Description
Savory Smashed Sweet Potatoes are a delicious and easy side dish featuring thinly sliced sweet potatoes coated in a flavorful butter and herb mixture, baked until tender, then smashed and topped with crispy Parmesan cheese. Finished under the broiler for golden edges and optionally served with creamy Greek yogurt, this recipe balances comforting textures with bright herbal notes for a perfect accompaniment to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 3 long thin sweet potatoes (about 10 ounces each)
Coating and Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil spray
Optional
- Nonfat Greek yogurt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray and preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to get ready for baking the sweet potatoes.
- Slice Sweet Potatoes: Wash and dry the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then cut each into ¾-inch thick round slices to ensure even cooking.
- Coat Sweet Potatoes: In a large bowl, mix melted butter with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme. Add the sweet potato slices and toss to coat evenly with the seasoned butter mixture.
- Bake Potatoes: Arrange the coated sweet potato slices in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove them from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Broiler Prep and Smash: Move the oven rack to the second position from the top and switch the oven to high broil. Using a fork, gently smash each sweet potato slice to flatten slightly without breaking them apart completely.
- Add Toppings and Broil: Lightly spray the smashed slices with olive oil, then sprinkle each generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Place the pan on the upper middle rack and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the edges become crispy and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the potatoes from the oven, garnish with additional fresh thyme, and add a small dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt on top if desired. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For a different cheese option, sprinkle mozzarella instead of Parmesan before broiling.
- You can swap fresh thyme for rosemary to change the herbal flavor profile.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, omit the Parmesan cheese and use olive oil instead of butter for coating the potatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 sweet potato slice
- Calories: 206 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
