Once I Cooked Sweet Potatoes Like This, I've Never Made Them Another Way
I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest sweet potato fan. Sure, I like them just fine in a pot of chili, but I rarely pick them over other sides (with the exception of this salad). That all changed when I tried melting sweet potatoes.
What makes them so special is their texture. Often, roasted sweet potatoes are either mushy and bland or crispy but dried out. Here, you get the best of both worlds — with very little effort, I might add! All you have to do is flip the potatoes once, then add some broth, and blammo! You have sweet potatoes that are browned and crispy on the edges with the most decadently creamy center (they practically melt in your mouth). I have made them so many times that I’ve lost count.
Why You’ll Love It
Low effort, high reward. No stovetop searing with this one! Just let the oven do the work for you with some occasional flipping.
They’re called “melting” for a reason! The outside gets browned with crispy edges, but the inside is seriously tender and creamy.
Key Ingredients in Melting Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes: Try to pick sweet potatoes that are all similar in size to ensure even cooking.
Butter: Combined with olive oil, this gives the sweet potatoes maximum browning and flavor.
Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth — either way you can’t go wrong.
Garlic: Smashed garlic cloves infuse the broth and taste delicious on their own.
Rosemary: While this recipe calls for rosemary, you can use any combination of fresh hearty herbs, such as thyme, sage, or oregano.
How to Make Melting Sweet Potatoes
Prepare the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch-thick rounds.
Toss in butter. Coat the peeled sweet potatoes with butter, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Arrange the butter-coated rounds in a metal baking dish and spoon any excess butter on top.
Cook. Roast them at 500°F for 15 minutes first. Then flip the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes. Finish by pouring the broth and smashed garlic into the dish and cooking for a final 15 minutes.
Helpful Swaps
Swap rosemary for another woody herb like thyme, oregano, or sage. If you want to swap in a more delicate fresh herb like parsley or chives, sprinkle them on top after roasting.
Use finely chopped shallots or onions in place of the garlic, or use a combination of both.
If you’re making these around the holidays, it’s a great way to use up leftover turkey stock.
More Melting Recipes to Try
Melting Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Crispy outside + ultra-creamy inside = your new signature sweet potato.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds uniformly sized medium sweet potatoes (4 to 5), peeled and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (from about 3 sprigs)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Instructions
Heat the oven to 500°F.
Stir 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a large bowl until combined. Add 2 pounds peeled and cut sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, and toss well to coat.
Transfer the potatoes cut-side up to a 9x13-inch metal baking pan (avoid glass, as it could shatter) or rimmed baking sheet (quarter sheet pan) and arrange in a single layer. Drizzle any remaining butter mixture over the potatoes.
Roast until the sweet potatoes easily release from the pan with tongs and the bottoms are light golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Flip the rounds and roast until the bottoms and tops are deep golden-brown, about 15 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully pour 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth into the pan and add 4 peeled and smashed garlic cloves. Return to the oven and roast until the potatoes are very tender and most of the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: You can substitute any combination of chopped fresh hearty herbs (such as thyme, sage, or oregano) for the rosemary.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Further Reading
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