Caramelized Sweet Potato Bowls with Maple Tahini Sauce
Bowls are a great low-stakes simple dinner, or you can elevate them with a few common pantry staples. These Caramelized Sweet Potato Bowls are a savory-sweet situation, my personal favorite, with melt-in- your-mouth sweet potatoes and toasted pecans for a little crunch. And as always, a little something to drizzle on top—maple tahini sauce this time around. Most of the cook time is inactive, so you can prep everything else for the bowls in the meantime.
Caramelized Sweet Potato Bowls with Maple Tahini Sauce ingredient notes:
Sweet potatoes: To get a true caramelization on the sweet potatoes, you will be roasting the sweet potatoes for at least 45 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes (or if you like a deep caramelization), you may even stretch that to 55 to 60 minutes.
Chickpeas: This source of plant-based protein gets roasted along with the pecans for a crunchy element, and our main source of protein. Drain and rinse them well, then shake to dry, or spread on a paper towel to dry off. The drier they are, the more they’ll crisp in the oven.
Pecans: A seasonal source of fat in our bowls, pecans are one of my favorite nuts to cook with because of their sweeter flavor. They’re the perfect accompaniment to the caramelized sweet potatoes. If you need to go nut-free, swap for pumpkin seeds.
Tahini: No bowl is complete without a sauce, and tahini is one of my favorite sauce bases. It’s creamy on it’s own, just give it a good stir out of the jar, when paired with maple syrup it becomes easily drizzled over top the bowls for a sweet finish.
Caramelized Sweet Potato Bowls with Maple Tahini Sauce
4
servings15
minutes30
minutesThese Caramelized Sweet Potato Bowls are a savory-sweet situation, my personal favorite, with melt-in- your-mouth sweet potatoes and toasted pecans for a little crunch. And as always, a little something to drizzle on top—maple tahini sauce this time around. Most of the cook time is inactive, so you can prep everything else for the bowls in the meantime.
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Ingredients
- FOR THE SWEET POTATOES
2 medium sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 2-inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- FOR THE CHICKPEAS AND PECANS
two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
⅔ cup raw pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- FOR THE MAPLE TAHINI SAUCE
½ cup tahini
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
- FOR SERVING
Steamed kale, rice (3 cups cooked), or quinoa (3 cups cooked)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Add the sweet potato wedges, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper to a large bowl and toss until the potatoes are coated.
- On one sheet pan, place the wedges cut-side down and evenly spaced apart. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until very tender and crisp on the bottom, 45 to 55 minutes. Larger wedges can roast for up to 65 minutes, roast longer based on your preference. Rest the roasted potatoes on the counter for at least 10 minutes to cool before removing from the sheet pan.
- While the sweet potatoes bake, prepare the chickpeas and pecans: In a large bowl (use the same one from the sweet potatoes), toss the chickpeas, pecans, olive oil, and salt together until coated. Transfer to the second sheet pan and bake on the bottom rack of the oven until lightly crisp and toasted, 30 to 35 minutes. Right after removing from the oven, toss on the sheet pan with the maple syrup and thyme. Set aside to cool until serving.
- Prepare the maple-tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is very smooth and runs off a spoon. Two tablespoons is typical, it will depend on the consistency of the tahini.
- While the potatoes bake, prepare the rice or quinoa according to package instructions. Steam the kale (if using). Steamed kale recipe provided in the recipe notes.
- Assemble the bowls: Over a base of steamed kale, rice, or quinoa, evenly divide the sweet potatoes among four bowls. Top with the chickpeas and pecans, then drizzle the maple-tahini sauce over everything.
Notes
- STORE IT: Refrigerate the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and pecans, sauce, and steamed base of choice in separate sealed containers for up to 4 days.
- REHEAT IT: Assemble a bowl, excluding the sauce, then microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with sauce to serve. The sauce may need a splash of warm water to bring it back to life after refrigerating. Whisk in a splash, then drizzle.
- Steamed kale: Warm a splash of water in a medium-sized skillet over low heat, then add 5 to 10 ounces shredded curly kale (or one or two bunches, stems removed) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale has wilted, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Sauce: The tahini sauce yield is likely higher than what you’ll need for four bowls. Refrigerate the extras and use it in a variety of ways: roasted veg, chicken, etc.!
- Add a second protein source like shredded rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken breast. Bake small-diced chicken breast or thighs on the sheet pan with the chickpeas. Roasted salmon would also be delicious!
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Ok-I’ve made a lot of your wonderful recipes, but this one was next level. The caramelized sweet potatoes are fantastic and a savory/ sweet delight. The chick peas and pecans come alive with the fresh thyme and maple syrup. And the tahini sauce? Divine!! I want to put it on everything now. All together they make kitchen magic with a wonderful layered flavor profile. This recipe is a keeper for sure.