You only need five ingredients to whip up these skillet sweet potatoes, and no oven is required! Fresh sweet potatoes are simmered slowly on the stovetop in brown sugar and butter and sprinkled with chopped pecans for a sweet side dish, perfect for serving at Thanksgiving, Sunday suppers or for weeknight dinners.

A bowl of glazed sweet potatoes garnished with chopped pecans. The sweet potatoes are caramelized and served in a rustic, white ceramic bowl placed on a gray cloth. A spoon is partially visible in the bowl.

Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes

You know those Thanksgiving sides that always get gobbled up, even when the turkey steals the spotlight? This is one of them. These stovetop candied sweet potatoes don’t need a single can opener or an inch of oven space. Just fresh sweet potatoes, a skillet, and time for the sugar and butter to melt into that sticky, gooey sauce that clings to every bite.

I’ll be honest, I used to only think of sweet potatoes as casserole territory. But sometimes my favorite casserole recipes can feel like a project with too many pans in the oven fighting for space next to the Thanksgiving dressing and a Southern corn casserole. For these you’ll skip the oven and cans and let those sweet potatoes bubble low and slow right on the stove.

The magic here is patience. Low heat keeps the potatoes from turning mushy. They stay tender, hold their shape, and soak up all that buttery, brown sugar goodness. By the time they’re ready, you’ve got this gooey caramel-like coating and the smell, oh my word, the whole kitchen smells like the holidays.

Featured reader review

“Perfect recipe and directions. I made the dish as directed 2 hours before needed. I put the potatoes and butter mixture into an oval glass casserole dish, then put it in the oven for about 20 mins before serving time. Definitely use a non-stick saute pan initially. Great recipe. Thanks.”
Chris

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And let’s not forget, sweet potatoes aren’t just for November. I live in North Carolina, where fields of them stretch out for miles. They show up in my kitchen year-round when I want something cozy next to a roast chicken or even alongside an apple walnut salad when I’m balancing sweet with fresh and crunchy.

A close-up of a dish featuring glossy, caramelized sweet potato chunks in a thick, brown sugar glaze. The sweet potatoes are garnished with pecan pieces and shown in a pan. A metal spoon is partially scooping some of the glazed sweet potatoes.

Why I Swear by the Stovetop

No oven. No marshmallows. No waiting for the timer to ding. Just a pan on the stove doing its thing while you focus on the turkey or mashed potatoes. It’s also the kind of side dish you can peek at, stir once or twice, then walk away. And if you’ve ever juggled casseroles on a holiday, you know that’s priceless.

Here’s What You’ll Need For This Perfect Side Dish

Three sweet potatoes, a stick of butter, a glass jar of brown sugar, and a bowl of chopped pecans are arranged on a blue surface.

Check the recipe card for the exact amounts and step-by-step directions. I keep it super short:

Sweet potatoes – peel and chop them into hearty chunks
Brown sugar + butter – the duo that makes the sauce gooey and rich

That’s really it, though I like finishing with a handful of toasted pecans for crunch. Check the recipe card for the exact amounts and step-by-step directions.

Step-By-Step

Step One: Simmer

You want very thick sweet potato slices.

Several pieces of chopped sweet potato are scattered on a black cutting board, ready for the skillet. A peeler rests nearby on the board. The background is light-colored. — Peel and chop sweet potatoes.

A casserole dish holds several peeled and roughly chopped sweet potatoes submerged in water. The dish is set against a blue textured background, preparing the sweet potatoes for cooking. — Add water to the skillet and cook for 30 minutes.

Step Two: Make a gooey coating

A cooking dish filled with round chunks of sweet potato covered in brown sugar and small pats of butter. The dish is placed against a blueish background, and the sweet potatoes are lightly caramelized. — Drain the water and add butter, brown sugar, and salt.

A round baking dish filled with roasted sweet potatoes that are caramelized and glazed. The brightly colored sweet potatoes are cut into thick chunks and appear glossy from the sauce, set on a textured, light-colored surface. — Cook for 30 minutes.

A round baking dish filled with glazed sweet potatoes, coated in a shiny caramelized sauce and sprinkled with chopped pecans. A large spoon is resting in the dish, ready for serving. The background surface is a cool, muted color. — Sprinkle nuts on top.

I usually keep them classic, but you can lean spiced if you like, cinnamon, nutmeg, even ginger. Want them less sweet? Use a little less sugar. Cooking for a crowd? Double up, just make sure you’ve got a skillet big enough so the potatoes aren’t piled too high.

These stovetop sweet potatoes feel homey and nostalgic without being fussy. They bring that caramel-sweet, buttery flavor you want from a holiday side dish, but in a way that leaves the oven wide open for casseroles or pies. And sometimes, that’s the real win.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

A collage of four cooked dishes, with text reading "Just getting started in the kitchen? Shop my favorite cooking essentials to help find everything you’ll need!" and icons of a shopping cart and whisk at the bottom.

A rustic ceramic bowl filled with glazed sweet potato chunks, garnished with chopped pecans. A spoon rests inside the bowl, and the dish is set against a light-colored fabric backdrop.

Skillet Candied Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Potatoes

Author: Barbara Curry

5 from 1 vote

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PREP: 15

COOK: 1

TOTAL: 1 15

Servings:

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the sweet potatoes into two inch slices. This will be 2-3 pieces per sweet potato depending on their size. Try to get the thickness of the slices about the same.
Place in a large skillet with a lid. Add water to ¼ of the way up the sides of the sweet potatoes. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then turn down to low and cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes.
Drain the water from the pan and sprinkle the potatoes with brown sugar and salt. Add butter pieces and return to low heat. Heat uncovered until the liquid is thick, about 30 minutes, spooning the sauce over the sweet potatoes periodically. Add pecans before serving.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

If you increase the recipe, use a pan large enough to have a single layer of potatoes. they can touch but should not overlap.
If you want more gooey sauce, increase the brown sugar.
To toast the pecans, chop them and place in the oven at 350º stirring every couple of minutes until they have browned, or brown them in a skillet on the stove. Either way, they brown quickly so keep an eye on them.

Nutrition

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