Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes

These Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes are a delicious mix of Mediterranean inspired flavors. Tender roasted sweet potatoes topped with spicy crispy chickpeas, and a bright mixture of tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta – everything works together so nicely for a fresh yet comforting bite. It’s a perfect vegetarian main dish, or a side dish among other recipes. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients 
• Instructions
• Tips and tricks
• How to get roasted chickpeas crunchy
• Recipe variations 
• Storage and reheating
• FAQs
• More sweet potato recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients 

• Sweet potatoes: Standard orange sweet potatoes are what I used (brown/reddish skin, orange flesh) as they are most commonly available near me. However, you could also use Japanese sweet potatoes (purple-ish skin, white flesh). 
• Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, za’atar, cayenne, kosher salt, and pepper are all used throughout this recipe to bring bold, delicious flavor. 
• Chickpeas: One can of chickpeas are roasted and used as a crispy, slightly spicy topping. 
• Cucumber: English, Persian, or mini cucumbers work great for this recipe – but really, any kind would be fine. 
• Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are great. You could alternatively just cut a larger tomato into chunks 
• Feta cheese: A block of Greek feta – look for the “certified designation of origin” red and yellow symbol, it means it was made where it says it is!
• Greek yogurt: Any plain whole milk / full fat greek yogurt works great. 
• Olive oil: Used for roasting the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and in the greek yogurt dressing. 
• Lemon: Brightens up the dressing with a bit of acidity. Fresh lemon juice is always best!
• Honey: Balances the tartness of the yogurt and the acidity of the lemon juice. 
• Fresh parsley: A fresh, herby element. 

Instructions

For step by step details, see the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Tips and tricks

• Parchment paper helps make sure the ingredients don't stick to the baking sheet. Non-stick aluminum foil also works. 
• If you’re worried about the insides of the potatoes getting tender, poke them with a fork on the skin a few times before you roast. This helps the heat to penetrate. 
• Cooking time of the sweet potatoes will vary depending on their size – they are fully cooked through when easily pierced with a fork. 
• Cut the cucumber, tomatoes, and feta into small pieces. 
• I use regular olive oil throughout this recipe because extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of around 410°F which is cutting it a bit close for roasting. You can use extra virgin olive oil in the dressing if you'd like, but to keep it simple with fewer variations of ingredients regular olive oil works just fine.
• Roast the chickpeas and sweet potatoes in a single layer to ensure they cook through properly (and in the chickpeas case, get crispy). 
• If you use large sweet potatoes, just cut them into quarters or roast them for more time. 
• Finish the dish with a little bit of lemon zest and / or fresh parsley for an extra fresh element. 

How to get roasted chickpeas crunchy

The trick to getting really crispy roasted chickpeas is to remove the outer layer (skin) of each chickpea, but it's rather time consuming. However, there's a trick to getting a bunch of them to fall off somewhat easily – rub them between a kitchen towel or paper towels gently, and the skins should somewhat come off. Also, make sure they are dry before you add the oil. 

Recipe variations 

• You can add red onion to the cucumber mixture if you'd like. To cut through some of their sharpness, give them a quick rinse under cold water. 
• Add some tahini to the dressing! If you do this, you might also need to add a splash of water to thin it out. 
• Add sesame seeds or Aleppo pepper to the dressing.
• Add grated garlic to the dressing for a little sharp bite.
• Use some avocado as a topping!
• Other fresh herbs that would work great in place of parsley are chives, green onions, mint, and cilantro.
• Goat cheese would be delicious instead of feta cheese.
• To make this dairy free, skip the feta and use hummus in place of the Greek yogurt. 

Storage and reheating

• Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you can, store each of the elements separately. Otherwise, this dish is best eaten as leftovers at room temperature. 
• Reheating: If you stored the elements separately, warm only the sweet potatoes – can be done in the microwave for a few minutes. 
• Dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance.

FAQs

More sweet potato recipes

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📖 Recipe

RECIPE

1. Season and roast the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon over them and sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and pepper over top. Mix together to evenly coat the sweet potatoes. Lay them cut-side down and roast them in a 400°F oven for 30-40 minutes until fork-tender and lightly golden brown. 
2. Season and roast the chickpeas. Dump the rinsed, drained, and dried chickpeas on a separate medium baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar, cayenne powder, and garlic powder. Mix together until evenly coated. Roast in the oven alongside the sweet potatoes for 20-30 minutes, shaking the pan a few times throughout. 
3. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the chopped parsley, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, olive oil, honey, and kosher salt.
4. Combine the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and feta. While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, combine the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and cubed feta in a large bowl. 
5. Toss the cucumber mixture together with the dressing. Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and combine. 
6. To serve - top the sweet potatoes with the roasted chickpeas, and dressed chopped cucumber mixture.