Go Back
+ servings
Soul Food Southern Christmas Side Dishes

Southern Soul Food Christmas Side Dishes | Christmas Candied Yams

The most magical time of the year comes with a holiday feast that should include Southern, savory, and soul food best Christmas dinner side dishes!
Starting with a soul food Christmas candied yams recipe.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Pressure Release Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 8
Calories: 321kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes 3 -3 ½ pounds
  • 6 cups water cool water
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup butter unsalted butter, or vegan butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar granulated
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon of ground
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger ground or minced
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves ground
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallows *Optional – miniature marshmallows for topping

Instructions

  • Wash the sweet potatoes. (I like to use this vegetable scrubber HERE.)
  • Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into thick round wedges.
  • Then set them aside to soak in a bowl of cool water to prevent browning while preparing the candied yams syrup.
  • Melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave.
  • Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, ginger, ground clove, and vanilla extract to the melted butter.
  • Mix the ingredients well to create the syrup glaze for the candied yams.
  • Next, Drain the sweet potato rounds in a colander.
  • Open the Instant Pot lid and add ½ a cup of water and the sweet potato rounds to the stainless-steel inner pot.
  • Pour the syrup glaze over the sweet potatoes.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid (ensure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
  • When the cook time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
  • To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
  • Optional - Open the Instant Pot lid and sprinkle the miniature marshmallows over the cooked, candied yams.
  • With the lid placed not entirely on the Instant Pot (in a resting position, so it doesn’t lock back into position on the pot) continue with the setting on ‘keep warm.’
  • After about 5 minutes, check to see if the marshmallows have melted.
  • Once the marshmallows are melted, turn off the Instant Pot and transfer your Black folks’ Southern candied yams recipe to a serving dish.
  • Serve Christmas candied yams right away, and enjoy!
  • Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, like a candied sweet potato casserole recipe.

Video

Notes

An Instant Pot pressure cooker cooks Christmas candied yams just right! 
So fork-tender, sweet, and citrusy with buttery caramel toffee flavor – yum!
In only a fraction of the time, you can return to all those other Christmas side dishes on your  list. 

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 24158IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
Save it so you can make it!Pin this recipe to remember it later.