Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Peanut-Chili Sauce & Feta

If you, like me, are constantly looking for recipes that feel and taste *special* but don’t require crazy ingredients or equipment or copious amounts of time to make – then THIS is going to be your new favorite recipe (adapted from Molly Baz’s cookbook, Cook this Book). All you do is roast a few sweet potato halves, then top it with a suuuuper simple + flavor-packed peanut-chile sauce and a little feta cheese and you’re golden. I could eat this dish as meal in itself over a bed of greens, but it also makes a great side to bring to a dinner party. Happy cooking!

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH PEANUT-CHILI SAUCE & FETA

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 small sweet potatoes (about 2lbs total)

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 limes

  • 4 ounces feta cheese, cut/crumbled into bite sized pieces (optional)

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat your oven to 425F.

  2. Roast the sweet potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1.5 teaspoons salt, tossing with your hands to evenly coat. Arrange cut-sides down on your baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender when pierced with a knife and charred on the undersides, 25-35 minutes. Transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a platter.

  3. While the sweet potatoes roast, make the peanut-chile sauce: Roughly chop the 1/2 cup peanuts and place in a small pot and cover with 1/2 cup olive oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the peanuts are golden brown, 4-5 minutes. (A note that even after you turn off the heat, the oil will still be very hot, so if the peanuts are getting too brown, use a slotted spoon to scoop them out into a separate bowl until the oil cools a bit.)

  4. Add the honey, red pepper flakes, and paprika to the hot oil + peanut mixture and stir to combine. Allow the oil to cool for a few minutes then add the minced garlic (it will sizzle a bit, which is good.. the oil is gently cooking the garlic).

  5. Spoon the yummy peanut-chile sauce over your sweet potatoes, top with feta (if using), and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy!