Summer Sweet Potatoes With Tomatoes (Printable)
Roasted sweet potatoes topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil pesto for a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
→ Dairy
04 - 7 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved
→ Pesto
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Olive Oil & Seasoning
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Brush sweet potato halves with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, blend basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
05 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
06 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The roasted sweet potatoes become candy-sweet while staying substantial enough to satisfy as a main dish
- Fresh pesto transforms in minutes and keeps for days, so you are already halfway to tomorrow is dinner
02 -
- Sweet potatoes vary wildly in size, so check them at 25 minutes and trust a fork test over the clock every time
- The pesto tastes best if you let it sit for 10 minutes before serving, giving the garlic time to mellow slightly
03 -
- Toasting the pine nuts (or walnuts) in a dry pan for 2 minutes before blending deepens their flavor significantly
- Flip the sweet potatoes carefully as soon as they come out of the oven so the steam can escape, preventing sogginess