Whipped sweet potatoes and bananas with honey are among those side dishes that surprise you on the first bite. Creamy roasted sweet potatoes blend with caramelized bananas, butter, and honey, then finish with a buttery brown-sugar-and-pecan topping.
If you are planning your holiday menu, these whipped sweet potatoes are a delicious change from the usual casserole. For more inspiration, explore my easy Thanksgiving side dishes for plenty of recipes to make your holiday table even more special.
Recipe Overview: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Servings: 8 people
- Cook Method: Oven-roasted and baked
- Flavor & Texture: Creamy, buttery sweet potatoes blended with caramelized bananas and honey, finished with a crisp, nutty pecan topping.
- Difficulty: Easy. The oven does most of the work, and the sweet potato mixture comes together quickly once everything is roasted.
- Why this Recipe? A delicious twist on traditional sweet potatoes, with roasted bananas adding natural sweetness and richness. It is an easy make-ahead side dish that feels special enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday dinner
If you prefer your sweet potatoes savory, my mashed sweet potatoes with fresh lemon basil sauce are a wonderful alternative. The fresh herbs and lemon beautifully balance the natural sweetness of the potatoes. These roasted sweet potatoes with Brussels sprouts and cranberries bring those fall flavors together in one dish.
In this Article
- Recipe Overview: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
- A Note From Giangi
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Banana
- Giangi’s Pro Tips
- What to Serve with Whipped Sweet Potatoes
- Storing and Reheating
- Can I Make Whipped Sweet Potatoes Ahead of Time?
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Banana with Honey FAQs
- More Side Recipes You Will Love
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
A Note From Giangi
Key Ingredients
Sweet potatoes: Choose similarly sized potatoes so they roast evenly.
Bananas: They are roasted in their skins, which concentrates their natural sweetness.
Unsalted butter: Gives you control over the salt and makes the potatoes exceptionally creamy.
Honey adds sweetness without overpowering the potatoes.
Brown sugar creates the caramel-like flavor of the topping.
All-purpose flour helps form the crumb topping.
Pecans: Optional; add them for crunch against the soft whipped potatoes. Since I am allergic to them, I omit them from the photos; however, my family enjoyed them very much.
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Variations and Substitutions
If you enjoy the idea of combining fruit with sweet potatoes, but prefer something a little less sweet, try my mashed sweet potatoes and pears with cinnamon and cardamom. The pears bring a delicate sweetness, and the warm spices are simply lovely.
How to Make Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Banana
Step 1: Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork, place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and roast them in a roasting pan until they begin to soften.
Step 2: Add the unpeeled bananas to the roasting pan and continue baking until both the sweet potatoes and bananas are very tender.
Step 3: Remove from the oven and let them cool off a bit before handling.
Step 4: Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a large bowl. Peel the roasted bananas and add them to the butter and honey.
Step 5: Whip everything together until creamy and fluffy, then transfer the mixture to your baking dish.
Step 6: Combine the remaining butter, brown sugar, and flour until coarse crumbs form.
Step 7: Sprinkle or spread the topping over the sweet potatoes and bake until beautifully golden.
Step 8: All done! This is where you will add your chopped pecans or any nuts that you may like. Enjoy!
Giangi’s Pro Tips
Choose sweet potatoes that are similar in size so they roast evenly and finish cooking at the same time.
Line a sheet of parchment paper on your cookie sheet to make cleanup easy once the potatoes and bananas are fully cooked.
Roast the bananas in their skins. This concentrates their natural sweetness and gives them a wonderfully caramelized flavor.
Whip the sweet potatoes while they are still warm. They will blend more easily with the butter, honey, and bananas.
Do not overmix. Whip just until smooth and creamy so the sweet potatoes stay light rather than becoming dense.
You can prepare the sweet potato mixture a day ahead if needed.
Keep an eye on the topping during the final bake. You want it golden and crisp, not overly browned.
What to Serve with Whipped Sweet Potatoes
These whipped sweet potatoes are made for the holiday table. I particularly love serving them alongside my chestnut-stuffed turkey, where the creamy sweetness of the potatoes beautifully balances the savory chestnut-and-sausage stuffing. For Christmas dinner, they would also be wonderful beside a classic prime rib roast.
A spoonful of my shiitake mushroom gravy brings another savory element to the plate, while my homemade cranberry sauce with apricots, raisins, and orange adds just enough tartness to balance the richness of the sweet potatoes.
Since these sweet potatoes are wonderfully rich and creamy, I love serving something fresh and savory alongside them. My Brussels sprouts with lemon and butter are ready in just 15 minutes and bring a lovely brightness to the holiday table.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Store leftovers tightly covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat: Place the sweet potatoes in an oven-safe dish, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 325°F until heated through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want the pecan topping to crisp again.
Can I Make Whipped Sweet Potatoes Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! And with all the cooking that goes into Thanksgiving dinner, this is one of those recipes I love preparing ahead.
Roast the sweet potatoes and bananas, whip them with the butter and honey, and transfer everything to your baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare the pecan topping separately and keep it refrigerated. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the topping over the potatoes and bake until heated through and beautifully golden. If the potatoes are cold from the refrigerator, allow extra baking time.
One less dish to worry about on Thanksgiving Day, and more time to enjoy your guests!
If you are planning your Thanksgiving menu ahead of time, my chestnut-stuffed turkey is another holiday recipe worth adding to the table.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Banana with Honey FAQs
What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
Sweet potatoes and yams are two different vegetables. Sweet potatoes have smooth skin and sweet, creamy flesh, while true yams are starchier, drier, and have rough, bark-like skin. In most American grocery stores, anything labeled “yam” is usually a variety of sweet potato.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
Yes. Maple syrup works beautifully in place of honey and adds a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor. Use the same amount called for in the recipe.
Why roast the bananas before adding them to the sweet potatoes?
Roasting the bananas concentrates their natural sugars and gives them a richer, almost caramelized flavor. It also softens them completely, allowing them to blend smoothly into the sweet potatoes without overpowering the dish.
Can whipped sweet potatoes be frozen?
Yes. Let the whipped sweet potatoes cool completely, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. For the best texture, freeze them without the pecan topping and add it fresh before reheating and serving.
More Side Recipes You Will Love
And if sweet potatoes are still on your mind, do not miss my sweet potato muffins with warm spices and chocolate chips. They are one of my favorite ways to bring those fall flavors into breakfast or an afternoon treat.
If you tried this Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Banana with Honey or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
Ingredients
- 10 sweet potatoes, medium size and scrubbed
- 4 bananas, unpeeled
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, well packed
- ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
OPTIONAL
- 1½ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, put them in a roasting pan, and roast for 30 minutes.
- Toss the bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft. Remove the pan from the oven but do not turn the oven off.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl.
- Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1 stick of butter and the honey. Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything’s well combined and the mixture is fluffy.
- Spoon that into an ovenproof serving bowl and smooth the top.
- In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining stick of butter, the brown sugar, flour until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.
- Spread the butter mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake 20 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Sides, Vegetables
- Cuisine: American
- Occasion: Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
- Season: Fall, Winter
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Giangi Townsend
Love at first bite. Sweet and tender potatoes with bananas should be a staple every day of the week if it were up to me. This dish has been a staple on our holiday table for decades. We never get tired of it.