This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
The Midwest is a potluck kind of place, even for family gatherings during the holidays. It’s very rare that the person hosting makes all the food, or that it’s a sit down meal. More traditionally, give or take 7 casseroles, a large carved meat of sort, traditional Scandinavian or German dishes (like lefse or pickled herring), and several pans of bars, cakes, and some fruit “fluff”.
And then there’s me. The oddball bringing something a little different, not in any way fancy, just not the norm of what they’re used to eating. That could be anything from these crispy, crusty {white!} sweet potatoes, caramelized garlic carrots, or wild rice with roasted cauliflower & grapes, which is what I brought to Thanksgiving. And 3 people out of 28 took a spoonful.
I’m used to it – it’s okay, really. I’ve had to learn it’s not a judgment towards me, nor does it mean that the food isn’t good. And even if just a few of them end up trying something new, that’s a win in my books. Plus, more leftovers for me.
These Salty Sweet Curry Roasted Sweet Potatoes are what I’m making for our Christmas Eve gathering, and I’m head over heels with the textures and flavor. The beauty of this recipe is there are so few ingredients, yet so many dimensions.
The salt and sugar (just a bit, to help make the crust) are balanced by the warm spices in the curry powder, and a pinch of cayenne squeaks in at the end. The creamy avocado, with it’s vibrant green color, ties it all together, one of my favorite combinations.
Side note, have you cooked with white sweet potatoes? (And you can you find them at any Whole Foods or coop.) They’re a bit drier than the orange ones, and a touch less sweet, which I prefer. Because they don’t have as much moisture, they caramelize beautifully in the oven.
The other key to the golden caramelized coat is roasting at relatively high heat, 400 degrees, with olive oil as the coating for the crust to adhere to. Yes, olive oil is perfectly fine to use at that high of heat contrary to those who’ve told you “no, never”. They’re wrong. This myth has gone around for years, mostly because many olive oils are actually blended (so not strictly OO, fraudulent) and refined, which will start to degrade in heat faster than their unrefined counterparts, and is more susceptible to oxidation (those are the ones with the low smoke point).
But when you use a high quality extra virgin olive oil, like California Olive Ranch (I used their bottle of “Everyday”, which is super affordable and available at Target, Whole Foods, pretty much everywhere now), the high content of antioxidants protect the oil from damage in the face of heat or other oxidants. Just make sure you are storing it in a dark place, away from heat (so not on the back of your stove), to preserve those qualities and shelf life.
So maybe, just maybe, I’ll change a few family members minds about sweet potatoes with these. I mean, chances are better they’ll try them because they’re white and look like regular spuds, right? Regardless, I feel like some of you (my people!), would be with me off to the side with these and a glass of wine. xo, Amanda
SCALE:
tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen
Any suggestions of how to transport these to said “pot luck” and not lose the crispiness? We have about a half hour drive between our house, and dinner, plus any wait time as the rest of the holiday meal are completed. I don’t want my potatoes to end up soggy.
hi sharon! you could toss them in the oven without the finishing components when you arrive, and broil for about 3-4 minutes if they lose some of their crispiness in transport, then add avocado, etc.
I adooore white sweet potatoes and I adore this dish! Haha I can so relate to being the black sheep at the potluck. #midwestfoodieproblems. But like you said, more for you ;) xo
Bahaha I connect with this sooo much Amanda! Those Midwestern potlucks are actually hilarious. I can only imagine the thoughts people have when you bring some of your more untraditional dishes around ;) But this looks divine. I love the idea of using white sweet potatoes. The flavor combo sounds right up my alley. Will be trying this winter for sure! xoxo and Happy Holidays!
not saying that i don’t love my grandma’s hotdish… :) but! i like what i like. yes, white sweet potatoes rock my world. i haven’t tried these with the purple skin/white inside yet, but that’s up next to see if there is any difference. xo
This recipe gets a big fat YUM! I love sweet potatoes, and I am intrigued by this spice mix!
Yay! hope you try them. these sweet potatoes have stolen my heart. xo
Ah these are the only sweet potatoes I ever knew growing up! A few years ago when I started watching more American food shows and reading international food blogs I found it peculiar that the world seems to have other sweet potatoes than we do here in South Africa.. We only grow the two white varieties (one with the red/purplish skin like you used and the other a white skin) and only about a year or maybe two ago the orange ones started to pop up here and there in our stores, although it’s still very rare to find them.
Hi Jana! And so amazing that you’re visiting the blog from South Africa. It’s funny how sometimes plants, food ideas are in one part of the world, and not the other. Either it takes longer to figure out how to grow because of the climate or preference. I did actually use the white skinned, white fleshed, called an O’Henry Sweet Potato in this recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by. xoxo
Oh my goodness, these look so good! I think they will be making an appearance at my Christmas table (or weekly on my dinner table) as well! If I were you I would be torn between wanting everyone to be able to share in the deliciousness, but then secretly wanting no one to partake so I could eat the whole batch myself…That’s not the Christmas spirit is it…sigh. On a side note, Japanese and white sweet potatoes are my favorite. I roast a batch of them whole every week and eat them and usually eat them with almond butter, cinnamon and yogurt.
wow jess, eating them the sweet way with almond butter and yogurt sounds amazing! could be fun for breakfast, and something to try in a dessert way. xo
Oh these look incredible! Anything potato is a win in my book
give me all the fluffy inside, crispy outside potatoes!
Crusty potatoes are truly one of the best things ever, especially when they have a kick of curry to them! I always feel like I’m that person who brings something just a bit different, so I’m right there with you sister :)