Yams are often overlooked as a side dish to replace potatoes or rice. Yams and Sweet Potatoes are two different vegetables and that needs to be mentioned because there is a slight flavor difference between the two.
Only a slight difference. In an emergency, Sweet Potatoes can be used to replace the Yam, but always look for a yam.
Yams are fibrous and slightly stringy, but filled with fiber and great taste.
1. African Wild Yam Souffle’
This souffle is so delicious that it is hard to believe it is wild yams. When mixed with other tasty and savory flavors, this Wild Yam Souffle is one that will never be forgotten.
Just a little salt and pepper, some chives and two types of cheese, Mozzarella and Cheddar will top this souffle off and taste like it belongs in a five star restaurant.
Mash the yams and mix with the eggs and flavor with coconut milk and a little coconut oil. It is a souffle fit for a King.
2. Tarul Ko TarKari
Otherwise known as Himilayan Curry, this is a delicate dish with a bit of spice. This is a classic Nepali yam recipe that can be made with any type of Yam you prefer.
This is such a simple dish, takes just a short time to make but you will want to take your time to savor each bite you take.
The stringy, fibrous flesh of the Himilayan yam is perfect to soak up the spice in the curry.
3. Candied Yams
Candied Yams are a tradition around many Holiday tables. Just like it sounds, this side dish is sweet, warm and comforting.
The best part is the whole time that you are baking these Candied Yams, the smell of the spices is going to waft through your house, giving it the scent of Holidays.
By the way, did you know the majority of what people eat in the United States are not Yams, as they believe? They are actually eating Sweet Potatoes!
4. Perfectly Baked Yams at 350
There is no real secret to perfectly baked yams. The most difficult part of a perfectly baked Yam is to make sure it is a Yam and not a Sweet Potato.
Other than that, preheat your oven, scrub the yam really well and remove any spots or blemishes that may be on the Yam.
I use a paring knife to make a few slices in the Yam only going about 1 inch deep. I spritz some Olive Oil on the outside and rub the yam all over. Place on a baking tray and bake for 65 to 70 minutes.
5. Candied Yam Cupcakes
This sounds like a perfect way to use up any candied yams left from the holidays. However, that is not the way this works.
These cupcakes are made fresh with boiled or steamed yams that have been peeled. Tossed in a bowl with spices and spooned into cupcake liners in a muffin tin, Covered with a cream cheese frosting.
Many people like to top with crumbled bacon. That is totally optional. Leaving the plain cream cheese frosting is perfectly okay and tastes wonderful as is.
6. Yam Salad
People in South Africa serve up a delightful dish filled with a combination of flavors, the main flavor being Yam. This dish has many variations to it.
The most common of ingredients include the Yam, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and red onion. All these lovely ingredients are combined in a creamy mayonnaise.
The dish is chilled before serving. This is a salad that is quite similar to the American version of Potato Salad.
7. Yam and Plantain Peanut Curry
This dish is a variation of Asaro. The dish is quite simple to make, and is flavored to be perfectly spiced.
Green plantains are mixed in with white yams and combined to make a dish that is more than memorable. A good amount of Peanut Sauce brings the dish together as a perfect side dish or main dish on its own.
When it is garnished with chopped red chiles and a pureed basil there is no going back. You are going to want this recipe at the forefront of all.
8. Yam Milkshake
Personally, this is not a recipe I would have thought of on my own. Somehow the idea of Yams in a milkshake just seems to contradict each other.
When you combine yam with sweet potato powder, cream cheese and sugar, add in some milk and whip it together to top with Whipped topping, this is a treat that will truly come to surprise you.
Give this a try and you will not regret this move, or the delicious flavor.
9. Yam Chips
This is a great recipe to utilize when you have an abundance of Yams in your garden. You may also find a good deal on the price of Yams at the local market.
Be sure it is yams you are buying, not sweet potatoes. This yam is also called the Elephant Foot Yam, as it has the shape of an Elephant foot.
This recipe is simple. All that you need is to slice a yam in almost ¼ inch slices, toss them with Cayenne pepper and turmeric. Fry in a small amount of oil and you have some of the tastiest chips there are.
10. Fried Yam Recipe
This is definitely the best recipe I have found for fried yam. It is simple and quick to make. This is a common street food in Nigeria and Ghana.
It seems to closely resemble American French Fries, but these have a much more earthy and pleasant taste. This is the perfect side dish and can also be eaten as a snack.
Serve with marinara or tomato ketchup for an even more delectable taste. This is a keeper!
11. Chinese Steamed Yam Cake
This is a popular snack eaten in Malaysia or Singapore. It is a healthy and vegan treat that is not difficult to make.
It is made with steamed yam, black bean paste and miso. This Chinese Steamed Yam Cake can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
There are many versions of the steamed yam cake and you can also top it with different toppings of your choosing. The most common topping or garnish is green onion and chopped red chilis.
12. Mashed Yams Skinny
This is one of those delicious recipes that is so simple it is easily forgotten as one that should be shared.
The problem with Yams is that so many people add in a bunch of added sugar. This recipe does not need all the extra sugar.
The yams are simply boiled or simmered in water, sea salt and cinnamon and when done a dollop of butter is added. This is a perfect substitute for mashed potatoes, yet with an added touch of flavor.
13. Nagaimo Salad
A delicious salad that requires no cooking, tastes fabulous and needs very little time to prepare.
This recipe calls for a japanese Yam, these are different from other yams in that the Japanese yam can be eaten raw.
Most often you will find that Japanese Mountain Yam is grated when used in foods as an ingredient. For this salad, The Japanese Mountain Yam needs to be sliced into rectangular pieces about ¼ to ½ inch width. It is then garnished with bonito flakes and shredded daikon.
14. Ube Halaya Jam
This is a purple yam jam that is not only colorful, it is super delicious too! This makes for a sweet jam.
This jam is great on bread or even eaten by itself. The purple yam is often used as a dessert in the Philippines.
This Halaya Jam has a slightly nutty flavor and is somewhat similar to the Sweet Potato.
15. Lilac Taro Yam Cake
This is a delicious treat that is basically a cake wrapped in a cake. This cake, when eaten, can leave you in a state of happiness for a short time.
It has an incredible and light sponge cake collar, made from Yam supercolor powder. The outer sponge cake leads to a creamy mousse and then another special treat further inside.
This inner treat is a frozen blueberry choux. This is a gift that keeps giving you treat after treat.
16. Bourbon Yams
This tasty and rather feisty yam dish makes a perfect side dish for any Holiday Table. When you top mashed yams with Bourbon and pecans, you get a wonderfully tasty dish that everyone will love.
These great tasting yams get a delightful boost of flavor by topping it with pecans, cinnamon and brown sugar all stirred in bourbon.
The alcohol does bake off, so even the kids can enjoy this tasty dish. A perfect treat without the marshmallows.
17. Purple Yam Blueberry Oatmeal
For those of us that love Sweet Potato Pie, imagine being able to eat the same great food in an oatmeal form.
This purple Yam oatmeal is loaded with all kinds of nutrients that are great for you and your baby. The addition of yogurt and hemp seeds with vanilla and cinnamon seasons this perfectly.
Toss in some blueberries to add an added touch of sweetness makes this Purple Yam Blueberry Oatmeal as one of the favorites.
18. Wakoucha Yam Cake
This is one of those recipes that is contradictory in itself. Slightly sweet and mostly healthy.
The great flavor of Wakoucha combines with milk and sweetener, yogurt, lemon juice and eggs to make a cake that is light, yet filling. When I read that this is from a healthy fanatic, I had my doubts.
However, the recipe is perfect. It makes a great breakfast, snack or anytime treat. The key to keeping this cake so moist is the water steam bath as the cake is baking.
19. Yam and Pecan Salad
A colorful, healthy, yet delicious salad made from yams and pecans with an assortment of other flavors to make it even better.
Toss in red pepper and a spicy, more tangy vinaigrette make this salad one for the classy restaurants. The red onion, mustard seeds and assorted spices somehow carry all the flavors perfectly and will leave you in awe of the taste.
This is definitely a recipe to keep handy at all times, as you will make it quite often.
20. Ube, Purple Muffins
The Ube is a purple Yam that is grown in the Philippines. The Ube yam is bright purple, has a slightly sweeter flavor, but is more mellow than the Orange yam and is used quite often in desserts. Ube is found most often in a jam form.
In this recipe, it is also including Ube flavoring to give it even more of the popular taste. As these treats bake up, they become crunchy on the top and moist on the inside, making it the perfect muffin.
21. Candied Yams With Marshmallows
For many families, this is a classic dish around the Holidays. I have yet to find a recipe that matches up to this one.
The flavors are melded just perfectly and the slight bit of spice is nowhere near overwhelming. The cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger also leaves that warm Fall fragrance in the air of your home.
Cover the candied yams with marshmallows and let them soften just a little and you have a side dish that cannot be matched.
22. Sweet Potato Fries
I love the classic idea of fries made with sweet potatoes. The flavor is different from the normal fries eaten.
This recipe is even better due to the garlic, and paprika. They are lightly coated with Olive Oil and then baked to perfection.
Crispy on the outer part and tender on the inside, exactly how a fry should taste. These Sweet Potato Fries can be used as a side dish or even just a snack.
23. Pureed Yams with Ginger, Star Anise, and Cinnamon
This recipe makes a perfect alternate to the common mashed potatoes. This dish can be made and served for any Holiday and even daily meals if you choose.
Mixed with cinnamon, ginger and Star Anise bring the flavor right up and over the top. The secret to the flavor comes from boiling the yams with the Star Anise, ginger and the cinnamon.
There is a slight tang when you add a touch of Soy Sauce to the pureed yams.
24. Orange Yams Colonial
This is not your ordinary Yams recipe. However, it is one that you should try as an alternative for your Holiday table.
It is not that it tastes drastically different, but slightly different and sometimes that is all the change needed to have a brand new favorite. Four simple ingredients make this not only super tasty, but super easy to make.
Orange juice, butter, orange zest and honey tossed around with the boiled yams and then baked for a short time to give them a slightly crispy crust.
25. Golden Yam Cake
This is one of those desserts that seems to be made more often when the seasons change in the Fall.
The Golden Yam Cake gives your whole home that warm scent of fall as it bakes. This cake actually reminded me of the old fashioned carrot cake.
I was totally surprised though at how awesome the flavor was when using yams in this cake. I was really pleasantly pleased with this flavor.
There is nothing outrageous about this recipe, it is a simple and easy recipe to bring together.