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

What do stuffed sweet potatoes contain? ›

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes- baked sweet potatoes filled with black beans, veggies, enchilada sauce, and lots of delicious toppings! This easy vegetarian meal is a satisfying and a family favorite!

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.

Is it better to bake sweet potatoes in foil or not? ›

The foil: Sweet potatoes tend to get a little juicy while baking—these juices can caramelize and be a pain to deal with afterwards. Lining the baking sheet first with foil or parchment ensures an easy clean up. No need to wrap your potatoes in foil though—you want them to really feel that oven heat, rather than steam.

Are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but in reality, both types can be highly nutritious. While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A.

Why do you put oil on sweet potatoes before baking? ›

Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds a little richness and helps the potatoes soften and brown in the oven. And salt and pepper – They contrast wonderfully with the potatoes' natural sweetness, making the roasted sweet potatoes deliciously sweet and savory.

Do you need to wash sweet potatoes before baking? ›

They're dirty! Washing the sweet potatoes not only eliminates actual particles of dirt, but it also introduces some moisture to the skin, which prevents it from turning tough or leathery in the high heat of the oven.

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.

Should you poke holes in sweet potatoes before baking? ›

Do you have to poke holes in sweet potatoes before baking? Typically holes are poked into a sweet potato to prevent a potato exploding in your oven. However, the chance of that happening is low, and according to Lifehacker, sweet potatoes will retain more flavor if you don't poke them.

Is it better to microwave or bake a sweet potato? ›

It's really the best way. Microwaving sweet potatoes cuts down cook time by 45 to 55 minutes, and, according to a 2018 study, helps maintain the potato's nutritional value. All cooking methods cause foods to lose some of their nutrients, but the quicker your potato cooks, the more nutrients it will retain.

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.

What can you pair with sweet potatoes? ›

Sweetpotatoes tend to pair nicely with pork, pork chops and other pork dishes. This sheet pan pork chops and sweetpotatoes are a favorite! Whether you're looking for color to complement the plate, or a sweet, chewy texture for the pork chops to blend with, sweetpotatoes are a natural option.

What ingredient is in sweet potato? ›

The main components are starches, which make up 53% of the carb content. Simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose, comprise 32% of the carb content ( 2 ). Sweet potatoes have a medium to high glycemic index (GI), varying from 44–96.

What are the components of sweet potato? ›

Bioactive carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, conjugated phenolic acids, and minerals represent versatile nutrients in different parts (tubers, leaves, stems, and stalks) of sweet potato.

Are sweet potatoes filled with carbs? ›

‌Sweet potatoes have a lot of carbohydrates. One 5-inch sweet potato has about 26 grams of carbohydrates. In a low-carb diet, one sweet potato has half of the calories from carbohydrates that you may be allowed. But that's still less than the carb content of a white potato: 35 grams, on average.

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