Savory Sweet Potatoes Make an Easy, Flavorful Side

Sweet potatoes are an easy way to complete a dinner plate with high satisfaction and very little fuss. I like to make them to go along with grilled or roasted chicken or pork tenderloin as a filling, good-for-you side. I prefer them savory-style rather than the cloyingly sweet way most recipes call for in the preparation, particularly for Thanksgiving.

I created this dish for a story I was being interviewed for in Bon Appetit magazine many years ago. The recipe was a big hit with family and friends while I was testing it, though it never got published. The story got cut just before the issue went to print. So, here it is just for you!

This recipe came to be from an accident in the kitchen. I spilled grated Parmesan onto some roasted sweet potatoes I had just taken out of the oven. Rather than dusting off the potatoes, I split the them down the center, added pats of soft butter, sprinkled on flake salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and piled on more Parmesan. They were an unexpected hit. My dinner guests loved how the slightly salty taste of the cheese melded with the butter and the roasted, natural sweetness of the potatoes.

This recipe is a kinda-sorta “casserole,” which makes it ideal for larger parties and holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. Though, I make these for supper all the time just because I crave them all throughout the year.

The sweet potatoes are sliced into thick discs, then laid into a casserole dish and baked for better portioned serving sizes. A block of Parmesan is grated with a Microplane (which is one of my Top 10 Essential kitchen tools), then sprinkled over the baked potatoes. This allows the very thin shaves of cheese to quickly melt with the rich, roasted sweet flavor of the potatoes. The fresh thyme leaves balance out the flavors and pretties up the dish just before placing on the table.

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 5-7 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, washed and sliced ¼-inch thick (skin-on)

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves + a few sprigs and leaves for garnish

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• Pinch or two of cayenne pepper

• 1 cup Microplaned Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center. 

2. Add the potatoes to a medium mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, fresh thyme, salt and cayenne. Toss to coat. Place in the 10-inch terracotta saucer (see notes above the recipe) or a large pie plate or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 

3. Place in the oven and bake 40-50 minutes until the potatoes are tender with a knife. Top with the Parmesan and bake 5-7 minutes more until melted. 

4. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with more thyme right before serving

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