If you talk to my friends, they’ll tell you that they’ve definitely had these Crispy Purple Sweet Potatoes served to them as a side dish when they come over for dinner in my home. Yup. That’s because these are my go-to side dish in wintertime and I am not shy about serving it over and over again.
There is nothing more comforting than some sweet, creamy, starchy and warm purple sweet potatoes to go along with a generous serving of animal protein when the weather is cold outside. There is something about these taters that cozies you up and warms you up inside. Ah, love them.
The crazy thing is that these weren’t in my life a year ago; it wasn’t until this past year (winter of 2015) that I discovered these beauties. I found them one day at Whole Foods and decided to bring them home with me to give them a try.
Ever since that day, whenever I grocery shop and spot these…I snatch a few, or a bunch, and bring them home. I keep them in a paper bag in my pantry, as potatoes don’t go bad for a while, and simply use them as I go.
Even though there are multiple ways you can eat sweet potatoes (mashed, baked, doubled baked, fried, etc.), this recipe I am about to share with you today is my favorite one. The reason being that they are soft in the inside (from first boiling them) and crispy on the outside (from roasting them in high temperatures with lots of good quality coconut oil – so don’t be shy about adding oil, as this is what makes them extra crispy).
In the odd case that we have leftover Crispy Purple Sweet Potatoes, I love to refrigerate them and eat them cold in my salads. Trust me when I say: it’s an amazing combination. In a large plate, just toss together spinach, potatoes, your favorite veggies, your favorite protein, your favorite nuts/seeds and some homemade vinaigrette…and BOOM.
You get magic. Just try and see for yourself.
NOTE: there is something about the composition of purple sweet potatoes that makes them hold together better, and get crispier. Make sure that for this recipe you do use a combination of purple sweet potatoes with jewel sweet potatoes.
PrintCrispy Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
These Crispy Purple Sweet Potatoes are the appetizer candy you can’t stop eating.
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes, 2 purple and 1 jewel
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted + 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp sea salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Grease two baking dishes with 1 tbsp coconut oil each. Set aside.
- Cut potatoes into 1” cubes and place them in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover potatoes by 1”; add 1 ½ tbsp of salt. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 8 minutes.
- Drain water completely. Distribute potatoes evenly between the baking dishes, making sure there’s no overlapping.
- Drizzle melted coconut oil over potatoes and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle remaining sea salt and pepper, and bake for 50 minutes, tossing half way to prevent burning.
- Allow potatoes to cool a bit before serving. Enjoy by themselves or with favorite condiment.
Notes
- Whenever I have leftover potatoes, I refrigerate them for later consumption. I love to add them cold to my salads.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
I’ve been baking purple sweet potatoes that I got at the Farmer’s Market, for the last 3 nights. I do not bother to boil them first–I simply roast them in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until done (about 40-50 minutes.) I use a cast-iron pan and coat the potatoes with coconut oil and maybe some ghee. I also mix and match with jewel yams and/or beets. Delicious!
That sounds delicious, Ann Marie! I love them mixed with jewel yams too! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Hi, this recipe looks great, and I’ll definitely try it! I do want to tell you that I was taken aback by the use of a plastic bag to scoop coconut oil and grease the pan, and I wonder if you’d consider switching to a paper towel to do the job? That’s how I do it, and paper towels are biodegradable. Plastic is filling our landfills and polluting our oceans to such an extent, I hope everyone will consider ways to use single-use plastic less often.
Hi Sarah! Yes, I do use paper towels to do the job as well. 🙂 Thanks for the comment, and hope you love the recipe!