Sweet Potato, Carrot and Dried Fruit Casserole Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Sweet Potato, Carrot and Dried Fruit Casserole Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(201)
Notes
Read community notes

This dish is inspired by several tsimmes recipes in Joan Nathan’s “Jewish Cooking in America.” Tsimmes, a Yiddish word that means “fuss,” doesn’t have to be fussy at all. Sometimes the dish contains meat (and is fussier than this one), but sometimes it’s just fruit and vegetables. Warning: You may find yourself eating this for breakfast.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves eight

  • 6medium carrots about 1½ pounds, peeled and cut in ¾-inch dice
  • 3medium sweet potatoes about 2¼ pounds, peeled and cut in ¾-inch dice
  • 2Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in medium dice
  • ¼pound pitted prunes, cut in half
  • ¼pound pitted apricots, quartered
  • 2tablespoons mild honey, like clover
  • ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt to taste about ½ teaspoon
  • 1cup fresh orange juice
  • 1tablespoon unsalted butter

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

171 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 22 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 205 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Sweet Potato, Carrot and Dried Fruit Casserole Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or oil a 3-quart baking dish.

  2. Step

    2

    Place the carrots and sweet potatoes in a steamer set above 1 inch of boiling water, and steam for five to 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain and toss with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Combine well, and scrape into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are thoroughly tender. Dot the top with butter, and bake another 10 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.

Tips

  • Sweet potatoes may be labeled as yams. Look for dark orange flesh.
  • Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish several hours before baking. You can bake it a day or two ahead of serving; reheat it in a medium oven.

Ratings

4

out of 5

201

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Tracey A.

I made this for a Thanksgiving potluck and it was hugely successful! Everyone loved it!
I made a few minor modifications:
1-1/4 lbs carrots, (Weighed on a kitchen scale)
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" dice
2 granny smith apples unpeeled, cored and cut into medium dice
I used dried fruit, weighed on my kitchen scale and didn't use the honey (I actually forgot it but think it was a good omission.)
I used salted butter because that's what I had.

Sara Coles

I had to quadruple the recipe, but when I took it to a Passover Seder for 35 guests, they all raved about it...I guess it's a keeper!

Anat

Carrots take longer to cook. Place them alone in steamer for as long as it takes to tender. There was too much liquid and dish wasn't ready after 50 minutes...still plenty of liquid.
Where did I go wrong?

Sheila

I peeled 3 Granny Smith apples but could use any baking apple. The dried pitted apricots were expensive in time & $ but did not contribute to end product: find an alternative. Possibly dried cranberries, no cutting. 4 med size oranges made 1 cp of fresh orange juice. Followed recipe quantities, rounding up & produce 5 qts. when cooked it became 2.5 qts. of finished product. Used freshly grated nutmeg but need more spices. Useful for buffet. Can be made a day ahead & reheat.

Jo Ann

I needed a vegetarian side dish to bring to a large gathering at a local synagogue, and this recipe caught my eye. So glad I made it! It was delicious and healthy, and would also make an excellent addition to Thanksgiving dinner. I did substitute dried cranberries, instead of the prunes, and although I used butter to grease the casserole dish, I elected not to dot any on the finished product. It didn't need it. I ate leftovers cold for lunch the next day--excellent!

Gretchen

This is so good! To answer a few other people's Qs: you use dried apricots, not fresh, and I think you probably leave the lid OFF. That's what I did, since one reviewer said the dish had too much excess liquid; with no lid, the juices evaporated just enough that the dish was moist but not runny.I used 1 tsp. of honey instead of 2 T., and it seemed just right. Next time will make it vegan by using agave and omitting the butter.

David C

This was a huge Thanksgiving day hit. Played with the proportions a bit (more dried fruit, including some diced dried mango, plus some other old gift basket fruit I had left over from the previous holiday season). The key was to prepare everything the night before, except the apples, and let it all macerate in the oj. The day of, I caramelized the apples in the butter & mixed it all together before baking. The maceration created a delicious sauce & the result was a smashing success.

Tolke

I steamed the vegetables in an instant pot and the sweet potato fell apart. Next time I will try pressure cooking for just a minute or two. But even when the sweet potato disintegrated, this dish was still delicious.

debbiesue52

Overall, a very successful recipe. I made it with purple sweet potatoes. The color was gorgeous. I steamed the diced carrots and sweet potatoes in my InstantPot for 4 minutes and followed the rest of the recipe as written. It was an enjoyable and colorful addition to our Thanksgiving dinner.

Jo Ann

I needed a vegetarian side dish to bring to a large gathering at a local synagogue, and this recipe caught my eye. So glad I made it! It was delicious and healthy, and would also make an excellent addition to Thanksgiving dinner. I did substitute dried cranberries, instead of the prunes, and although I used butter to grease the casserole dish, I elected not to dot any on the finished product. It didn't need it. I ate leftovers cold for lunch the next day--excellent!

Gretchen

This is so good! To answer a few other people's Qs: you use dried apricots, not fresh, and I think you probably leave the lid OFF. That's what I did, since one reviewer said the dish had too much excess liquid; with no lid, the juices evaporated just enough that the dish was moist but not runny.I used 1 tsp. of honey instead of 2 T., and it seemed just right. Next time will make it vegan by using agave and omitting the butter.

Erika

Perhaps a stupid question, but I’ll take my chances. Do you use dried apricots or fresh apricots? Thanks!

Trepidatious Cook

no such thing as a stupid question, recipes should be very precise so questions don't arise

Leslie Oster

Do you bake this covered or uncovered???

Gina Ruben

Did you try this and what did you do about the cover?

dk

This is a great recipe. Also very forgiving. I used more dried fruits (1/3 LB), cinnamon (2 tsp), and apples (3 medium), but less butter (3/4 tbsp?) and honey (1 tbsp). I made the dish a day before without the butter. It tasted great. I'd sprayed some coconut oil on the baking dish though. Next day before the Thanksgiving dinner, I reheated the dish with the butter on the top as the recipe required, but that did not add much to the flavor. I might just skip the butter next time.

Anat

Carrots take longer to cook. Place them alone in steamer for as long as it takes to tender. There was too much liquid and dish wasn't ready after 50 minutes...still plenty of liquid.
Where did I go wrong?

irene

substitute cranberries
increase recipe for 11 people.

Sheila

I peeled 3 Granny Smith apples but could use any baking apple. The dried pitted apricots were expensive in time & $ but did not contribute to end product: find an alternative. Possibly dried cranberries, no cutting. 4 med size oranges made 1 cp of fresh orange juice. Followed recipe quantities, rounding up & produce 5 qts. when cooked it became 2.5 qts. of finished product. Used freshly grated nutmeg but need more spices. Useful for buffet. Can be made a day ahead & reheat.

Tracey A.

I made this for a Thanksgiving potluck and it was hugely successful! Everyone loved it!
I made a few minor modifications:
1-1/4 lbs carrots, (Weighed on a kitchen scale)
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" dice
2 granny smith apples unpeeled, cored and cut into medium dice
I used dried fruit, weighed on my kitchen scale and didn't use the honey (I actually forgot it but think it was a good omission.)
I used salted butter because that's what I had.

Sara Coles

I had to quadruple the recipe, but when I took it to a Passover Seder for 35 guests, they all raved about it...I guess it's a keeper!

Private notes are only visible to you.

Sweet Potato, Carrot and Dried Fruit Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make sweet potato casserole not watery? ›

Maple syrup, a dash of cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla all make an appearance for an incredible flavor. It's hearty and satisfying. Eggs and cream help stabilize the dish and prevent it from becoming too runny (a common complaint with many sweet potato casserole recipes).

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Why do you put eggs in sweet potato casserole? ›

A really good sweet potato casserole filling should be light and moist, not dense. If it's dense, then you may not have added an often overlooked ingredient—an egg. An egg adds lift, structure and volume and makes the filling more custard-like.

Do you cook sweet potatoes before dehydrating? ›

Sweet potatoes should be pretreated before being dehydrated, otherwise, they will retain a raw “uncooked” taste when rehydrated. The most common way to pretreat vegetables is to blanch them for a few minutes, using either steam or boiling water.

How do you add moisture to a dry casserole? ›

If you've already cooked your casserole and find out it's too dry, another easy fix is to warm some broth and then pour it over the top of your casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent the liquid from evaporating and wait for 10 minutes or so before serving.

How do I thicken up my sweet potato casserole? ›

All-purpose flour will help thicken the sauce and give some structure. Maple syrup balances the sweetness and adds flavor. All granulated sugar can be too sweet.

What happens if you don't soak sweet potatoes? ›

However, when it comes to using soaking as a means to prevent oxidation, it's unnecessary to soak sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be diced or peeled, and stored in the refrigerator for several days without changing color. White and yellow potatoes, on the other hand, will oxidize much easier.

Should you soak potatoes in salt or sugar water? ›

Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.

How long can you leave sweet potatoes soaking in water? ›

Types of Potatoes to Soak

"Sweet potatoes can also be peeled and stored in water for up to 24 hours."

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes in cooking? ›

No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

How many sweet potatoes is 4 cups? ›

For cooking purposes, 1 pound of sweet potatoes equals about three medium whole, 2 cups mashed or 3½ to 4 cups chopped.

How do you dehydrate carrots? ›

Arrange blanched carrots in single layers on drying trays. Dry at 140 degrees F (60°C) in an oven or dehydrator. If necessary, turn large pieces over every 3 to 4 hours during the drying period. Dried carrots should be tough to brittle.

Can dogs have sweet potatoes? ›

If your dog is giving puppy dog eyes for your favorite Thanksgiving side, you may wonder if dogs can eat sweet potatoes. Good news: vets give the OK when it comes to dogs and sweet potatoes! In fact, sweet potatoes are considered a healthy treat for dogs and offer lots of nutritional value for your pooch.

Can dogs eat raw sweet potatoes? ›

When feeding your dog a sweet potato, make sure it's cooked and that the skin is removed; leaving the skin on makes it harder for your dog to digest. You should never feed your dog a raw sweet potato. Not only are they difficult to chew, but they can upset your dog's stomach and potentially cause intestinal blockage.

Why is my sweet potato casserole liquidy? ›

If your sweet potato casserole turned out “watery”, its usually because you forgot to add eggs; you didn't let your casserole have enough time to set up after baking or you used fresh sweet potatoes and didn't boil them long enough before mashing.

How do you fix a watery casserole? ›

10 Tips To Fix Or Prevent Watery Casseroles
  1. Prep Vegetables Ahead Of Time. Vegetables boiling on a stove - Solstock/Getty Images. ...
  2. Add A Starch. ...
  3. Experiment With Pasta Or Grains. ...
  4. Take The Lid Off. ...
  5. Drain Fat From Meat. ...
  6. Choose A Dry Or Low-Fat Cheese. ...
  7. Sprinkle Seeds Into Your Bake. ...
  8. Remove Excess Liquid.
Oct 29, 2023

How do you remove excess water from sweet potatoes? ›

Freezing sweet potatoes drives excess water out of the potato, resulting in an interior with more concentrated flavor. Freezing also lowers the starting temperature of the potato, allowing more time for amylase enzymes to convert starch to sweet-tasting maltose.

Why is my potato casserole runny? ›

My sauce is watery

If you used a pre-prepped potato from the refrigerator section instead of slicing your own, they can have preservatives that make them a bit watery. If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole.

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