Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Cashew Cream and Walnuts
I never understood people who loved sweet side dishes in general. At Thanksgiving, there’s cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole. I’m a total savory person at mealtimes – I don’t even like fruit in my salads!
However, I appreciate traditions and I realize that many love these types of side dishes. And to be honest, when I was thinking of creative ways to present sides for the holidays, I came up with this sweet potato dish and now, I’m a total sweet side person! I think this side dish is going to become a new family tradition, and I’m so excited about it!
These sweet potatoes are like my grandmother used to make them – slightly burnt! She always used to joke about how she “burnt the sweet potatoes again,” but I think I’m on to her – she just loves them a little bit crispy and black on the edges! By baking them at a high temperature for less time, you get that perfectly tender cooked inside and a beautiful caramelization on the outside that brings out the natural sweetness in the sweet potatoes.
The sweet potatoes sit atop a maple cashew cream, made from cashews, water, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a hint of salt. It’s not too sweet, but sweet enough to make every serving more and more addictive! The crispy walnuts bring it altogether, not just for extra nuttiness, but to give the side some texture. You could toast the walnuts first, if you’d like even more depth of flavor.
Like I said, these sweet potatoes are so good that I’m going to make them a new family tradition. And perhaps it’ll make your table, too!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Cashew Cream and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 4 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
- olive oil to drizzle
- salt
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- For the cashew cream:
- 1 cup cashews soaked for at least 6 hours or overnight
- 1/3 cup water or ½ cup, if you want it creamier. 1/3 cup will be chunkier/thicker
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle the sweet potatoes lightly with olive oil, massage into the sweet potatoes, and then season with salt. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender and then broil for 5 minutes to burn the edges slightly.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a high speed blender along with the rest of the ingredients for the cashew sauce. Spread the cashew cream out on a large serving platter and set aside.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done roasting, lay them out on the cashew cream and top with walnuts. Serve.
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