Do you have a jar or tube of harissa that you purchased for one recipe knocking about in your fridge and you have no idea what to do with it? Well, this is a great recipe for that!
Tossing cubed sweet potatoes in a harissa oil, they are then roasted until very crisp on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside.
The recipe requires about five minutes of prep time and the rest is inactive roasting time. But the results are absolutely fantastic and they make for the perfect side dish – whether it be on a holiday table or for a weeknight meal.
How to Make Harissa Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This dish comes together super quickly, so it’s great if you’re after a flavourful, last-minute side for company or simply want some nice veggies to complement a weeknight meal (they would go great alongside my za’atar salmon, for instance).
Start by peeling your sweet potatoes and cutting them into uniform cubes. You want them to be roughly the same size so that they all cook evenly. Take this time also to preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F and also line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Now, in a large mixing bowl, add a bit of harissa paste. There are lots of different kinds of harissa out there – and some vary in heat (it’s very similar to Georgian adjika like that) so make sure to be aware of how spicy your particular paste is and adjust the recipe accordingly depending on your tolerance. This is the same advice I give in my recipe for harissa glazed carrots.
Add in some olive oil and then whisk both together until thoroughly combined.
Next, add in your cubed sweet potatoes along with a little bit of cornstarch (aka cornflour for those outside the US). The cornstarch will aid in the crispiness of the finished sweet potatoes and will help the exterior get a lovely crunchy exterior while maintaining a tender interior.
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and then stir everything until it’s evenly coated in the harissa oil.
Spread the potatoes out on the prepared baking sheets and then transfer to the oven. Cook them for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until they’re super crisp on the outside but very tender when prodded with a fork.
Go ahead and serve the potatoes immediately – they would be perfect alongside one of my red lentil patties or black bean burgers!
Roasted Harissa Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp harissa
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg (2 lb) sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2cm (½in) cubes)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the harissa and olive oil to a large mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the sweet potatoes and sprinkle over the cornstarch. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Spread the potatoes over the prepared baking sheet and move to the oven. Cook until very tender and crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
These sweet potatoes with harissa are an excellent way to incorporate this North African chili paste into a regular, weeknight meal.
Are you after a great sweet potato recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!