18 Sweet Potato Recipes That Are Healthy and Flavorful
Who doesn’t love sweet potatoes?
Victor Protasio
When it comes to preparing a healthy meal, you can of course dig into a boring salad or whip up a bland piece of chicken, but if you’re looking for something a bit more flavorful, it’s time to add sweet potatoes to your grocery list. The vibrant orange tubers are an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, and while you can eat them solo, they also pair well with other healthy foods, like kale, chickpeas, farro, and more. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of sweet potato recipes that are healthy, packed with flavor, and easy to make. Here, you’ll find dishes like Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes, Smoky-Sweet Potato Burgers, and others that don’t disappoint. Keep reading for more!
Related: 19 Easy, Healthy Dinner Ideas Your Whole Family Will Love
Slow-Cooker Beef and Noodle Curry
Fred Hardy
In this healthy slow cooker recipe, a jar of red curry paste clings to chunks of stew meat, like chuck or round. You’ll also find sweet potato and onion here, which mingle with finishing ingredients like basil, coconut milk, and fresh lime juice. Once the spicy curry is complete, serve it over rice noodles with a shower of fresh basil for good measure, and dig in.
Chickpea-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Need more protein in your diet? Whip up these vegetarian chickpea-stuffed sweet potatoes topped with a dollop of seasoned Greek yogurt. The chickpeas are flavored with a spicy cinnamon and cumin combo, as well as flat-leaf parsley and chives. This healthy meal comes together in an hour, and is made mostly with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Farro Bowl With Pomegranate Vinaigrette
CAITLIN BENSEL
This hearty grain bowl includes nutty farro, caramelized sweet potato, crisp fennel, and salty feta. The healthy meal comes together courtesy of a pomegranate vinaigrette that takes everything to the next level. If you’re especially hungry, serve this as a side with roast chicken or grilled salmon.
Smoky Turkey Chili
Feed a crowd with this smoky chili that features ingredients you’ll often find in Mexican cuisine, such as tomatillos, poblano peppers, and even a pinch of cinnamon. The chili is also made with a mix of beans, corn, and sweet potato, which round out this healthy yet comforting meal. If you've got leftovers, stash them in the freezer, then defrost them for the next game-day meal.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Chipotle-Black Bean Chili
Roasted sweet potatoes are delicious, healthy, and a cinch to make. To upgrade the versatile tubers, follow this recipe and top a tender sweet potato with vegetarian chili made with canned black beans, adobo sauce, and more. Garnish the quick chili with classic fixins’ like sour cream, pickled jalapeños, and fresh cilantro, and enjoy!
Maple Sweet Potatoes With Spicy Pecan Praline
If you can't decide between sweet and savory, give this recipe a whirl. Sweet potato wedges are coated with a pepper-infused, buttery maple glaze, then showered with cayenne- and lime-flecked candied pecans. While this dish is a no-brainer for Thanksgiving, it also works as an elegant dinner party side dish.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
In this simple sheet pan recipe, chicken legs are roasted alongside nutritious sweet potato pieces and smoky bacon bits. After about 25 minutes, the chicken comes out with delicious crispy skin, which pairs well with the crisp, salty bacon, as well as the crunchy, peppery watercress salad you can serve on the side.
Black Bean Tostadas With Sweet Potato and Poblanos
This easy recipe comes together in just 35 minutes and is packed with heart-healthy ingredients, like cabbage, black beans, sweet potatoes, peppers, and fresh herbs. Crema ties it all together, and if you want to add even more richness (and protein), top it off with a crumble of cotija cheese.
Smoky-Sweet Potato Burgers
Sure, you can buy pre-made veggie burgers at the grocery store, but meat-free patties are surprisingly easy to make yourself. In this recipe, you'll combine sweet potato, beans, oats, and chia seeds to create the base, and toss in a bit of chipotle chili to add a ton of smoky flavor. Make a few extra patties and freeze ‘em so you’ll always have dinner in a pinch.
Sweet Potato and Kale Tortilla Soup
Chunks of sweet potato and bunches of healthy kale comprise the bulk of this perfectly spiced tortilla soup. Go ahead and keep it vegetarian if you wish, but we’re partial to adding some leftover rotisserie chicken to the mix for even more protein and flavor. Serve with your favorite toppings like radishes, avocado, and cilantro, and don’t skimp on the crunchy tortilla strips that go directly into the broth.
Zucchini and Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
There are many ways to prepare sweet potatoes, but in this recipe using the microwave saves cooking time, meaning you can have this fiber-packed meal on the table in just 20 minutes. While the potato is cooking, the black bean filling comes together on the stove.
Spiced Sweet Potato Soup With Pistachio Dukkah
Pureed sweet potato is the hearty and healthy base of this soup, but it’s the pistachio-seed dukkah—a Middle Eastern nut, seed, and spice blend—that really takes this meal to the next level. Not only does the topping add more flavor and texture, but it’s also a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
Molasses and Chile Roasted Sweet Potatoes
One of the many things we love about sweet potatoes is that they can handle bold, strong flavors. Here, sweet potato wedges are drizzled with a spicy-sweet mixture made with molasses, jalapeño slices, apple cider vinegar, and mustard. The recipe calls for pungent stone-ground mustard, but if you can’t find that, Dijon mustard works too.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale
Ready in just 30 minutes, this healthy meal pairs sweet potatoes with kale cooked in a rich and spicy coconut sauce, flavored with lime juice and fragrant curry powder, as well as sweet toasted coconut. What’s more? The hearty filling of the sweet potato is flavored with grapefruit juice, butter, and allspice for maximum enjoyment.
Related: 8 Grocery Stores With the Best Rotisserie Chicken
Quinoa With Sweet Potatoes, Kale, and Pesto
With 14 grams of protein per serving, this vegetarian meal is one you’ll want to make again and again. You’ll find plenty of quinoa, sweet potato chunks, pieces of kale, pesto, and toasted walnuts. You can pair this with a piece of grilled chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken if you like, but it’s certainly satiating in its own right.
Mustardy Kale Salad With Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple
Who says sweet potato doesn’t belong in a salad? This recipe proves otherwise, as sweet potato pieces are tossed with kale, chopped apple, and almonds. The whole healthy meal is tied together with a tangy mustard vinaigrette you’ll want to drizzle on just about everything.
Garlicky Hoisin Beef
This take-out-worthy dish takes simple stir fry to the next level! Sweet and spicy garlic Hoisin sauce coats sweet potatoes, bell peppers, snap peas, and flank steak in this delectable meal. Be sure to serve it over rice to soak up all the sauce!
Veggie Pancakes With Sesame Fried Eggs
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall
As vegetarians know, dishes don't need meat to be delicious—and that certainly is the case with these veggie pancakes. Featuring sweet potatoes, these pancakes get fluffy in the center and crispy on the outside, and are packed with umami from the mushrooms and spice from the scallions. Topped with a fried sesame egg, you get a meal that's got plenty of protein and is a great vessel for any kind of veggies.
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