Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes – Plain Chicken

Lunch Lady Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes – quick and easy sweet potato casserole that is a childhood lunchroom favorite. Sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, orange juice, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Super simple to make and tastes great. Ready to eat in under an hour. Great side dish for potlucks, holiday meals, and summer cookouts.

Plain Chicken participates in affiliate advertising programs. We may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on our site.

Lunch Lady Orange Sweeet Potatoes

These Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes are one of our favorite holiday side dishes. I  came across this recipe in my government school cafeteria cookbook and couldn’t resist trying it. Tender sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, orange juice, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Effortless to make and tastes great!  I am pretty sure my lunchroom never served something this delicious! This dish will definitely be on our holiday dinner table.

How to Make Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

This side dish is easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. Drain canned orange sweet potatoes and reserve liquid. Chop potatoes and place them in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, orange juice, reserved syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add dried cranberries. Pour glaze over the sweet potatoes. Bake in a preheated oven.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

• I use Bruce’s Yams – Cut Sweet Potatoes in Syrup. While they are called yams on the can, they are actually sweet potatoes. Most of the time you are eating yams, you are probably eating sweet potatoes.
• What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? 
  • Sweet potatoes have smooth orange or reddish skin, orange flesh, and a sweet flavor.
  • True yams have rough brown skin like tree bark, white flesh, and a neutral flavor.
• Can I use fresh sweet potatoes? Yes! Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the cubes on a baking sheet. Roast at 450ºF until tender, about 40 minutes.
• For extra orange flavor, add some orange zest to the glaze.
• Can Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cool completely. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
  • If using a glass baking dish, remove it from the oven and bring it to room temperature before baking.
  • You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time if baking cold straight from the refrigerator.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What to Serve with Potatoes

These sweet potatoes are a must for your holiday meal. They go great with turkey, ham, pork, mashed potatoes, and gravy. This dish is equally delicious at a summer cookout with grilled chicken and pork chops. Give this easy casserole recipe a try the next time you need a delicious side dish the whole family will enjoy!

Looking for more holiday side dishes? Here are a few popular recipes from the website:

Lunch Lady Recipes

Lunch Lady Corn Pudding

Lunch Lady Corn Pudding Recipe – quick and easy corn casserole that is a childhood lunchroom favorite. Corn kernels, creamed…

Vegetables

Lunch Lady Broccoli Cheese & Rice Casserole

Lunch Lady Broccoli Cheese & Rice Casserole Recipe – quick and easy side dish that is a childhood school cafeteria…

Mac & Cheese

4-Cheese Mac & Cheese

4-Cheese Southern Mac and Cheese Recipe – so easy and it tastes AMAZING! No roux or white sauce! Simply boil…

Vegetables

Smothered Green Beans

Smothered Green Beans – canned green beans baked in bacon, brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, and garlic. This is the…

Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Yield: 12 people

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Lunch Lady Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes – quick and easy sweet potato casserole that is a childhood lunchroom favorite. Sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, orange juice, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Super simple to make and tastes great. Ready to eat in under an hour. Great side dish for potlucks, holiday meals, and summer cookouts.

• 1 (40-oz) can cut sweet potatoes with syrup
• 2 (15-oz) cans cut sweet potatoes with syrup
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 5½ Tbsp brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp undiluted frozen orange juice concentrate
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup dried cranberries

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

• Drain sweet potatoes, reserving ½ cup of syrup.

• Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in the bottom of the baking dish.

• In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, orange juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and reserved syrup.

• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in dried cranberries.

• Pour glaze over sweet potatoes.

• Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes.

• This recipe uses 70-oz of sweet potatoes.
• I use Bruce’s Yams – Cut Sweet Potatoes in Syrup. While they are called yams on the can, they are actually sweet potatoes. Most of the time you are eating yams, you are probably eating sweet potatoes.
• What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
  • Sweet potatoes have smooth orange or reddish skin, orange flesh, and a sweet flavor.
  • True yams have rough brown skin like tree bark, white flesh, and a neutral flavor.
• Can I use fresh sweet potatoes? Yes! Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the cubes on a baking sheet. Roast at 450ºF until tender, about 40 minutes.
• For extra orange flavor, add some orange zest to the glaze.
• Can Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cool completely. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
  • If using a glass baking dish, remove it from the oven and bring it to room temperature before baking.
  • You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time if baking cold straight from the refrigerator.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steph