How to Make Candied Yams: A Southern Stovetop Recipe

Candied yams are a beloved Southern side dish, especially during the holidays, known for their melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and sweet, comforting flavors. This old-fashioned recipe, cooked entirely on the stovetop, is a testament to simple ingredients transforming into something truly special. If you’re wondering How To Make Candied Yams that will impress your family and friends, you’ve come to the right place. This recipe combines brown and white sugar, rich butter, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, a hint of vanilla, and a touch of citrus from orange juice concentrate to create a buttery caramel toffee flavor that perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the yams. Get ready to learn how to make candied yams that will become a staple at your Thanksgiving or any special occasion table!

A delicious bowl of Southern candied yams, showcasing their glossy, caramelized coating and tender texture.

Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes: Understanding the Difference

Before we dive into how to make candied yams, it’s important to clear up a common misconception: are yams and sweet potatoes the same? While often used interchangeably, especially in North America, true yams and sweet potatoes are actually distinct root vegetables. True yams are cylindrical with rough, dark skin and white flesh, and they are starchier and less sweet than what we typically call “yams” in grocery stores.

In most supermarkets in the US and other regions outside of Africa, Asia, and parts of South America, what’s labeled as “yams” are actually sweet potatoes, specifically a variety with a deep orange flesh. These sweet potatoes have a smoother, reddish skin and a tubular shape with tapered ends. For this recipe, and for most recipes calling for “candied yams”, we will be using these orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. So, when you see “yams” in this recipe, know that we are referring to sweet potatoes – the delicious, orange variety you likely find in your local grocery store. Now that we’ve clarified that, let’s get back to learning how to make candied yams using sweet potatoes!

Why This Stovetop Candied Yams Recipe Works

This Southern candied yams recipe is a winner for several reasons, making it the perfect choice when you’re learning how to make candied yams:

1. Easy Preparation: We use smaller, slimmer sweet potatoes, which are not only easier to peel and cut but also tend to be more uniform in size, ensuring even cooking. If you can’t find smaller ones, larger sweet potatoes will work just as well, just adjust your peeling and slicing accordingly.
2. Simple & Flavorful Ingredients: This recipe is all about highlighting the natural sweetness of the yams with a perfectly balanced candied coating. The combination of brown and white sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and orange juice concentrate creates a depth of flavor that is both comforting and irresistible. It’s a straightforward approach to how to make candied yams taste incredible.
3. Rich and Buttery: These candied yams are undeniably rich and buttery, a delightful indulgence perfect for special occasions. While not a light dish, they are the epitome of Southern comfort food, especially when enjoyed as a Thanksgiving side.
4. Stovetop Convenience: Cooking these yams on the stovetop offers greater control. You can easily monitor the cooking process, stir occasionally to prevent burning, and adjust the flavors as needed. This method is key to learning how to make candied yams with perfect texture and sweetness.
5. Budget-Friendly Side Dish: Candied yams are a wonderfully inexpensive side dish that delivers maximum flavor and satisfaction, making them ideal for large gatherings or family meals.

Stovetop candied yams simmering in a pot, showing the rich, bubbling syrup and tenderizing sweet potatoes.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Candied Yams on the Stovetop

Now, let’s get to the heart of it: how to make candied yams using this easy stovetop method. Follow these simple steps for delicious results:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes (often labeled as yams)
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: Begin by scrubbing, peeling, and slicing your sweet potatoes into ½-inch thick rounds. Aim for even slices to ensure they cook uniformly.
2. Combine Ingredients in a Pot: In a medium-sized pot, combine the sliced sweet potatoes with dark brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, vanilla extract, butter, and thawed orange juice concentrate.
3. Coat the Sweet Potatoes: Stir the mixture gently until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated with the sugar and butter mixture.
4. Bring to a Boil, Then Simmer: Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for approximately 50 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
5. Check for Tenderness: To check if the yams are done, take out a slice and taste it. It should be tender and easily pierced with a fork. If it’s still a bit firm, continue to simmer for a little longer, checking periodically.
6. Reduce the Syrup: Remove the lid from the pot and increase the heat to medium. Let the cooking liquid come to a gentle boil again, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces and thickens into a luscious syrup that coats the yams beautifully. Be careful not to over-reduce, as the syrup will thicken further as it cools.
7. Serve Warm: Remove the pot from the stovetop. For best results, serve these stovetop candied yams warm. You can keep them warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve.

A serving bowl filled with glistening stovetop candied yams, ready to be enjoyed as a comforting side dish.

Tips for Perfect Stovetop Candied Yams

Mastering how to make candied yams is easy with these helpful tips:

• Make Ahead: Candied yams can be made up to 3 days in advance! In fact, the flavors often meld together even more beautifully overnight. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop until warmed through before serving.
• Choose the Right Sweet Potatoes: Look for long, slender sweet potatoes as they are generally easier to peel and slice. Aim for sweet potatoes that are roughly the same size for consistent cooking.
• Uniform Slicing: Try to cut the sweet potatoes into uniform ½-inch slices. This ensures they cook evenly and prevents some slices from becoming mushy while others are still firm.
• Gentle Stirring: Once the candied yams are cooked and tender, stir them gently into the sauce. Over-stirring or stirring too vigorously can cause the tender yams to break apart.
• Doneness Test: The best way to check if your candied yams are done is to taste one! It should be tender and sweet. You can also pierce a slice with a fork; it should go through easily.
• Adjust Sweetness: If you prefer less sweetness, you can reduce the amount of sugar slightly. Start with a little less and taste as they cook, adding more if needed. If they become too sweet, you can balance it out with a touch more butter or a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Syrup Consistency: If the syrup becomes too thick during reduction, you can thin it out with a tablespoon or two of water until it reaches your desired consistency.

Southern Candied Yams Recipe

This is the recipe card for how to make candied yams discussed in this article.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 5

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 stick butter
• 4 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Instructions

1. Scrub, peel, and slice yams into ½ inch rounds. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Stir to coat yams.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes, or until yams are tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Remove lid, increase heat to medium, and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until syrup coats yams.
4. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Notes

• For a richer flavor, use dark brown sugar.
• Adjust sugar to your sweetness preference.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop.

Enjoy Your Homemade Candied Yams!

Learning how to make candied yams from scratch is a rewarding experience. This Southern stovetop recipe delivers a classic side dish that is perfect for holidays, family dinners, or any time you crave a taste of Southern comfort. The tender sweet potatoes, coated in a rich, spiced caramel syrup, are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Gather your ingredients, follow these simple steps, and get ready to enjoy the best homemade candied yams you’ve ever tasted!