5 seriously craveable sweet potato recipes you should try right now

Roasted sweet potato:

• 1 large American sweet potato
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground coriander

Dressing:

• ½ cup light sour cream (or vegan sour cream)
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, packed
• 2 tsp honey (or vegan honey)
• ¾ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• salt and cayenne to taste

• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 2 cups cooked beans (kidney beans and black-eyed peas)
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup sliced cucumbers
• 1 cup sprouts of choice

Method

Roasted sweet potato: peel and cut one large sweet potato into small cubes (approximately two cups). Place in a bowl and toss with oil and seasonings. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in preheated 400ºF (200ºC) oven until tender, about eight to 10 minutes.

Dressing: puree dressing ingredients together with an immersion blender or whisk together in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate.

Salad: for each serving, place two cups of salad greens in the bottom of an individual salad bowl. Arrange ½ cup sweet potato and ¼ cup of each remaining salad ingredient decoratively on top. Drizzle with dressing.

2. Sweet potato crostini with vegan cheese, walnut, and pomegranate

Sweet potato crostinis (American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute)

Recipe developer and influencer Solmaz Khosrowshahian (@thecuriouscreature) can’t get enough of sweet potatoes and uses them in a variety of her day-to-day recipes. “I love how delicious, readily available, and versatile American sweet potatoes are! I use them in so many recipes year-round — from brunch waffles and gnocchi to salads and healthy appetizers — like these sweet potato crostinis”

 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields: 14 crostinis

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized, narrow American sweet potato
• 3 to 4 tbsp plain vegan cream cheese (or any plant-based creamy spread)
• 4 whole walnuts, crumbled
• 2 to 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 to 2 tbsp wildflower honey (or vegan honey)
• fresh rosemary for garnish

Method

3. Sweet potato smoothie

Sweet potato smoothies (American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute)

You may be thinking, what? They’re seriously suggesting I put a sweet potato in my morning smoothie? Yes, we most definitely are.

The addition of sweet potato to creamy frozen banana, orange juice, and thick yogurt creates an ideal smoothie consistency and the flavours all complement each other. These fresh, tropical fruit notes will transport you to the hot and lush climates of California and the American south that sweet potatoes thrive in.

According to the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute (ASPMI), one sweet potato has almost double the amount of potassium that a banana has. One medium sweet potato provides 37% of your daily value of vitamin C and is also a great source of vitamin A.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold mashed American sweet potatoes
• 1 cup frozen vanilla yogurt (or coconut or soy yogurt)
• 1 frozen banana, cut into slices
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

Place all ingredients together in a blender and puree until smooth. Add additional water or orange juice to adjust desired consistency.

Tip: for easy use of frozen bananas, peel bananas and place them in a bag in the freezer to enjoy in smoothies anytime.

4. Savoury sweet potato rounds

Savoury sweet potato rounds (American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute)

These are like boujee hors d’oeuvres that aren’t too costly and are easy to make yourself. Goat cheese and walnuts and balsamic topped on a bed of sweet potato? Enough said. This recipe is one to keep on hand for when you’re looking to class up your average night in.

 

Prep time: 15

Cook time: 10

Yields: 30 rounds

 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil (more as needed)
• 1 tsp sea salt (more to taste)
• ½ tsp paprika
• 3 small American sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in ½-in rounds
• 1 small package (5 oz) goat cheese (or plant-based cheese)
• 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts (candied optional)
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 3 tbsp honey
• 15 small basil leaves, for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 450°F (225°C). In a small bowl combine olive oil, sea salt, and paprika. Take each sweet potato round and coat it in the olive oil mixture all over. Place them on a large baking tray without touching each other. Bake the rounds for eight to 10 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a serving tray and top with the goat cheese, nuts, and cranberries. Just before serving finish with a light drizzle of honey, balsamic glaze and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

5. Sweet potato shortbread bars

Sweet potato shortbread bars (American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute)

Yes, we’ve come full circle to sweet potatoes for dessert. Think pumpkin pie, but even richer sweet potato sweetness complemented by buttery shortbread. With this uniquely versatile food, you can feel good about adding some of that vitamin C and A to even your sugar cravings.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Yield: 36 squares

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter)
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp salt

Topping:

• 1½ cups cooked mashed American sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup melted unsalted butter (or vegan butter)
• 2 large eggs (or vegan eggs)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• garnish icing sugar

Method

For more recipes, check out americansweetpotato.org. To find more inspiration, follow @lifeofasweetpotato on Instagram.