Y’all know that I am crazily obsessed really into sweet potatoes, and every fall, I end up with one S.P. dish that I tend to make almost weekly. Well my friends, this is the Sweet Potato Dish of 2018, and the great thing about this one is that it’s both a go-to quickie weeknight meal at our house, as well as a festive and stunning side dish on the holiday table, too. I’m excited to be teaming up with Alouette on this post, since I’m a big fan of its delicious cheeses made with simple ingredients – and as it turned out, their Garlic and Herbs Soft Spreadable cheese is the star ingredient in these potatoes. Keep scrolling to see how it all came together, and a few tips on making autumn stuffed sweet potatoes cooked to perfection.
*photos by kristen kilpatrick
First things first: cooking your sweet potatoes. I have roasted them just about every way imaginable and am fully convinced that this method will yield the sweetest, most tender potatoes.
Wrap each one individually in foil, place on the oven rack of a 425 degree oven, and roast for a long time. We’re talking 1 1/2 hours for small sweet potatoes, and up to 2 hours for large sweet potatoes. I know it sounds extreme, but I’m serious: give them plenty of cook time and you’ll be so happy you did.
Next, choose a “theme” that unifies your various toppings together. A few ideas:
- All-American classic: chives, and crumbled bacon
- Farm-to-table: mixed lettuces, roasted broccoli, and chopped apple
- Middle-Eastern vibes (what I used!): braised kale, crunchy chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, tahini sauce
Alouette Garlic and Herb Soft Spreadable Cheese is the perfect dollop or spread on any of these combos. I love how versatile it is—perfect for snacking or stress-free entertaining, the cheese is such an easy way to add flavor to simple recipes.
I love the idea of baking up a ton of these sweet potatoes, then allowing your Thanksgiving guests to to stuff their own potato with the toppings they love most.
So pretty, right? Those pomegranate seeds are my stealth little food stylist secret, because they instantly make any dish look photoshoot-worthy. Oh, did I mention that these toppings required almost zero prep? I purchased the crunchy chickpeas from the snack aisle, bought my pomegranate seeds already out of the pomegranate, and even scooped up the braised kale from the salad bar at the grocery. Lazy, or smart? You decide.
A squeeze of lemon is the perfect unexpected way to add a punch of acid and zest to these.
Don’t you just want to dive into this dish and devour them all? The garlic and herb flavors of the Alouette make it such a great little flavor shortcut that helps me avoid spending hours of prep time in the kitchen. ‘Cause at this time of year, there are other things I’d rather be doing than slaving over the stove, like savoring the magic of the season right along with the people I love.
I’d love to hear in the comments about your favorite sweet potato toppings, and let me know if you give these a try! And if you share my undying passion for S.P.’s, be sure to check out:
Smashed Grilled Sweet Potatoes (also a personal fave)
Sweet Potato & Pomegranate Seed Salad
Autumn Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Serves 8 side dishes or 4 main dishes
Autumn Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Categories
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
- crumbled goat cheese (optional)
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or you can buy them pre-baked like I did this time!)
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 cups shredded kale or other sturdy greens
- 3 tablespoons tahini or almond butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Individually wrap the sweet potatoes in foil, then place on the oven rack and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. You'll know they're done when you gently press the side of one, and it's very soft. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle them.
- fry the chickpeas (or buy them fried for an even easier option!): Pour a half-inch layer of olive oil in the bottom of a medium skillet, and heat over medium high heat. Add chickpeas, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, until chickpeas are very crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chickpeas to a paper towel-lined plate, then sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Place the kale in a saucepan or skillet with a couple teaspoons of water, then cook over medium low until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain off any liquid, then season with a tiny pinch of salt.
- Mix the tahini with 2 tablespoons hot water, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of honey.
- Halve each potato, and place in a serving dish. Use a fork to gently mash. Set out a make-your-own sweet potato bar with Alouette Garlic and Herb Soft Spreadable Cheese, crispy chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, cooked kale, and tahini sauce, and let everyone top their own potato. Squeeze with lemon wedges, and eat!
Oh I really need to try this recipe!
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This dish has been such a hit for the holidays with our extended family. It’s so easy because everyone can pick and choose their own toppings. Fun for little eaters too!