Baked Yams with Vegan Marshmallows and Pecans

There’s something special about these BAKED YAMS WITH VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS AND PECANS! Not only are these super easy to throw together, but they’re also colorful and almost dessert-like! They add a nice sweetness to your holiday table. As my dad would always say, “They taste like candy!”

Easy Baked Yams with Vegan Marshmallows and Pecans

I’m all about shortcuts when it comes to preparing a huge holiday meal for lots of people. Like this recipe, for example, where I opt for canned yams over fresh. Why? Because It’s JUST AS GOOD and doesn’t require any peeling or chopping.

This one is easy to make the night before so you have more time to enjoy friends and family on the big day. All you have to do is empty one can of yams (plus ½ cup of the syrup from can) into a small oven-safe dish. Drizzle some melted vegan butter over top, sprinkle on the brown sugar, and add some marshmallows (I used Dandies). Top with chopped pecans. I like to add a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, which is optional. On the big day, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and then return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and browned.

Yams Vs Sweet Potatoes

Technically, I think this dish is made with sweet potatoes. But the can is labeled YAMS! And sometimes I think the grocery store even labels them incorrectly. So, I did a little research.

Turns out, yams and sweet potatoes actually belong to two different plant families.

Yams are a tuber vegetable and can grow very large in size, up to 5 feet, and weigh as much as 130 pounds. They are cylindrical in shape with rough, bark-like skin that can be difficult to peel. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are less sweet and are much more starchy and dry.

Sweet potatoes are a starchy root vegetable. They are long and tapered with a smooth skin that can vary in color from yellow to orange to even purple. There are two main types of sweet potatoes. The dark-skinned orange-flesh, which are soft and sweet, and commonly found in local supermarkets. The other type has a more golden skin with a pale flesh, closer to the appearance of a regular potato, and is less sweet and drier in taste.

More Recipes For Your Holiday Table:

Traditional Sausage Stuffing – Except Vegan

Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Scalloped Corn with Saltine Crackers

Vegan Mushroom Miso Gravy

Butternut Squash Pasta with Thyme and Fried Sage