I Want to Make ‘Melting Sweet Potatoes’ for Dinner Every Night

Crispy outside plus ultra-creamy inside equals your new signature sweet potato. Erik Bernstein/TCA

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.

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.

Melting Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4 to 6

• 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 if desired 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

1. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.

2. 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 cut sweet potatoes (peeled if desired) and 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, and toss well to coat.

3. Transfer the potatoes cut-side up to a 9-by-13-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.

4. 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.

5. Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully pour 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth into the pan and add four 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 note: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days..

Rachel Perlmutter is a culinary producer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected].

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