Perfect Sweet Potatoes

Sometimes in meal planning, veggies can become an afterthought but we’re gonna change that because with just a little extra attention they can steal the show. These sweet potatoes are my new favorite obsession - only 3 ingredients and a quick sear after cutting results in an incredible sweet potato that has a caramelized and slightly crispy crust, but fluffy interior. It’s proof you don’t need a lot of ingredients to make something taste incredible, just the right manipulation of heat.

My key to making healthy eating easier when meal planning is picking one starch to prep on Sundays to make my life easier throughout the week. Roasting these sweet potatoes ahead of time and searing them when I’m ready to eat allows me to save a ton of time with weeknight cooking, while not having them taste like leftovers. Sweet potatoes are nutritious, versatile, and delicious. Packed with fiber and vitamins like A and C, they’re a powerhouse ingredient I love to have on hand.

Why you’ll love these sweet potatoes:

• These sweet potatoes are awesome for meal prep because you can bake ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until ready to eat. Then continue with the slicing + searing in the cast iron, but cover with a lid to allow the rest of the sweet potato to heat up.

•  Roasting these sweet potatoes whole without pricking them allows the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes to caramelize and for all that flavor to stay inside the sweet potato instead of leaking out fork holes. Those naturally caramelized sugars then help the sweet potato get crispy when searing. 

Meal Pairing Ideas:

1. Panko Pesto Salmon

2. Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

3. Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower

4. Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

5. Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon

6. Spice Rubbed Chicken

7. Greek Lemon Chicken

8. Blackened Salmon with Southwestern Corn Salad

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

For the Perfect Sweet Potatoes:

• 2 whole sweet potatoes, similar in size

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp avocado oil (or high smoke point oil)

• Salt to taste

Directions:

For the Perfect Sweet Potatoes:

• For Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your air fryer. Line the air fryer basket or sheet pan with parchment paper and add the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Do not prick with a fork! Leave as is so the natural sugars can caramelize inside the sweet potato. Air fry at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until fork tender.

• For Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Do not prick with a fork! Leave as is so the natural sugars can caramelize inside the sweet potato. Bake at 425 for 40-50 minutes or until fork tender.

• Once cooked, allow the sweet potatoes to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled, slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.

• Heat a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet to medium high heat. Once hot, add in your oil. 

• Once the oil is shimmering, add the sweet potatoes cut side down in an even layer and sear undisturbed for 3-4 minutes or until the sugars from the sweet potato have caramelized and create a charred crust. Remove and season with salt and enjoy!