Sweet & Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

These delicious sweet and spicy roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish! Tasty sweet potatoes roasted to perfection and topped with a sweet and spicy pecan and maple topping! They are perfect for holidays or anytime!

Why we love this recipe-

Sweet potatoes have always been one of my favorite holiday side dishes, they are so versatile and delicious! This delicious recipe takes sweet potatoes to another level! We’ve always served a traditional sweet potato dish with brown sugar and marshmallows on top! While that is one of my favorite ways to eat them this recipe puts a whole new spin on sweet potatoes.

This sweet potato recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy with some tasty crunch from pecans and delicious roasted flavor. These sweet potato wedges are full of so much flavor that you’ll happily eat them on their own! They are a great addition to any holiday meal but they’re also easy enough to make for any weeknight meal! Your whole family will love these, be ready to be asked for the recipe!

When it comes to holiday meal planning I love easy recipes that are delicious and this recipe checks those boxes!

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FAQ & Helpful Tips –

Can I cut my sweet potatoes into chunks?

Absolutely! My personal preference for this recipe is sweet potatoes wedges but if you prefer cubes you can absolutely cut them that way, I find one inch chunks are the perfect bite size! They’ll cook a little faster in bite size chunks so you’ll want to make sure to keep an eye on them and not over cook them!

Do I have to peel my potatoes?

No! Sweet potato skins are just fine to eat, I just prefer to peel mine for this recipe. A lot of the health benefits of sweet potatoes are found in their skin so if you prefer to keep them on that is great! Just make sure to give them a good scrub before chopping and baking.

Prepping ahead of time-

If you are planning a holiday menu it can get hectic, but the good news is you can prep this dish ahead of time. I recommend cooking it the day of but you can get the ingredients ready so it is quick to throw together. This is an easy side dish to make if everything is already prepped. You can chop the pecans and sweet potatoes so that you can just start cooking when you’re ready. To keep the cut sweet potatoes from oxidizing and turning brown place them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

Here are the ingredients for these sweet potatoes

2 ½ Lbs Fresh Sweet Potatoes

1 Large Sweet Onion

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

½ Cup Real Maple Syrup

2 tsp Kosher salt or Sea Salt

1 tsp Lime Juice

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Tbsp Butter

Fresh Ground Pepper

Lime zest for Garnish

Here’s how to make these roasted sweet potatoes-

First line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425.

Next place chopped pecans, cayenne, ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup maple syrup and several grinds of pepper in a small saucepan stir well. Cook over medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 3-5 minutes until bubbly. Spread across a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with lime zest. Allow to cool.

Peel sweet potatoes and chop them into thin wedges. If your sweet potatoes are small you can cut them into quarters and then eighths if they are large sweet potatoes they may need cut more. Place in a large bowl.

Peel and thinly slice your onion and add it to the bowl with the sweet potatoes.

Add olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and a few grinds of black pepper to the sweet potatoes and onions. Mix until evenly coated and spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown. The cooking time may vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your potatoes so keep an eye on them.

While the sweet potatoes are baking in a small saucepan combine butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, and ½ tsp salt. Heat over medium heat until mixture begins foaming and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Drizzle the maple mixture over baked potatoes and stir to coat, then drizzle lime juice across the top.

Place the potatoes back in the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until dark golden brown.

Spread pecans evenly across the top of the roasted sweet potatoes and serve immediately. 

Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.