Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts

Sweet Potato is one the most versatile ingredients. They are amazing when boiled, baked, sautéed and DEFINITELY when fried. One of the easiest and healthiest ways to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. Roasting gives them a whole new flavour with a crispy, creamy texture and a rich sweetness – the flavour contrast is SO good making it hard to resist.

Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes make a healthy dish that’s packed full of flavor. They’re coated in warm spice mixture, roasted in a hot oven until brown and crispy with caramelised edges and then served with zingy garlicky harissa sauce. Walnuts are the perfect complement to the sweet potatoes as they add crunchiness and help balance the sweetness of the potatoes. The harissa dressing make the whole dish come together, making it irresistible!!

To make these Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes. Next drizzle them with olive oil and coat them in a spice mixture of ginger powder, cinnamon powder, cumin powder, paprika, Aleppo chilli flakes and za’atar powder. Add some salt and pepper and mix well, making sure they are evenly coated. Roast them in the pre heated oven till you get them nice and browned but they will burn if you cook them too long.

You can enjoy these roasted potatoes as a side dish, an appetiser, in wraps or by tossing leftovers in a green salad with some feta cheese.

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Helpful Tips and Tricks to make Spiced Sweet Potatoes:

• When buying the Sweet potatoes choose the red skinned potatoes, these are known to be more moist and tend to be sweeter, creamier, and less starchy. Make sure there is no discolouration and that the potatoes are nice and firm.
• I like to peel the potatoes, but if you like to add more nutrients to your dish then leave the skin on.
• Make sure to cut the potatoes in similar size cubes so that they roast evenly.
• This spice blend packs a punch, but you can mellow it down a little by adjusting the quantity to your taste.
• Make sure not to crowd your baking sheet. If the sweet potato cubes are too close together, they will steam rather than roast and will not get crispy. It is best to divide them into two baking sheets if you have a large batch.

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Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

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Ingredients

• 500 grams sweet potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1.5 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 1 tbsp Aleppo chilli flakes
• 1 tsp za'atar powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp of walnuts, chopped and roasted

For Garlic Harissa Sauce:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp Greek style yoghurt
• 1 tbsp harissa sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt to taste

method

1. Pre heat the oven at 220°C. 
2. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
3. Place the sweet potatoes in a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Add the ginger powder, cinnamon powder, cumin powder, paprika, Aleppo chilli flakes and za'atar powder. Add some salt and pepper and mix well, making sure they are evenly coated. 
4. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, and the garlic and stir the sweet potatoes, return them to the oven, and roast for another 15 minutes or until they are crispy and starting to darken on the outside, whilst still being soft in the middle. 
5. Make the harissa sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of water if you find the consistency too thick.
6. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, add the parsley, roasted walnuts and the sauce. Mix well and serve hot. 

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you did, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @poetryofspices!