This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Enjoy a savory and delightful side dish with our Sweet Potato Roast. This recipe combines roasted sweet potatoes seasoned with olive oil, a hint of butter, and aromatic spice and is finished with a deliciously fresh parsley pesto topping for added flavor.
This sweet potato recipe next to this butternut squash salad and a juicy air fryer turkey breast is all you need for a small festive meal!
Sweet potato casserole is a classic, and for good reason—it’s sweet, comforting, and always a favorite among Holiday guests. But if you’re looking for something a little more unexpected, this sweet potato dish is here to shake things up.
Step into a world of rich flavors and textures with this sweet potato roast, deliciously drizzled with parsley pesto. This dish takes the humble sweet potato and elevates it to a festive prop, perfect for gracing your holiday table. Seasoned with a unique blend of spices and topped with a homemade pesto, this recipe will be a showstopper at any gathering!
Why We Love This Sweet Potato Side Dish
- Easy Yet Impressive: Simple to prepare but with a presentation that wows.
- Flavorful: Combining sweet potatoes with an exotic spice blend offers a unique taste experience.
- Versatile Side Dish: This sweet potato roast is ideal for holiday feasts or as a gourmet addition to any meal.
What You’ll Need
Gather the following simple pantry ingredients to make this stunning sweet potato roast recipe! I’ve included some notes and substitutions, but for the full amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card.
For the Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes: You’ll need roughly 4 pounds of sweet potatoes cut into thin round slices.
- Olive Oil: Helps coat the sweet potatoes for roasting, but you can use any cooking oil.
- Butter: Adds richness and enhances the roasted flavor.
- Garlic: Substitute with garlic powder if fresh garlic isn’t available.
- Berbere Blend: A fragrant, spicy seasoning that adds a warm kick. Replace with a mix of paprika, cayenne, and ground cumin if you don’t have berbere.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to bring out all the flavors.
For the Parsley Pesto
- Italian Parsley: The base for the pesto, giving it a fresh, herbaceous flavor. Substitute with cilantro or basil for a different twist.
- Walnuts: Adds nuttiness and texture to the pesto. Swap with pecans, almonds, or pine nuts.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Contributes a salty, umami flavor.
- Garlic: Garlic powder can work in a pinch, but fresh is best.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps blend the pesto into a smooth consistency.
- Berbere Blend: Gives the pesto a unique flavor. Replace with a pinch of cayenne and smoked paprika if needed.
How To Make Sweet Potato Roast
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Seasoning: Mix olive oil, butter, garlic, berbere blend, salt, and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons in a baking dish.
- Roast: Arrange sweet potato slices in the dish, brush with the oil mixture, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, increase oven temp to 450°F, and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Make the Pesto: Process parsley, walnuts, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, berbere blend, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Finish: Brush the roasted sweet potatoes with pesto or serve it on the side.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Slice Evenly: For uniform cooking, try to slice the sweet potatoes evenly. A mandolin slicer can be very helpful for this.
- Herb Variations: While parsley is classic for the pesto, feel free to experiment with basil or cilantro for a different flavor profile.
- Berbere Blend: Berbere, known for its spicy chili profile, balances its warmth with a blend of sweet and citrusy notes. It’s not overwhelmingly hot, but offers a subtle spice.
- Spice Mix Substitutes: If Berbere blend is not available, experiment with other spice mixes like chili powder, garam masala, curry powder, paprika, or Cajun seasoning.
- Spice Adjustment: Increase or decrease the amount of berbere blend to suit your taste.
- Experiment with Nuts: Try pine nuts or almonds in the pesto for a different flavor.
- Cheese Varieties: Swap the Parmesan cheese with pecorino or Asiago cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a traditional stuffing or complement it with warm cornbread. Accompany it with this instant pot turkey breast and offer a side of cranberry sauce. Follow up with classic Thanksgiving desserts like pumpkin pie or pecan pie.
Storing
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Delicious Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie
- Sweet Potato Wedges
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Parsnips
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Sweet Potato Roast
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Berbere blend
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Parsley Pesto
- 2 cups packed Italian parsley
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ⅓ cup fancy shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Berbere blend
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Combine olive oil, melted butter, garlic, berbere blend, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl; stir to combine. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish.
- Arrange the sweet potato slices in the dish and brush the potatoes with the remaining olive oil mixture.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 450˚F. Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes or until they are slightly browned.
For the Parsley Pesto
- Meanwhile, combine parsley, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil, berbere blend, salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until thoroughly incorporated. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Brush the tops of the baked sweet potatoes with the parsley pesto, or serve the pesto on the side.
Notes
- Even Slices: Use a mandolin slicer to slice the sweet potatoes.
- Herbs: You can use basil or cilantro instead of parsley for the pesto. You can also use store-bought varieties.
- Different Nuts: Try pine nuts or almonds in the pesto for a different flavor.
- Spice Substitutes: If you don’t want Berbere, try other spice mixes like garam masala, curry powder, paprika, or Cajun seasoning.
- Adjust to Taste: Increase or decrease the seasoning to suit your taste.
- Cheese: Swap parmesan with pecorino or Asiago cheese.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Is there something similar to the berbere blend that I can substitute?
Yes. I also eould like to know what I can substitute for this spice. I live in Ontario Canada. Have never seen it. Thanks. Just found your site and excited
Hi!! This is like an all in one spice – there’s ginger in it, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and possibly salt and fenugreek. I hope that helps!
I already love sweet potato (much more than the other kind) so you had me there, but also love pesto and never thought to combine the two, so thank you for that and also for the Berbere blend spice, never used it or anything like it before, that I’m aware of!
Hi Sabrina! It’s a delicious blend of paprika, chili powder, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, etc… It’s so good!