Sweet potatoes are more than just a Thanksgiving dinner side dish. These little beauties pack a healthy punch, as long as they aren’t loaded down with sugar, butter, and pecans. Sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene and potassium, the latter of which is important for heart health and prevention of muscle cramps. I run and find that if I don’t have enough potassium I experience severe leg or foot cramps. Not fun! So I decided to up my potassium game and roast sweet potatoes in coconut oil, one of the newest additions to my pantry.
If you have never roasted veggies, I highly encourage you to try it! Boiling vegetables often leads to nutrients leaching into the water. Unless you drink that water (ewww!), you are missing out on valuable vitamins and minerals. Roasting helps to keep these nutrients in the veggie. Plus, I love the caramelized outside edges of roasted vegetables. Roasting sweet potatoes develops an added sweetness, and the slight coconut flavor from the coconut oil really makes my taste buds happy!
This recipe is extremely low-key. I only use three ingredients: sweet potatoes, coconut oil, and kosher salt. I love my sweet potatoes served with low-fat grilled pork chops, but roasted sweet potatoes can be a great side with any meat…or just eat them alone!
Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe…
I like to make three big sweet potatoes for the four of us. The size of your potatoes will determine the amount of coconut oil you use for roasting. My basic ratio is one tablespoon for each large sweet potato. Notice from the picture that my sweet potatoes were HUGE. 🙂
Peel, wash, and carefully cube the sweet potatoes. For three large potatoes, I got about eight cups of cubes. While I worked on the potatoes, I preheated the oven to 425° F. I also scooped the coconut oil on a large baking sheet and placed it in the oven for 30 seconds until it was mostly melted. When the coconut oil melted, I added the cubed sweet potatoes to the baking pan and tossed gently to coat. I then sprinkled the potatoes with a pinch or two of kosher salt, placed the pan in the oven, and baked for 40-45 minutes. I like to stir the cubes every few minutes to ensure even browning.
Roasted sweet potatoes are great any time of year, so I would encourage you to add a bit more potassium to your diet and grab a few the next time you head to the grocery store. Thankfully, sweet potatoes keep in a cool, dry location for a long time, so stock up if they are on sale!
Notes
The baking pan can be lined with foil or unlined, though I would recommend not using a dark colored pan. This will lead to the potatoes becoming overdone or burnt.
Olive oil can easily be used instead of coconut oil, the flavor will just be more savory.
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cubed
- 3 T. coconut oil, melted
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Peel, wash, and cube sweet potatoes.
- Melt coconut oil and mix with sweet potatoes.
- Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easier clean up) and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until desired doneness, stirring every 10 or so minutes.
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