Cheesy Maple Bacon Hasselback Sweet Potatoes are a wholesome holiday side dish that is nice and hearty! Made with Cache Valley® Colby & Monterey Jack and Cache Valley® Whole Milk Mozzarella, these potatoes are topped with cheese AND maple candied bacon. Serves 4.
This post has been sponsored by Cache Valley® Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As you plan your holiday meal, it’s time to head on over to your local Safeway to get cheesy with things.
Cheese is one of those ingredients that makes a regular appearance on the holiday dining table, at least in my world.
You can grab a coupon for Cache Valley® Creamery Cheese at Safeway here!
Whether it’s a cheese plate or cheesy potatoes, it’s the one ingredient that I would be absolutely miserable without around the holidays.
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes, but I am kind of burnt out on the marshmallow topped casseroles you see floating around this time of year. Instead, I wanted to bring sweet potatoes to the table in a brand new way!
Cheese is what makes these potatoes better, but not just any cheese, Cache Valley® Creamery Cheese!
I’ve shared recipes with Cache Valley Creamery before (like this Tear-Apart Sourdough Holiday Cheese Dip!). The truth is, time and time again, I go back to Cache Valley Creamery cheeses because they are rich, smooth, and full of flavor. This is what makes them perfect for melting, especially on these hasselback sweet potatoes.
I like to use the combination of Cache Valley® Colby & Monterey Jack and Cache Valley® Whole Milk Mozzarella for these potatoes because the flavors lend themselves so well to sweet potatoes.
Not to mention the candied maple bacon and fresh thyme leaves that are sprinkled on top!
let’s make delish cheesy maple bacon hasselback sweet potatoes!
Make Candied Maple Bacon
Candied maple bacon is super simple to make! Simply place the bacon in an even layer on a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet that’s been lined with aluminum foil.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle evenly with maple syrup. Place in the oven, THEN turn on the oven. You want the bacon in a cold oven because it’s the key to making candied bacon that turns out perfect every time!
Once it’s done, roughly chop it and set it aside.
Prep Potatoes
To prep the potatoes, start by scrubbing them well and then pat them dry with paper towels. Use a very sharp knife to make the 1/8-inch slits in the potatoes, making sure to stop 1/2-inch from the bottom. You don’t want the knife going all the way through or the potatoes will fall apart!
Bake Potatoes
Place the potatoes on a clean baking sheet, then brush with the herb butter. Bake for 30 minutes, brush with the remaining butter, and bake again for 25 minutes.
Break out the Cache Valley® Colby & Monterey Jack and Cache Valley® Whole Milk Mozzarella, sprinkling it over the top. The potatoes go back in the oven to bake until the cheese is nice and gooey. Sprinkle it with the chopped candied bacon and some fresh thyme leaves before serving!
Need some more inspiration for side dishes? Check out my side dish recipes page!
can I use a different type of potato?
While I highly recommend sweet potatoes for this recipe, you can also use russet potatoes if you prefer! Just treat the russet potatoes the same as instructed for the sweet potatoes.
can I make this dish vegetarian?
To make this dish vegetarian, simply skip the maple candied bacon!
Cheesy Maple Bacon Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Take sweet potatoes to the next level with this easy hasselback recipe!
Ingredients
Maple Candied Bacon
- 8 slices Thick Sliced Bacon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
Potatoes
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 4 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup Cache Valley® Colby & Monterey Jack
- 1/3 cup Cache Valley® Whole Milk Mozzarella
- Garnish: fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- To make the maple candied bacon, add bacon in one layer on a rack. Place the rack on an aluminum foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle bacon with maple syrup and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place in the oven.
- Turn oven to 425°F. You want to put the bacon in a cold oven and allow it to bake as the oven preheats so the bacon candies properly! Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes (time may vary based on how quickly your oven heats up, so check it a couple of times). Remove from oven when done (keep oven on) and roughly chop bacon. Set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, spray a separate baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Wash and scrub sweet potatoes well, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Using a sharp knife, slice 1/8-inch wide slits into each sweet potato, stopping 1/2-inch from the bottom of the potato. You don't want to cut straight through! Place on baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together butter, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Brush half the butter onto the potatoes and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter. Return to the oven to bake for another 25 minutes, until soft and tender in the center.
- Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle with both shredded cheeses. Return to oven and bake until the cheeses are melted, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with candied bacon and fresh thyme leaves. Serve immediately.
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