Oven Roasted sweet potatoes are tossed with a browned butter and maple syrup glaze for a sweet and savory side that's perfect for the holidays, or every day!
This might sound weird but... it seems not everyone is a fan of regular potatoes. My 4-year-old is one of these people (I mean, except for French fries obviously). However, he WILL gobble down SWEET potatoes.
Which is why they make such a frequent appearance on our dinner table. This vegetarian sweet potato curry for instance. Or this roasted sweet potato salad.
It's ok with me. Sweet potatoes are nutrient-packed and tastier anyway. Especially when they're roasted and release all their sugars and get all caramelized at the edges... mmm.
They really don't need much added to them to be delicious.
But because I always like to kick things up a notch where I can, I went ahead and added browned butter and some maple syrup to these roasted sweet potatoes.
I did not regret it one bit.
A few notes on this recipe
- Parboiling sweet potatoes before roasting. Some people like to parboil sweet potatoes before roasting. I find this step unnecessary. Sure they will roast more quickly, but what you save in time you gain in additional dishes to wash since you have to use an extra pot to boil them.
Also I personally prefer the flavor and texture of sweet potatoes that have roasted longer.
- Sweet or savory? The browned butter in this recipe gives these sweet potatoes a nutty savory flavor, while the maple syrup enhances their natural sweetness without resulting in a super sweet dish, like the traditional marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole.
I love this balance, but if you want to be more on the savory side, you can eliminate or reduce the maple syrup.
- Making Browned Butter. Browned butter is easy and quick to make but it's important to watch it carefully as it can burn fast. If you're not familiar with the process, check out the photos below (photos 2-5) and read the directions carefully before starting.
How to make oven roasted sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Peel and cut 3 lbs of sweet potatoes (about 4 medium size) into 1-inch cubes.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a light-colored saucepan, watching it carefully as it can burn quickly. Using a light-colored pan allows you to see the butter browning so it's less likely to burn.
3. Swirl the pan frequently. After a few minutes you will notice that brown bits are starting to collect on the bottom of the pan, and it starts to smell nutty. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Immediately add the maple syrup.
5. Whisk and add some red pepper flakes for a hint of spiciness.
6. Put the cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl and add half the glaze. Add a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
7. Toss to evenly coat the sweet potatoes.
8. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the sweet potatoes onto the foil in a single layer.
9. Roast in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, flipping once, halfway through. Potatoes should be tender and browned.
10. Pour the remaining glaze over the roasted potatoes.
11. Add a small handful of chopped parsley and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Toss to coat evenly.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Sure! It's always great to make things ahead as much as possible whether you're making a holiday feast, or planning for an easy weeknight meal.
To make ahead, I would simply stop at step 9 above, and
- Put the roasted sweet potatoes in an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Pour the remaining glaze into an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- Reheat the sweet potatoes in a 400 F oven in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes or so, until heated through.
- Reheat the glaze in the microwave for a few seconds until liquid, and then just go ahead with steps 10-11.
Enjoy!! xx
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A few more vegetable side dishes you might like
Brown sugar glazed carrots with orange and thyme
Maple balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon
Roasted cauliflower with cumin and coriander
Fall Salad with Apples and Maple Vinaigrette
Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter & Maple
Ingredients
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a medium light-coloured saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan frequently, until it starts to turn golden and smell nutty, and brown bits have started to collect at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.
- Immediately whisk in the maple syrup and red pepper flakes.
- Toss the sweet potatoes with 1/2 of the browned butter glaze, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper, and spread in one layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the sweet potatoes, for about 40 minutes, tossing with a spatula once, about halfway through, until caramelized and tender.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl, pour the remaining brown butter maple glaze over them, sprinkle with parsley and additional salt if desired, and toss gently to coat.
Notes
- Feel free to reduce the maple syrup or eliminate it if you prefer a more savory dish.
- To give it a bit more kick, increase the crushed red pepper to taste.
- To make this ahead, roast the sweet potatoes as described, but save the remaining half of the glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Reheat the sweet potatoes in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Reheat the glaze in the microwave for a few seconds and toss with the potatoes.
Rebecca Blackwell
Between my husband and our three kids, only two out of the 5 of us like sweet potatoes. Or so they thought... these looked so delicious that I had to make them, even if only two of us ate them. To my delight, everyone in the family at some, and the sweet potato haters were transformed. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Ann
Oh I am so happy to hear that Rebecca!! This totally made my day!!
Michelle
What a tasty side dish! I love that brown butter and maple glaze on these sweet potatoes. These are just perfect for the holidays, thanks so much for sharing this.
Ann
Thank you so much Michelle!!