Typically a traditional dish found on Thanksgiving tables across the U.S., sweet potatoes are increasing in popularity year-round due to an increased interest in healthful eating and plant-based diets. While loading them up with marshmallows is the American way, ginger ale can make your everyday sweet potatoes better with a burst of sweet heat.
Because of their sweet, buttery flavor and creamy texture, sweet potatoes can easily translate into a savory dinner — side or entrée — or become the base of a show-stopping dessert. For that “swicy” flavor people are drawn to, baking sweet potato in ginger ale is an ideal answer. All you have to do is pour a bottle of hot ginger ale over sliced sweet potatoes arranged in a casserole dish, add salt and pepper, dot with butter, and bake for 30-40 minutes. If you can’t get your hands on an extra-ginger ale, just use the standard version and add a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, or even ground ginger to the ale.
Why ginger works with sweet potatoes
If you’ve never enjoyed it before, ginger and sweet potatoes are a made-for-each-other combination. The warm, zesty flavor of ginger only emphasizes the natural sweetness in sweet potatoes. The two are also partners providing excellent health benefits. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene (aka Vitamin A), fiber, and potassium while ginger, or its phenolic phytochemical compound gingerol, aids digestion, helps to ease nausea, and is loaded with antioxidants.
Don’t hesitate to add ginger to all of your sweet potato recipes, whether savory or sweet. Grate fresh ginger over creamy, caramelized sweet potatoes after they’ve been roasted low and slow, grilled, or blended into the fluffiest hummus ever. You can even sprinkle ground ginger into a sweet potato pie or even a crème brûlée-stuffed sweet potato — it’s a combination that always seems to work.
