has yet.

I hope you enjoy my Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potato recipe as much as I do.

A glass serving bowl of Thanksgiving sweet potatoes sits in front of a baking dish.

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Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Recipe

A unique spin on the classic Thanksgiving side dish, this recipe has a “secret ingredient” that makes it extra sweet and creamy. 

  • Author: Jessica Pinney
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 100 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 55 mins
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
  • Category: Side Dishes
  • Cuisine: American
Secret Ingredient Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

Ingredients

  • About 5lbs of Sweet Potatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons of Kosher Salt
  • 1 Banana (ripe to overly ripe is best)
  • 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 1/4 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°.
  2. Rinse the potatoes. Poke several holes in each with a fork. Keeping the peel on, rub each down with salt then individually wrap in aluminum foil.
  3. Once your oven is preheated, place potatoes on the bottom rack and cook until very tender (about 60-90 minutes). When potatoes are so tender that a paring knife immediately slices through them, take them out of the oven. Set aside.
  4. Place about a 1/2″ slit in your banana’s peel. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until the peel is black, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and scoop fresh into a small bowl.
  5. Increase oven temperature to 500°. Take a 9×9 or 13×9 baking dish. Place inside the oven and allow to heat up for 5-10 minutes.
  6. Now unwrap your sweet potatoes and slice them in half. Scoop the flesh out into a bowl.
  7. Remove baking dish from oven. Add butter and let melt. Then add the cream, cinnamon stick, brown sugar, banana, and sweet potatoes. Use a potato masher, then stir to combine.
  8. Place in oven and bake 5-10 minutes until desired temperature is reached. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
  9. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 394

Did you make this recipe?

Please tag @cookingwithjanica and use #cookingwithjanica on social media. We'd love to see!

 

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  1. Ruby says

    November 12, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    This sounds great – really different. Can’t wait to try it, but I have a question first.
    Do you mash the cinnamon stick into the potato mixture? I’ve never done that before. Or can I use ground cinnamon instead, and how much?
    Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Jessica Pinney says

      November 12, 2015 at 8:44 pm

      It really is my favorite Sweet Potato recipe!
      You don’t break up the cinnamon stick, it stays whole. You just sort of stir it around in the potato mixture so the flavor gets in there. I imagine you could use ground cinnamon instead, but I’ve never done it so I am not sure how much. A little goes a long way with cinnamon, maybe start with a 1/8 – 1/4 tsp and season to taste? Let me know how it works out for you.
      Hope you enjoy the recipe, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!

      Reply
  2. Analida Braeger says

    September 26, 2017 at 4:22 am

    I love the banana idea! I am going to try this for the holidays this year. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

    September 26, 2017 at 6:33 am

    How fun! I’m intrigued and look forward to trying your recipe. I can just imagine how tasty it is and it must be a surprise when folks find out there is a banana in it!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

    September 26, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    it looks so fluffy and delicious….

    Reply
  5. Cheryl says

    September 27, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    Wow! A banana? I bet it adds that little bit of sweetness that your guests can’t put their finger on but can’t stop eating.

    Reply
  6. Aditi Bahl says

    September 28, 2017 at 7:55 am

    this looks lovely. Cinnamon with sweet potato is such a great combination. Cant wait to try it.

    Reply
  7. Leslie says

    September 28, 2017 at 2:23 pm

    Banana!? I never would have thought of that – this sounds great!

    Reply
  8. Veena Azmanov says

    September 29, 2017 at 4:47 am

    I am very intrigued!! I have never heard of banana in sweet potatoes. Love the idea of cinnamon. Can’t wait to try this.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Anne Murphy says

    September 29, 2017 at 10:04 am

    Interesting idea! It might be a way to wean people who expect sweet potatoes to be really sweet away from the boring marshmallows… (which I never did like.)

    Reply
  10. Dominique | Perchance to Cook says

    September 29, 2017 at 3:29 pm

    I would have never guessed that banana is the secret ingredient but I can totally see it adding a great flavor here. I would love to try this!

    Reply
  11. Aish Das-Padihari says

    September 29, 2017 at 3:51 pm

    I rarely bring sweet potatoes home. Looking at your recipe, I’m thinking, I should now.

    Reply
  12. Prasanna Hede says

    September 30, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Wow Banana with sweet potatoes? thats a superb addition! wonder how great this would taste!.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

    October 1, 2017 at 8:29 am

    Being Italian and living in Canada only from a short period of time, Thanksgiving is not a festivity I long for. Being vegetarian is another reason, cannot understand all the turkey galore. But your dish…I love it! I can smell it and taste it!

    Reply
  14. Christine says

    October 1, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    I just recently discovered the awesomeness of roasted banana but never would have thought to add it to sweet potatoes. Super innovative – I’ll have to give it a try!

    Reply
  15. Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says

    October 30, 2017 at 6:31 am

    What a fun surprise! It sounds like it adds such a nice depth of flavor to this dish. I’ll need to give it a try!

    Reply
  16. Ashima says

    November 9, 2017 at 11:29 pm

    Never thought of adding a banana to sweet potatoes! This really is a secret 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Have to try and let you know if anybody at my home guessed it!

    love,
    ashima

    Reply
  17. Rachel says

    November 11, 2017 at 5:44 am

    Nice change-up on the sweet potato casserole! I can see how bananas and sweet potatoes would pair well together. Will try!

    Reply
  18. Brandi says

    November 21, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    Do you think this is something you can make ahead & bake the day of? Trying to get ahead on meal prep 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jessica Pinney says

      November 21, 2017 at 1:54 pm

      Yes, that would be very easy to do. This recipe reheats well.

      Reply

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