Some recipes just stick with you. For me, it’s my mom’s candied yams, soft sweet potatoes in a buttery brown sugar sauce that caramelizes right on the stovetop. She made them for every holiday, and now I do too. The best part? They start with canned sweet potatoes, so they’re quick, unfussy, and always turn out just right.

A bowl filled with southern candied yams and sweet potatoes in a thick, caramelized sauce, sitting on a light blue surface with a gray cloth in the background.

// ceramic bowl / silver serving spoon //

You know those dishes that just feel like home? For me, it’s my mom’s candied yams. She made them for every single holiday, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, you name it. They’d sit on the table right next to the holiday turkey or ham, and no one ever skipped them. Sweet, tender, saucy… they were always gone by the end of the meal.

And here’s the best part: they’re made with canned sweet potatoes. No peeling, no chopping, no mess. Just open the can, drain a little liquid, and let the butter and brown sugar work their magic.

Featured reader review

“My husband hates sweet potatoes. I had a can of sweet potatoes about ready to expire. I found this recipe that is simple and quick. It’s a winner and my husband is a believer!”
Jeanne

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While other recipes take up precious oven space, this one simmers away on the stovetop. Which means your oven’s still free for things like creamy corn pudding or a batch of fluffy homemade rolls.

A close-up of baked candy yams in a skillet, coated in a glossy, caramelized brown sugar glaze, with a spoon lifting a portion.

I still use my mom’s recipe, and honestly, I don’t see a reason to change it. With only three ingredients, it’s proof that simple food can be the most memorable. It was the side dish my sister and I were tasked with growing up, and they always came out perfect.

Why these yams always disappear

You can’t mess them up
Only 3 ingredients
The sauce tastes like buttery caramel
All done in one pan, so cleanup’s nothing

I’ve even had readers tell me this recipe converted sweet potato skeptics. One woman wrote to say, “My husband hates sweet potatoes. I had a can about ready to expire. I found this recipe that is simple and quick. It’s a winner and my husband is a believer!” (Jeanne) I think that says it all.

Only 3 Ingredients

The ingredients for stovetop sweet potatoes in a skillet. — Gather the ingredients.

Canned Sweet potatoes – Try to find ones that are not in a heavy syrup. If that’s all you can find, cut back on the brown sugar.
Brown sugar – I prefer light brown sugar but if you want a deeper flavor, use dark brown sugar. I don’t recommend granulated sugar, as it doesn’t caramelize as well.
Butter – it melts down into the sugar to make that caramel-like sauce.

How they come together

Step 1- Start the Sauce

Brown sugar and butter in an iron skillet. — Combine butter and brown sugar.

// cast iron skillet //

Step 2: Add some liquid

Pour in some of the sweet potato liquid and let it thicken.

Slices of golden-brown cooked apples in a skillet, covered in a glossy syrupy sauce reminiscent of southern candied yams, with a metal spoon resting inside the pan on a light blue textured surface. — Let simmer.

Step 3: Let it simmer

They will turn dark brown and the sauce will thicken as they cook. My mom always just spooned them straight from the pan to the table, but if you’re feeling fancy, you can slide them into a serving dish.

Chunks of caramelized pork belly coated in a glossy, rich brown sauce, served alongside sweet candied yams from a can in a black skillet with a metal spoon resting on the side. — The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Change it Up

There are lots of ways you can customize this recipe, depending on your preference. Experiment with some of the popular variations below and find your favorite.

Add a tablespoon of fresh juiced orange and a teaspoon of grated zest to the sauce for a sweet citrus flavor.
To add some crunch, sprinkle chopped roasted pecans or walnuts over the top just before serving.
Add extra fall flavor with ground ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg.

What to serve with

Since these are sweet, I like to pair them with something savory to balance things out. They’re perfect with a salty ham, or alongside something like Southern cornbread dressing. I’ve also served them next to skillet green beans and roast beef. They just…work.

And if you’re cooking for a crowd, double or triple the batch. No one’s ever complained about having extra candied yams.

Every time I make these, I can picture my mom at the stove, wooden spoon in hand, waiting for the sauce to thicken just enough. She never fussed with extra ingredients or complicated steps, and I think that’s why this recipe has lasted in our family. It’s unfussy, dependable, and just plain good.

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.

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 bowl filled with southern candied yams, coated in a thick, caramelized brown sugar sauce, with a silver spoon resting on the side.

Stovetop Candied Yams with Canned Sweet Potatoes

Author: Barbara Curry

5 from 10 votes

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PREP: 0

COOK: 30

TOTAL: 30

Servings:

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup butter
▢ 1 cup brown sugar
▢ 40 ounce canned sweet potatoes reserve the liquid

Instructions

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add brown sugar. Reduce to low and bring to a simmer.
Slowly add about ¾ cup of liquid from the sweet potatoes to the skillet, it will sizzle. Stir until it is incorporated and it becomes slightly thick.
Add the potatoes to the skillet and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until they turn a deep brown and the syrup has thickened. Occasionally, pour the liquid in the skillet over the potatoes, but don’t stir them or they will turn to mush.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

Before opening the can of sweet potatoes, turn it over to mix up the liquid.
Cook these on low heat, if you added too much liquid, let it cook a little longer.
Try to find canned sweet potatoes in juice and not syrup. If all you can find is syrup, reduce the brown sugar.

Nutrition

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Comments

5 from 10 votes (1 rating without comment)