Roasted Baby Sweet Potatoes

This is one of those eye-candy ingredients that I just couldn’t pass up in the produce section. The baby sweet potatoes looked too good. They’re available in springtime in many areas, and the best way to prepare them is the simplest way: roasted with salt and pepper. That’s it.

Baby Sweet Potatoes

Baby sweet potatoes have a stronger, more fragrant sweet potato taste than their large, heavy, mature siblings. For a simple roast, scrub the skin (yes, you can eat it), sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper, wrap in aluminum foil, and roast. 

Tip: There’s no inside seasoning, so whether you eat the skin or not, you want the salt to penetrate it during the cooking process. That's why there's generous seasoning on the outside.

This is one of the simplest side dishes you can make. It’s also one of the most flavorful (and prettiest!). If you can find these beautiful, tasty, little gems in your local market, buy them. But don’t over-complicate the preparation. Simple and fresh—that gets the best results.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 6-8 baby sweet potatoes of various colors (about 2 1/2 oz each)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven the 400° F.
2. Scrub the potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Place them side by side on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap over them.
3. Season the potatoes generously with sea salt and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Fold the foil over them to form a packet.

Seasoned Potatoes Ready to Cook

1. Place in the oven and bake 1 hour, or until the potatoes are very soft to the touch.
2. Remove from the foil to a cutting board. Slice in half lengthwise and divide among 3 to 4 plates. Enjoy hot.