Like butternut squash, cauliflower and the other bounties of fall, the orange-hued sweet potato is a versatile vegetable. It has an earthy sweetness that you can play up or down, put in casseroles or pastries, and easily pair with sugar or spice. Here are a few ways to bring out the best in sweet potato this season.

Slow-Cooker Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

Make easy work of candied sweet potatoes by throwing it all in the slow cooker. Set it and forget it, for about four hours, and serve with a topping of chopped pecans.

Sweet Potato Casserole

If you’re cooking for a crowd, make a classic casserole with all the fixings. Top the smoothly mashed sweet potato mixture with a golden crust of pecan, butter and brown sugar.

Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Though the sweet potato is further removed from the potato than you might guess from its name, it works just as well as the mainstream spud in a scalloped dish. Bobby Flay’s dish balances the sweeter potato’s flavors with the smoky kick of a chipotle-infused cream base.

Make-Ahead Whipped Sweet Potatoes

During the busy holiday season, there’s nothing better than a make-ahead dish that’s simple and satisfying and can keep in the freezer for up to two weeks. When you need it on the table, just reheat it in the microwave and garnish with pecans and fresh scallions.

Spiced Sweet Potato and Garlic Soup

This brightly hued soup mixes a medley of savory and spicy flavors into a sweet potato-potato puree, with sweet onion, garlic, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

Sweet Potater Tots

If sweet potato fries are old hat for you, this throwback favorite might do the trick. Food Network Magazine’s recipe for Sweet Potater Tots gets extra flavor and crunch into each bite with a crust of crushed sweet potato chips. For the sauce, forgo your usual ketchup for a sriracha-mayo blend to balance out the sweet flavors.

Sweet Potato Beignets

And for dessert, how about a deep-fried pastry? Adding a mash of sweet potato and butternut squash to the dough gives this fried treat an extra depth and subtle sweetness, which you can build upon as desired with a rich syrup of cinnamon, anise and molasses.