101 Perfect Potato Side Dish Recipes

updated Nov 22, 2023

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Dauphinoise potatoes in red casserole dish — Credit: Photo: Ghazalle Badiozamani; Food Styling: Brett Regot"

I could eat potatoes every day for the rest of my life. At their core these spuds are so humble, but with a little finesse, they suddenly blossom into a comforting starchy side which turns out to the best thing on the plate (no offense to the main dish!)

Mashed potatoes, roasted, baked — sign me up as interested for all of the above. And perhaps best of all, there’s a potato side dish to go with just about anything you’re serving for dinner, be it a Thanksgiving turkey, meaty steak, juicy pork chops, meatloaf, or fish.

And I’m not alone. Turns out we all pretty much feel the same way and these recipes — over 55 of our best potato sides — prove that you really can eat potatoes almost every way.

In This Article

Roasted and Baked Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Potato Casseroles
Sweet Potatoes

Roasted and Baked Potatoes

What’s not to love about potato that get so crackly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the outside when thrown into a screaming-hot oven? No, we’re seriously asking, It’s indisputably just about the most hands-off way to prepare them.

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Roasted Baby Potatoes

Everyone needs a simple, versatile side that’s easy to partner with whatever they're cooking for dinner.

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The Best Baked Potatoes

Here’s how to make an absolutely perfect baked potato every time, from choosing the right type of potato to how long to bake it for.

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Parmesan Potatoes

Melted Parmesan takes these roasted potatoes to a whole new level.

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Greek Lemon Potatoes

They’re melt-in-your-mouth creamy and packed with a big savory, lemony flavor.

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3-Ingredient Garlicky Red Potatoes

Thick chunks of red potatoes are tossed with a generous dusting of garlic powder, then finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon before they hit the table.

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3-Ingredient Roasted Dijon Potatoes

Not only do these potatoes have the ultra-crispy, crackly edges you love, but they also have a little added tang and go with everything.

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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

The real key is roasting the potatoes past mere tenderness and all the way until they’ve turned golden and crispy on the outside.

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Ranch Roasted Potatoes

These super-crispy roasted potatoes have a magical sauce of butter, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning mix.

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3-Ingredient Sheet Pan Cajun Spiced Potatoes

Red potatoes are coated in Cajun seasoning and a few dashes of cayenne pepper hot sauce, then baked until hot and crisp.

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How to Make the Best-Ever Melting Potatoes

Thick potatoes rounds become meltingly tender when roasted slowly in butter and broth.

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Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes

These mouthwatering smashed potatoes are tossed in a garlic butter mixture and baked until golden and crispy.

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Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes

Turn to your air fryer for this impossibly crispy and easy side dish.

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Roasted Potatoes with Bacon & Brussels Sprouts

Adding bacon and Brussels sprout to your baking sheet makes these potatoes even more crowd-pleasing.

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Roasted Garlic Butter Fingerling Potatoes

A simple recipe for fingerling potatoes roasted in butter, olive oil, and garlic.

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Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are sliced into thin wedges but left joined at the bottom, then baked until the layers fan out into crispy rounds.

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"Restaurant" Potatoes with Frizzled Onions

This one-pan steam method leaves you with fluffy potatoes with a crisp exterior.

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Parmesan Pesto Roasted Potatoes

This is a pasta-lover’s potato: rich in garlicky, herby flavor and packed with cheese, with all the crispy goodness of the best roasted potatoes.

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Fondant Potatoes

An easy, impressive recipe for restaurant-quality fondant potatoes made with just five staple ingredients.

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Crispy Salt & Vinegar Fingerling Potatoes

If you love salt and vinegar chips, you'll definitely love these roasted potatoes.

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Garlic Butter Potatoes

Roasted potatoes are pretty great, but these garlic butter roasted potatoes are even better.

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Lemon Butter Melting Potatoes

With a crispy crust and fluffy inside, these roasted potatoes are totally perfect.

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Crash Hot Potatoes

This easy method for crispy smashed potatoes will be your new go-to side dish.

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Crispy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

The high fan speed and concentrated heat of the air fryer makes baked potatoes that are fluffy and tender on the inside and shatteringly crisp on the outside.

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Thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes are soaked, seasoned, and formed into decorative roses for an easy-yet-impressive side.

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Cheesy Garlic Duchess Potatoes

Mashed potatoes piped into ruffled mounds that get bathed in butter and baked until golden brown and crisp.

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Smashed Garlicky Potatoes

Potatoes are boiled then roasted to get a mixture of browned, super-crunchy bits and creamy spuds in every bite.

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Grandma's Potatoes

These roasted potatoes are crispy on the outside, but are tender and buttery on the inside.

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Rainbow Potato Stacks

These cheesy stacks call for a combination of orange and purple sweet potatoes, as well as regular russet potatoes, for one colorful side dish.

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Crispy, Cheesy Potato Stacks

Thinly sliced potatoes are stacked in a muffin tin and layered with cheese, then baked until crisp.

Mashed Potatoes

It doesn’t get any more classic than mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. Though we celebrate with them on just another Tuesday, too.

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Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Traditional mashed potatoes get an extra dose of luxe flavor from sour cream.

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Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes

Garlic confit improves just about everything, including these buttery mashed potatoes.

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Garlicky Mashed Red Potatoes

Creamy homestyle mashed red potatoes made with rich, garlic-infused milk.

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Microwave Mashed Potatoes

These quick and simple mashed potatoes are just as comforting as the stovetop verison.

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes just got a bit more sophisticated with a dairy swap-out.

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Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Cream cheese upgrades classic mashed potatoes into the creamiest, dreamiest side.

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Loaded Mashed Potatoes

If you're looking for a seriously impressive way to upgrade your basic mashed potatoes, take inspiration from loaded baked potatoes with all the fixings.

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The Best Mashed Potatoes

Here's our recipe for how to make the best classic mashed potatoes, with recommendations for potato type, dairy additions, and mashing methods.

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Mashed Potatoes for Two

This method requires no masher, no ricer, and a bare minimum of equipment in general.

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5-Ingredient Mashed Potato Cakes

Take it from Senior Recipe Editor, Amelia Rampe: if you have leftover mashed potatoes on hand, all you need to do is add the flour, egg, and cheese.

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Make creamy, tender mashed potatoes in Instant Pot with this easy-to-make recipe.

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French Onion Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Stir onion soup mix and sour cream into mashed potatoes for an easy side dish that will outshine the main course.

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Vegan Mashed Potatoes

These garlicky potatoes are so creamy and lush — without a single drop of cream or butter.

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Slow Cooker Buttery Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Here's how to achieve smooth, creamy, buttery garlic mashed potatoes in the slow cooker.

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Stovetop Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Keeping the red skins on lends texture and color to these mashed potatoes.

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Fried Mashed Potatoes

There's no better way to use up your leftover mashed potatoes.

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Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes

These rich, buttery mashed potatoes are made entirely in the slow cooker, and you don't even have to drain them.

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French Celery Root Mashed Potatoes

These celery root mashed potatoes, with their slightly sweet and earthy flavor, strike a sophisticated note among all the other (rather heavy) dishes on the Thanksgiving table.

Potato Casseroles

These recipes show how brilliant, time and again, the pay-off is when you combine potatoes with cheese, cream, or some decadent combination of both.

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Ham and Potato Casserole

This rich combination of ham and potatoes in a creamy cheese sauce is comfort food in a casserole dish.

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Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling

Mashed potatoes meet stuffing in this new classic Thanksgiving side dish.

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Cacio e Pepe Potato Gratin

Thinly sliced potatoes get tossed with a flavorful cream sauce, layered with plenty of Pecorino Romano, and baked until browned and bubbly.

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Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

Every bite of this twice-baked potato casserole is warm and comforting while overflowing with melty cheese and crisp bacon.

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Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes

Cooking sliced potatoes under high pressure tenderizes them in a fraction of the time, meaning you can sit down to homemade scalloped potatoes in just 30 minutes.

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Au Gratin Potatoes

Au gratin potatoes are one of the greatest casseroles of all time. Tender, fluffy potatoes are bathed in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, then baked in a hot oven until bubbly and crisp.

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Dauphinoise Potatoes

A classic French side dish made with slices potatoes, heavy cream, and Gruyère cheese.

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Spicy Potato Gratin

A classic, creamy potato gratin gets a chili crisp twist.

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The Best Scalloped Potatoes

These simple scalloped potatoes are pure comfort food, whatever night you serve them.

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Better-Than-Grandma’s Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

When made from scratch, classic scalloped potatoes are ridiculously delicious; add ham to the situation and it becomes a homey casserole that’s the perfect crowd-friendly side dish, or even a standalone main.

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Smashed Potato Casserole

A make ahead-friendly recipe for creamy mashed potatoes baked in a casserole and topped with lots of Parmesan cheese.

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Chantilly Potatoes

French-style Chantilly potatoes are the ultimate fast and fancy side dish. The addition of whipped cream makes them extra light and fluffy.

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French Onion Domino Potatoes

Casserole adjacent is this tart-like potato flatbread that's as equally delicious served as an appetizer as it is served next to charred steak or tender roast chicken.

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Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes

These creamy baked mashed potatoes are loaded with two kinds of cheese and are make-ahead-friendly.

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Funeral Potatoes

Butter, cheese, bacon, and chives join forces for a hearty, homestyle potato casserole.

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Scalloped Potatoes with Onions and Cheddar Cheese

Onions help make these scalloped potatoes extra savory and delicious.

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Potato Gratin with Pancetta and Gruyere

If you can't find pancetta, bacon would be equally great in this gratin.

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Cheesy Skillet Domino Potatoes

Thin slices of potatoes are doused in a cheese-bolstered cream mixture and baked in a skillet until it becomes a crispy and tender gratin-like dish that everyone will love.

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Cheesy Ranch Potato Gratin

By adding sour cream and freshly chopped herbs to the cream mixture, this new twist on potatoes au gratin is packed with zesty ranch flavor.

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Classic Tartiflette (French Potato, Bacon, and Cheese Casserole)

Tartiflette is a cozy casserole made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, bacon, and onions originating out of Savoy in the Alps.

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Potato Casserole

This easy, cheesy potato casserole can be assembled a day in advance.

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Potatoes Romanoff

This cheesy and decadent steakhouse dish is perfect for steak dinners and for the holidays.

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Cheesy Potatoes

An easy homemade version of the classic comforting side dish, in which tender boiled potatoes are tossed in a creamy cheese sauce and baked until warm and bubbling.

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Funeral Potatoes

This retro casserole tastes kinda like potato mac and cheese. (We guarantee they'll haunt you for life!)

Sweet Potatoes

White spuds shouldn’t have all the fun. Orange-hued sweet potatoes most definitely have our hearts, too.

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Brown Butter Miso Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mixed with nutty brown butter and deeply savory miso paste, these fluffy potatoes will be the Thanksgiving MVP.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-creamy-on-the-inside air fryer sweet potato fries.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato

Even better than the air fryer recipe are the many toppings you can experiement with.

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Candied Sweet Potatoes

To further amp up the sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes, these spuds are bathed in a buttery brown sugar glaze that leaves them with a glossy sheen.

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Stovetop Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Pecans

Sprinkling pecans on top of these potatoes lends surprising crunch to the sweet side dish.

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Sweet Potato Salad

The classic potato salad is a staple of summertime meals and picnics, so why not lighten things up a bit and try this version of sweet potato salad.

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Garlicky Parmesan Sweet Potatoes

Thick chunks of sweet potato are roasted, then dusted with a snowy layer of nutty Parmesan cheese that crisps up under the broiler.

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Classic Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

If you can't have sweet potatoes without a marshmallow topping, this is your recipe.

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Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes

The easiest, simplest way for how to make the best baked sweet potatoes every time.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A easy, step-by-step guide to making creamy mashed sweet potatoes sweetened with maple syrup.

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The Best Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This foolproof method will set you up for success every single time.

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Sweet Potato Lasagna

The sweet potato complements the savory meat in this heartier riff on a classic red sauce lasagna.

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Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Thick rounds of sweet potato are seasoned, smashed, and roasted, creating crispy-edged medallions with creamy, tender centers.

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The Best Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot sweet potatoes cook up with irresistibly tender, creamy centers, and pressure cooking them takes half as much time as baking them in the oven. Here's everything you need to know about making them.

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Sour Cream Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

Balsamic lends depth of flavor, while sour cream provide tang in these elevated sweet potatoes.

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The Absolute Easiest 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Casserole

You know and love sweet potato casserole. Here's how to make it even easier.

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Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk & Vanilla Bean

Coconut milk not only lends nutty flavor, it makes these whipped sweet potatoes vegan.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

These air fryer sweet potato chips deliver everything you love about the deep-fried version, but require way less oil to make.

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Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

If you can scallop potatoes, you very well can scallop sweet potatoes. We think these might even be better.

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Sweet Potato Latkes

A delightful riff on the Hanukkah classic.

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Cider-Glazed Chorizo Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

A tender baked sweet potato is loaded with roasted peppers, sour cream, and a pile of crispy chorizo enrobed in sticky-sweet cider sauce.

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How To Make the Best Sweet Potato Soufflé

An elegant take on sweet potato casserole made with whole eggs, spices, and brown sugar, and baked until light and puffed.

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Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

These baked sweet potato boats prove that a little extra time in the oven can pay off.

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Easy Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Simple grilled sweet potatoes pair deliciously with a spicy honey-lime vinaigrette.

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How to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave

Here's the best, easiest way to cook a sweet potato in the microwave, including how to prep it, how long to cook it for, and how to get crispy skins.

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Sweet Potato Chips

These crispy sweet potato chips take under an hour to make.

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Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Crème Fraîche

These baked sweet potatoes are layered with flavor and texture thanks to a sweet and sour dressing, roasted peanuts, sliced scallions, and lots of chili flakes.

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Cinnamon Butter Bath Sweet Potatoes

Cooking cubed sweet potatoes into a bath of milk, butter, and sweet fragrant cinnamon is a super simple way to enhance the fall veggie.

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How To Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries

For the crispiest oven-baked sweet potato fries, grab the cornstarch.

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