Vegan Candied Sweet Potatoes

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Last Updated on May 10, 2022 by Juliette Sebock | An Ideal Life

I tried my mom’s candied sweet potatoes for the first time not long before going vegan.  The ooey gooey marshmallow drew me in and the caramelly sweet potatoes kept me there.  But, not long after, it wasn’t something I could eat.  So, a new, vegan recipe was a must-have!

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Firstly, some technicalities.  For this recipe, we typically use “canned yams,” despite referring to them as sweet potatoes.  While we tend to use these terms interchangeably locally, here’s a breakdown of the technical differences here in the states.  The short answer? The orange veggies most US grocery stores sell as yams are actually sweet potatoes.

Now, as for these candied sweet potatoes.  I didn’t know it at first, but her original recipe was actually fairly easy to veganise.  We almost always have some vegan-friendly “butter” on hand and vegan marshmallows exist in a couple of different forms across the commercial market.

Vegan marshmallows are difficult to find in local stores here in middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania, and I can’t warrant ordering them every time I make this dish (though you can get them from Thrive Market or Amazon, if you’re in a similar situation!).  Still, these candied sweet potatoes are delicious without them!

With or without vegan marshmallows, these sweet potatoes are the perfect sugary side and are full of delicious autumnal flavours.

These candied sweet potatoes are an absolute must-have for any vegan Thanksgiving, but you could whip them up any time of year.  I’m not sure there’s any bad time or place for them!
Try them for yourself and let us know what you think!