Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Yogurt And Sesame Seeds Recipe (2024)

Recipe from John Adler

Adapted by Tamar Adler

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Yogurt And Sesame Seeds Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(268)
Notes
Read community notes

You can live happily now and feel prudent enough to live tomorrow if you cautiously employ your seeds on the last of last autumn’s sweet potatoes. This is my favorite of all the dishes my brother has ever served at the very seasonal Franny’s, the restaurant in Brooklyn where he is the chef. It disappears from his menu the instant the plants that grow from seeds begin to sprout, making it, like the plants themselves, available for only a few months each year. —Tamar Adler

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2Japanese sweet potatoes (or regular ones if you can’t find the Japanese kind)
  • ¼cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Kosher salt
  • 1cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 3tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • ¼cup red onion, medium dice
  • ¼teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • tablespoons Thai fish sauce
  • 1tablespoon pickled chiles, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried chile flakes
  • ¼cup coarsely chopped parsley
  • Maldon sea salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

278 calories; 20 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 603 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Yogurt And Sesame Seeds Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450. Coat sweet potatoes with a very light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast the potatoes, wrapped in foil, until totally tender. Switch oven to broil, remove potatoes from foil and blister under broiler until lightly charred. Cool to room temperature, and then cut in half or in ½-inch rounds. Set aside.

  2. Step

    2

    Mix together yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and half the olive oil until smooth. Divide between 4 plates.

  3. Step

    3

    Mix remaining lemon, olive oil and other ingredients into a salsa, and adjust seasoning with kosher salt.

  4. Step

    4

    Warm sweet potatoes in oven, then plate each half (or an even number of rounds). Top with salsa and sprinkle with Maldon salt. A little additional oil is good, too.

Ratings

5

out of 5

268

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Kelly

You could save a step here by cutting the potatoes in half first, rubbing them with the olive oil, s&p and roasting them cut side down in the hot oven. Cook time depends on size of potato, a big one cut in half takes approx 40 min. Half way through, turn the halves over, and they should already be browning nicely. I often do this with sweet potatoes, cutting them lengthwise and adding any variety of dry rub you fancy. But the yogurt salsa version is very enticing and I'll try it soon,

Kathleen

Family loved these. To speed up the process, I sliced the sweet potatoes into rounds about a 3/4 inch thick, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and put them in a 400 degree oven. Turned them once. Took only 18 minutes.

Alcia

Healthy fat is healthy for you.

Susan Jamieson-McLarnon

A little heresy here, but I microwaved the sweet potatoes (6-8 mins), sliced them, and roasted them for 10 mins. Served with 0% Greek Yogurt, to applause.

Hope

I skipped the broiling part, largely because it took 2 hours to roast the honking specimens I had and I was hungry. I finished with smoked salt to compensate. I might do that anyway -- smoked salt works so nicely with sesame, I think.

Halley C.

How far ahead can you roast the potatoes the first time? Then, what temperature do you recommend reheating the potatoes at, and for how long?

Mark R

I realize the roasting time will vary with the thickness of the potatoes, but roughly speaking, how long should they be roasted for, and how long should they be broiled for? Thanks.

Ryguy

This is one of my top 5 best dishes and that's coming from a long-standing carnivore. I followed the suggestions to slice 1/2 inch rounds & roast, double the salsa. I used a full 2 tsp. red pepper flakes and was terrified by the heat when I tried the salsa alone but with the sweet potato and yogurt, it's perfect. Deep, balanced flavors but next time I'll use no-fat greek yogurt with a little salt added.

Jamah

SO GOOD, even with my substitutions, everyone loved it. My changes:
- I cut potatoes into rounds and baked them at 425, flipping 1/2 way through. Sped up time significantly.
- 0% greek yogurt instead of full fat.
- I used maybe 2 tbsp max of olive oil.
- I subbed sunflower seeds for sesame as it is what I had on hand.
- I used dried chili flakes instead of pickled. The lemon adds enough "pickling".

Luana

delicious & healthy snack! I doubled quantities for salsa and did not regret it; I added a bit less than a teaspoon of tahini paste as I had no sesame seeds, loads of flavor and creaminess!

Billfrog

This comment has all the truths. All of them.

PAM

This is awesome. I also slice the potatoes an inch thick and roast at 400 with olive oil and salt- They’re done in 20-25 min. And after making it several times, I now triple the salsa and serve with roasted salmon, which also tastes great with the yogurt and salsa.

Lauren

I agree! I had a hard time coming up with what to serve with this but I opted for a simple sauteed shrimp in garlic, lemon and white wine and a simple green salad. It made for a nice balanced meal.

joseph g

The only substitution I made was nonfat Greek yogurt. Was initially worried about the raw onion and raw garlic, but this was so delicious I wanted double the salsa. A few peppermint and parsley pills after dinner did help though :)

Wisco

Best recipe I tried from NYT IN 2023.

John

Ok - I was skeptical of all the 5 stars but generally followed the recipe with the suggestions - cut sweet potatoes to 1.5-2” and roasted for about 25 min at 425 flipping after about 12 minutes, also used red pepper flakes for want of chilis. I only added a pinch of sugar, a little extra lemon and a bit of olive oil to cut the fish sauce some which was pretty strong and something my wife says she hates (but doesn’t always know when I use it 😉). Whole thing was quick, easy and delicious.

Anna Chris

We loved this one. Are it as a main dish but it would also be amazing as a side ✌🏽

Anna Chris

This recipe was a revelation. As is usual for me, I turned my nose up at the fish sauce but I’m telling you it made the salsa amazing. Subbed in cilantro for parsley which lifted the salsa for me. I brushed the sweet potatoes with olive oil, cut them into one inch pieces and roasted them 15 minutes on each side.

Adriana

This recipe was an absolute delight! And shockingly easy to make given the amount of flavor in the end result. I think the key here is the Japanese style sweet potatoes, they have enough just enough starchiness to contrast the texture of the yogurt. I imagine that regular ones might be a bit too mushy. 100% a repeat.

bsj40052

We tweaked the salsa a bit-added a few drops of sesame oil and a pinch of sugar. My family devoured it, and mopped up the “sauce” with bread. Paired it with a marinated skirt steak and broccoli and broccoli rabb. The yoghurt made it perfect. There were no leftovers!

km

Fish sauce is vital to many sauces but i wish i had left it out of the salsa- did not fir

ash

Subbed cilantro for parsley and added some pine nuts when toasting the sesame seeds. Was amazing!

zimmergasse

One of our favorites! Doesn’t seem like all the flavors would work - but they do!!Always slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 rounds first then roast (as suggested by others). Cook them about 8 minutes per side at 425 making total cooking significantly less.

Rowen

Unique and delicious. Roasted 1/2 inch slices at 400 for approximately 22 minutes. Used cilantro instead of parsley as it was on hand. Will make more salsa next time for left overs.

Erin

This dish is a star for the yogurt and salsa combo. Completely forgot the sesame seeds, which I believe are the point - still a solid work lunch.

Abby

This is incredible and my only regret is I waited too long to try it!

charlotte

Divine! I didn’t have sesame seeds so I subbed a splash of toasted sesame oil. This is going to be in my weekly recipe rotation for a while!

Christa

This was really good and interesting and a simple dinner made with fresh farm stand sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes and am always looking for new ways to eat them.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Yogurt And Sesame Seeds Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do sweet potatoes spike blood sugar? ›

Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White. “People with diabetes can eat carbs but need to watch portions of foods with carbs.” What this means: Limit portions to half a sweet potato per meal or snack.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

What flavors go well with sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes pair well with apple, peach, and orange juice, and coffee - flavors that have distinctly sweet or bitter notes. The addition of cardamom or cinnamon can add a spicy twist to a co*cktail too.

Why can't diabetics eat sweet potatoes? ›

Their glycemic index—how quickly they make blood sugar rise—can change depending on how you prepare them. While people with diabetes don't need to steer clear of sweet potatoes altogether, it's important to keep in mind the amount, type, preparation, seasoning, and accompanying side dishes when eating sweet potatoes.

When should you not eat sweet potatoes? ›

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Why do sweet potatoes not go crispy? ›

Sweet potatoes have a higher sugar/starch content than regular potatoes, which causes the outside of the potato to brown or burn much more quickly, preventing the French fry from obtaining as crispy of a shell.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

Should sweet potatoes be peeled before baking? ›

Do You Have to Peel Sweet Potatoes Before Roasting Them? Not at all! However, if you'd prefer to do so you certainly can! The skin of the sweet potato is thicker and tougher than the rest of your sweet potato, so if that's undesirable to you feel free to remove the skin.

How does Ina Garten bake sweet potatoes? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425*F.
  2. Cut sweet potatoes in wedges or like french fries.
  3. Place wedges on large baking pan or cookie sheet. ...
  4. Now sprinkle over brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. ...
  5. Spread out in a single layer. ...
  6. Place back in oven and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

How do you roast sweet potatoes Martha Stewart? ›

Pierce potatoes all over with the tines of a fork and bake in oven, directly on rack, until soft and caramelizing, 1 1/2 hours. Slash the tops of potatoes open with the tip of a sharp knife and push ends of each potato toward each other to open. Divide butter, salt, and pepper among potatoes and serve.

Why are my roasted sweet potatoes mushy? ›

Typically when you roast sweet potatoes, they end up mushy, not crispy. That's because the high sugar content and moisture in the potato creates a softer result. In this case, they get their crispiness not by deep frying, but by sprinkling a secret ingredient over and baking them!

What brings out the flavor of sweet potatoes? ›

Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness.

What can I add to sweet potatoes to make them taste better? ›

Salt, Pepper, and Butter – the OG classic way of serving your sweet potatoes. Greek Yogurt and Green Onion – one of my personal favorites! you can do sour cream instead of Greek Yogurt if you prefer. Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Butter – ok, I'm a big fan of savory but this combo is also a favorite!

Why does my sweet potato taste bland? ›

So if you want a sweet, sweet potato, you have to cook it until it reaches 135–170°F (57–77°C). And you want to keep sweet potatoes in that range for as long as possible. That will maximize how sweet the potatoes taste.

What are the disadvantages of sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver.

What potato does not raise blood sugar? ›

A low GI and GL diet can be beneficial for people with diabetes. Potatoes tend to have a medium to high GI and GL, but cooled cooked potatoes, as well as varieties like Carisma and Nicola, are lower and make a better choice for people with diabetes.

What can I eat with potatoes to not spike my blood sugar? ›

Eating potatoes alongside low-GI foods that provide fiber, lean protein, and healthful fats can help balance the nutritional benefits of a meal. Eating high-fiber foods can help a person moderate blood sugar levels and increase their feeling of fullness after a meal.

What sweet foods don't spike blood sugar? ›

Examples of some diabetes-friendly desserts include:
  • granola (with no sugar added) and fresh fruit.
  • trail mix with nuts, seeds, roasted pepitas, and dried cranberries.
  • graham crackers with nut butter.
  • angel food cake.
  • chia seed pudding.
  • low sugar avocado mousse.
  • frozen yogurt bites made with plain Greek yogurt and berries.

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