Smashed Sweet Potatoes (2024)

6 servings

• ▢ 3 sweet potatoes (about 1 lb each)
• ▢ ½ cup butter
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (very finely minced)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon EACH: cayenne, salt, and pepper
• ▢ ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• ▢ Fresh thyme (for serving)

Smoky Pecans

• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1 cup pecans (coarsely chopped)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne

• Preheat your oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 ½ inch rounds. You'll get about 6 per sweet potato.

  3 sweet potatoes

  

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the sweet potatoes and boil them for 15 minutes, until they can be pierced with a fork but are not mushy. When they've finished cooking, remove them from the pot and place them on the baking sheet.

  

• While the sweet potatoes are boiling, make the smoky pecans. Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan over medium heat. Mix in the pecans, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne and then let them toast, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until they are fragrant.

  1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 cup pecans, ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne

  

• While the pecans are toasting, make the herb and garlic butter. Melt butter in a small pan and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, cayenne, salt, and pepper and let the garlic cook for 1 minute.

  ½ cup butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon EACH: cayenne, salt, and pepper

  

• Carefully smash the sweet potatoes using a fork. It works best to stab the centers a few times and then use the fork to push the sweet potatoes down around the edges of the circles. Drizzle the herb and garlic butter over the sweet potatoes.

  

• Roast the smashed sweet potatoes for 20 minutes then turn your oven to broil. If you're using the parmesan cheese, sprinkle it over the sweet potatoes. Return the sweet potatoes to the oven and broil for 5 minutes – until the tops start to get crispy. Serve the smashed sweet potatoes with the smoky pecans and some thyme over the top.

  ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, Fresh thyme

  

© Author Kristen Stevens