Southern Sweet Potato Pie

A beloved swap for pumpkin pie in Southern cuisine and with deep roots and an important history for many Black communities across the United States, this showstopping sweet potato pie is not one to miss. Plenty of brown sugar and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom highlight the vibrant, earthy flavor that the star ingredient is known for. The custard filling bakes atop a pie crust (preferably all-butter for extra flakiness) and is served with a toasted marshmallow meringue topping to complement the velvety goodness in every slice.

To make the filling

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven to ensure the pie cooks evenly.
2. Add mashed sweet potatoes into a food processor or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Pulse/beat until sweet potatoes are silky smooth and free from any stringy fibers, then set aside.
3. Drape pie crust into a standard pie dish, crimping the edges if desired.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato purée, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cardamom, ginger, cornmeal, bourbon (if using), eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Mix everything together until well combined and completely smooth.
5. Pour filling into the prepared pie pan and use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the top if needed.
6. Bake the pie for 55-60 minutes, checking the crust after about 30 minutes: if overly browned, tent the pie crust with foil or a pie crust shield. Once done baking, the center of the pie should have a slight little jiggle/wobble.
7. After baking, set the pie on a wire rack to cool for at least 2-3 hours. Once cooled, cover the pie with foil and transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve. This pie contains milk and eggs and needs to be stored in the fridge at all times.

To make the meringue topping

1. When you're ready to serve your pie, fill a small saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt into a small heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan, creating a double boiler. Make sure the water in the saucepan is not touching the bottom of the bowl.
2. Continuously whisk the mixture together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture goes from thick to thin, about 5-6 minutes. As you continue to stir, look for the mixture to get somewhat frothy and warm. Carefully test the mixture by dipping a finger in; you should feel no sugar granules when rubbing between your fingers.
3. Turn off the heat and remove the small bowl from the saucepan. Stir in the vanilla bean paste or extract, whisking to fully combine.
4. Transfer the egg white meringue to the bowl of a stand mixture or use a handheld mixer and beat the meringue on high speed until fluffy with stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes. Lift the beater and look for the meringue to stand tall without weeping any excess moisture.
5. Spread the meringue onto the chilled sweet potato pie. Serve as is or use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue, as pictured. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Farm Team Tips

Not sure what type of sweet potatoes to use? Try garnet yams, Quin's favorite! They have a dark purple-red hue with a rich, moist orange center and make for an amazing pie filling. However, any type of sweet potato will work for this recipe.

To cook your sweet potatoes, you can opt for boiling, roasting, and even microwaving. Just be sure to cook them until fork tender.

Once your sweet potatoes have been mashed, you should have about 2 cups total. If you find that there are still stringy fibers in your mash, don't skip the food processor step. It will make a big difference in the overall texture of your pie filling.