These Crispy roasted sweet potatoes are a super easy, and healthy, side dish that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. The cubed sweet potato is tossed in aromatic spices and oven roasted to crispy perfection, then finished off with some fresh lemon zest. This recipe is also vegan and gluten-free.
These crispy sweet potatoes are my favorite easy oven-baked side dish, great for both weeknight dinners as well as large family gatherings for the holidays. The potatoes are perfectly seasoned with aromatic spices and tossed with a little cornstarch for extra crunch, a trick many chefs use to get a perfect crisp without frying.
Whether you’re serving these delicious roasted spicy sweet potatoes as a delicious side, tossing them into bowls, or adding them to salads, this simple recipe always delivers big flavor with minimal effort. I also like to combine them with a protein packed side salad like this Lentil and chickpea salad or with some Chickpea tahini salad.
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Ingredients
These crispy sweet potatoes are easy to make, and budget friendly too. All you need are a few, pantry ingredient listed below.
For the full ingredient measurements, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Sweet potato, peeled and chopped in bite size pieces.
- Olive oil, or other oil of choice, avocado oil is another healthy alternative.
- Cornstarch, helps turn the sweet potatoes crispy on the outside.
- Spices, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, sweet paprika, garlic powder and red chili flakes.
- Lemon zest, for a little hint of citrus flavour that goes so well with the sweet potatoes.
- Parsley, optional, but a little chopped parsley tastes great as a topping.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
These healthy oven roasted sweet potatoes are really easy to make. Follow the instruction below with step-by-step photos. For the full written instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.
Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks and place on a baking sheet. Pour over the olive oil and stir until coated.
Sprinkle on the corn starch and spices. Stir well until the sweet potato cubes are evenly coated.
Spread them out in an even, single layer. Bake, stirring once. The sweet potatoes should be golden brown and crispy on the outside and soft in the centre when done.
Add more salt and pepper to taste. Grate over some fresh lemon zest and top with chopped parsley if desired.
Hint: Serve the roasted sweet potato cubes immediately for the best result. They will be crispy on the outside right after baking, but the longer they sit, the softer they will become.
For another crispy roasted side dish, try these Crispy green beans, these delicious Roasted potatoes with sage or these spiced Curry roasted potatoes.
Substitutions and variations
- Herbs – this sweet potato recipe uses dried thyme, fresh thyme can also be used. They are also topped with some chopped parsley, but thyme or cilantro are other great options.
- Spicy – if you like a spicy sweet potato dish, add more red pepper flakes to taste. The paprika powder can also be replaced with chili powder.
- Oil – Instead of olive oil, avocado oil is a great alternative to get that crispy exterior.
- Sweet potato – The star and main ingredient of this dish. You can also use white or purple sweet potato. In this recipe I have peeled them, but the peel can also be left on.
Topping suggestions
Here are some of my favourite toppings for these perfectly crispy roasted sweet potatoes:
- Sauce, Serve with a drizzle of this creamy Maple Tahini Dressing or this Avocado Green Goddess Dressing.
- Nuts, add some chopped roasted walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch. Also see this Roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts recipe that is topped with pecans and cranberries.
- Cheese, for the last few minutes of roasting, grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the sweet potatoes and bake until crispy. Just like in this Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes topped with crispy parmesan.
- Pomegranate, scatter over some fresh and crispy pomegranate seeds.
Another great sweet potato recipe to try is this Sweet potato quinoa salad or this Roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.
Storage
Any leftover roasted sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. The potatoes can also be frozen for about 4 months.
The leftovers also tasted great added to a hearty bowl paired with this Quinoa and lentil salad, or as a salad topper for this Kale and white bean salad.
What Makes These Sweet Potatoes Crispy
These are my best tips for the perfect crispy roasted sweet potatoes:
- Size matters: Cut the sweet potatoes in even size pieces. If some pieces are too big, they won’t get cooked through in the centre, and the outside not as crispy. Aim for about ½ inch bite sized pieces.
- Coat them evenly: A mixture of spices and cornstarch helps to soak up the moisture released from the potatoes, for that crispy outside. Coat the sweet potato cubes evenly with the olive oil, cornstarch and spices for the best result.
- Don’t Crowd the Pan: Spread out the sweet potatoes in one, even layer. This way they will bake evenly on all sides, for a crispy exterior.
- Flip Halfway Through: Stirring the sweet potatoes once during roasting ensures even browning on all sides.
- Serve immediately: Serve the roasted sweet potatoes straight away, the longer they sit, the softer the outside will become.
FAQ
For this crispy roasted sweet potatoes recipe they are peeled, but the peel can also be left on. Make sure to clean and scrub the sweet potatoes well before using in this recipe.
I don’t recommend making these sweet potatoes that long before you want to serve them. They will become softer the longer they sit. If you wan to prepare this sweet potato side dish ahead of time, cut the sweet potatoes and store them in a bowl covered with water until ready to use. Pat the potatoes dry before adding to the recipe to remove as much moisture s possible for a crispy exterior.
Tossing the sweet potato with a light coating of cornstarch before roasting helps to absorb moisture for that crunchy exterior, while still keeping the center tender.
Yes, but they will be larger and need a little longer in the oven. Also see this Baked sweet potato wedges recipe.
More Sweet Potato recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sweet potato soup recipes
Salad recipes
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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These Crispy roasted sweet potatoes are a super easy, and healthy, side dish that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. The cubed sweet potato is tossed in aromatic spices and oven roasted to crispy perfection, then finished off with some fresh lemon zest.
- 2,2 pounds (1kg) sweet potato, peeled and cut in ½ inch cubes (about 8 cups)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- zest of 1 small lemon
- parsley, chopped
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Preheat oven to 425°F (220C).
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Peel the sweet potato and cut into bite sized cubes, about ½ inch. Add them to a baking sheet.
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Pour over the olive oil and stir until coated. Sprinkle on the corn starch and spices. Stir well until the sweet potato cubes are evenly coated.
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Spread them out in an even, single layer. Bake for a total of 20-30 minutes, stirring once. The sweet potatoes should be golden brown and crispy on the outside and soft in the centre when done.
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Add more salt and pepper to taste. Grate over some fresh lemon zest and top with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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