Sweet potatoes and green beans are simmered in broth and finished with maple syrup, butter, sage, and toasted pecans for a cozy fall side dish. Great for everything from weekday cooking to holiday feasts.
This year, I planted sweet potatoes for the first time, mostly on a whim after spotting starter plants at the garden center.
I tucked them into the space where my garlic had been in late June and figured I'd see what happened. As it turns out, sweet potatoes aren't much like regular potatoes - they grow on sprawling vines and need a long, warm season to size up properly.
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By the time the first cool days of fall rolled around and the vines died back, mine were still pretty small. But they tasted great, and next year I'll just get them in the ground earlier. Like most things in the garden, it's all an experiment.
We had no trouble growing beans this year, though, and this side dish combines the two vegetables in one easy, stovetop recipe.
😍 Why You'll Love this recipe
- It's a single-pan recipe. That means less prep and cleanup.
- It's quick cooking. Thanks to the small size of the potatoes and the braise and glaze cooking approach.
- It's easy enough for weeknights but classy enough for holidays. What more could you ask for?
We could all use some more vegetables in our lives. If you need some extra ideas to encourage you to eat a few more, try my Kale and Swiss Chard Galette, Roasted Carrots and Asparagus, and Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts.
🍠 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this green bean and sweet potato side dish.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: A couple of medium sweet potatoes, about 1 ½ pounds, is all you need for this recipe. I like to peel them here because they don't have time to soften or crisp up like they would during roasting.
- Green beans: Fresh green beans are best here, though frozen could work, if needed. You'll need about 12 ounces, which is ¾ of a pound.
- Maple syrup: Added with butter towards the end of cooking, the combo creates a sweet, buttery glaze to coat the vegetables.
- Sage: Chopped sage contributes some earthy flavor to balance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and maple syrup.
- Pecans: Toasted chopped pecans serve as a crunchy, nutty finish to the dish before serving
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🔥 Substitutions & Variations
- Sub the sage: Try thyme or rosemary in place of the sage. Or if you don't have fresh sage handy, use a couple of teaspoons of dried sage and add it in when you add the sweet potatoes to the pan.
- Other nuts or seeds: Instead of pecans, use walnuts or pumpkin seeds.
- Winter squash: In place of sweet potatoes, use cubed butternut or other winter squash. Cook with the broth until nearly tender before adding the beans.
- Add some heat: Drizzle chili crisp or sriracha over the veg before serving.
🔪 Instructions
- Step 1: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly ¾ inch cubes. It's fine if some pieces are larger or smaller.
- Step 2: Wash the beans and trim the stems off. Then, cut the beans in half.
- Step 3: In a large pan, toast the pecans over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring on occasion. Transfer to a plate.
- Step 4: In the now-empty pan, add the sweet potatoes, broth, salt, and pepper. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat slightly so that it's at a steady simmer, and cook for 4 minutes.
- Step 5: Uncover the pot and add the beans. Return the cover and cook for another minute.
- Step 6: While the potatoes and beans are cooking, roughly chop the sage leaves.
- Step 7: Uncover the pan, add the butter, maple syrup, and sage. Turn up the heat a little and cook until the liquid has reduced and the veggies are glazed, about 3-4 more minutes. Gently toss the vegetables occasionally as they cook.
- Step 8: Top the green beans and sweet potatoes with the toasted pecans and serve warm.
✨ Top Tip
Be gentle when tossing the sweet potatoes and green beans around the pan towards the end of cooking, as the potatoes will be soft and can be easily squished.
🥡 Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I don't suggest freezing leftovers as the texture of either vegetable won't be great afterward.
🔪 advance prep
Since most of the time in this recipe is spent peeling, chopping, and trimming the ingredients, you can do this part ahead of time for a speedy side dish for a holiday meal or weeknight dinner.
Prep the sweet potatoes, green beans, and sage as described up to three days in advance and store the ingredients in the fridge until you're ready to cook.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
Absolutely. They're two common vegetables at a holiday meal for good reason. The sweet potatoes are earthy and tender while the beans have some crunch and crispness to then. For that reason, they balance each other well when cooked together in a single dish. It saves time, too.
Maple syrup or brown sugar go well with sweet potatoes because they bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetable. Nuts like pecans and walnuts can add crunch to balance their soft texture. Woody herbs offset the sweetness and help a dish keep fresh. Other vegetables, like green beans can offer a varying texture and keep a sweet potato dish interesting.
Start by simmering cubed sweet potatoes in some broth in a pan on top of the stove. Cover for a few minutes before adding the beans. Cook until the beans are tender, adding maple syrup and butter towards the end to create a sweet, buttery glaze.
🧅 Pairing
Try serving any of these recipes with these green beans and potatoes:
📖 Recipe
One Pan Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 as a side 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Sweet potatoes and green beans are simmered in broth and finished with maple syrup, butter, sage, and toasted pecans for a cozy fall side.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 ½ pounds)
- ¾ pound green beans
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly ¾-inch cubes. Trim off the stem end of the green beans and then cut them in half.
- Toast the pecans: In a large skillet over low heat, add the pecans and toast, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Simmer the vegetables: In the empty skillet, combine the sweet potatoes, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are just tender. Add the green beans, cover again, and cook for another minute.
- Glaze and brown: Uncover the pan. Add the butter, maple syrup, and sage. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often but gently, until the butter and syrup form a glaze and the vegetables are tender, about 2-4 more minutes.
- Finish: Sprinkle over the toasted pecans and a little more salt, to taste, before serving warm.
Notes
Be gentle when tossing the sweet potatoes and green beans around the pan towards the end of cooking, as the potatoes will be soft and can be easily squished.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
🥔 Related Recipes
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