Go Back
Print
Jalapeño Popper Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Jalapeño Popper Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

As stated, I made these in the oven, but I am including both sets of directions. I made 5 of these and served each as a main course (I had one leftover). 2 sweet potatoes would be adequate for 4 side dishes however, so I wrote the recipe for 2. This recipe is closely adapted with Laura Bashar's permission. 


For a vegetarian version, leave out the bacon and try using a smoked salt in place of the kosher salt.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium (approx. 9 oz) sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 t kosher sea salt
  • pinch freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 T sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked bacon (about 10 slices)

For serving:

  • 2 green onions, finely sliced
  • sour cream

Instructions

  1. If cooking outside, prepare the fire or grill for medium heat (see note). If inside, preheat the oven to 425 F.

  2. Prepare the sweet potatoes by slicing thin slits into each potato, stopping 1/4-inch from the bottom of the potato. (A trick Bashar suggests is to place chopsticks at each end of the potato, and they will stop the knife at the appropriate place.) They should look a bit like an accordion. 

  3. Season the entire sweet potatoes with the salt and black pepper.

  4. If cooking outside in foil, prepare 4 sheets of aluminum foil to wrap each potato in. If cooking in a Dutch oven or inside, skip this step.

  5. Using a rubber spatula, mix the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.

  6. Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese, minced jalapeño and garlic, and the chopped bacon.

  7. This part is tricky but forgiving of mistakes (because I broke a few potatoes!): using a spoon and your fingers, press the cream cheese-sour cream filling inside of each slit in the sweet potatoes. If your sweet potato breaks, just smoosh it back together.

  8. Sprinkle any leftover filling on top of the sweet potatoes.

  9. If using foil, wrap each potato tightly in foil. Or place inside the Dutch oven or place on a lightly greased cookie sheet for inside.

  10. If cooking in a fire, place the foil wrapped potatoes around the outside of the fire (the center will be too hot). Or place the covered Dutch oven on 11 coals with 17 coals on top. For inside, bake at 425 F.

  11. No matter where you bake your sweet potatoes, they will take around 40-45 minutes to cook through. Of course there will be more variation with a live fire than your oven.

  12. When the sweet potato can be pierced easily with a fork through the center, it is ready. Be careful when opening any foil wrapped potatoes as they will be quite hot!

  13. Serve sprinkled with green onions and with sour cream on the side. 

Recipe Notes

Bashar has an entire section in the front of the book devoted to figuring out the temperature of your fire. It involves either the color of ash (grey with no glowing for medium) and how long you can hold your hand 3-5 inches above the fire (5-6 seconds for medium) or it can involve the number of briquettes used if using a Dutch oven. It is too much detail to go into here, so I recommend you buy the book to learn about all of your options for cooking these outside!