Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (fresh or jarred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Fresh thyme (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Start by peeling the sweet potatoes. The skin is edible, but peeling them will give you a smooth texture and allow the seasoning to penetrate the flesh more easily. Once peeled, slice the sweet potatoes into thin rounds—about 1/4-inch thick. Thinner slices will get crispier when roasted, so try to make them uniform in size to ensure even cooking. You can also cut them into wedges if you prefer. Just make sure they’re all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
2. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). This high heat is what gives the sweet potatoes their crispy edges while keeping the inside soft and tender. It’s essential to get the oven fully heated before you put the sweet potatoes in to ensure they roast properly.
3. Coat the Sweet Potatoes
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add the sweet potato slices to the bag and seal it tightly. Shake the bag well until all the sweet potato slices are evenly coated with the seasoning mixture. This method helps distribute the oil and seasoning evenly across the sweet potatoes, so every bite is full of flavor.
4. Arrange the Sweet Potatoes
Next, lightly butter a baking dish or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the coated sweet potato slices in a spiral pattern, starting from the outer edge and working your way toward the center. This presentation looks elegant and ensures the sweet potatoes cook evenly. If you have any remaining Parmesan cheese, sprinkle a little on top for added flavor. Fresh thyme can also be scattered over the sweet potatoes at this point.
5. Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and roast the sweet potatoes for 30-35 minutes, or until they are golden brown and fork-tender. You’ll want to check them halfway through and give them a gentle flip to ensure they’re cooking evenly. If you like them extra crispy, feel free to roast them for an additional 5-10 minutes. The edges should be slightly caramelized and crispy, while the inside remains soft and tender.
6. Garnish and Serve
Once the sweet potatoes are roasted to perfection, remove them from the oven and let them rest for a couple of minutes. Garnish with a bit of fresh thyme for that lovely herbal aroma and a touch of extra Parmesan if you like. Serve them warm alongside your main dish and watch as they disappear from the plate.
Notes
- Cutting the Sweet Potatoes: If you have trouble cutting the sweet potatoes evenly, try using a mandolin slicer. This tool helps you slice vegetables into uniform pieces with ease. It’s great for consistency and ensures that all the slices cook at the same rate.
- How to Tell If the Sweet Potatoes Are Done: Check for tenderness by inserting a fork into a slice. If it goes in easily, the sweet potatoes are cooked through. For crispier edges, try flipping the slices halfway through cooking.
- Preventing Overcooked Veggies: If you find that your sweet potatoes are cooking too quickly on the outside but staying raw inside, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) and give them more time to cook evenly. You can also try covering them with aluminum foil for part of the roasting time to help retain moisture.
- Efficiency in Prep: To save time, you can prep the sweet potatoes ahead of time. Slice them the night before and store them in a resealable bag or airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to roast, just coat them in the seasoning and pop them in the oven.
- Substituting Tools: If you don’t have a baking dish, a sheet pan works just as well. Just make sure the sweet potatoes aren’t overcrowded on the pan, or they might steam instead of roast.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min