Description
Ina Garten’s roasted sweet potatoes combine zesty chipotle and tangy orange butter for an irresistible side dish. Spicy-sweet flavors mingle with caramelized edges, creating a memorable culinary experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 6 small sweet potatoes
Flavoring Ingredients:
- ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can)
Seasoning Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by setting the temperature to 200°C / 400°F and lining a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and preventing sticking.
- Carefully puncture sweet potatoes in multiple locations using a sharp knife to allow steam to escape and prevent potential bursting during roasting.
- Position the prepared sweet potatoes on the aluminum-lined sheet pan, ensuring they are evenly spaced for consistent cooking.
- Roast the sweet potatoes for approximately one hour, checking their tenderness by inserting a knife into the center – they should feel soft and yield easily.
- While potatoes are roasting, create the chipotle orange butter by combining unsalted butter, maple syrup, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, freshly grated orange zest, salt, and black pepper in an electric mixer.
- Blend the butter mixture on medium speed until ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and the texture becomes smooth and uniform.
- Transfer the flavored butter onto a 30 x 20 cm / 12 x 8-inch parchment paper sheet, using a rubber spatula to shape it into a compact log.
- Tightly roll the butter log within the parchment paper and refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes to allow it to firm up.
- Once sweet potatoes are fully roasted, create a lengthwise slit on top of each potato and gently press the ends to open them slightly.
- Season the potatoes with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance their natural flavors.
- Slice the chilled chipotle orange butter into 12 even portions and place two slices inside each roasted sweet potato.
- Serve the dressed sweet potatoes immediately while they are still hot, allowing the butter to melt and infuse the potatoes with rich, spicy-sweet flavors.
Notes
- Chilling transforms the chipotle butter into a perfectly sliceable topping that melts beautifully over hot sweet potatoes.
- Room temperature butter ensures smooth blending of spices, creating a creamy and evenly distributed chipotle spread.
- Consistent potato sizing guarantees uniform cooking, preventing some pieces from being undercooked or overly mushy.
- Strategic piercing prevents explosive potato surprises in the oven, allowing steam to escape safely during roasting.
- Seasoning with salt and pepper before adding butter amplifies the natural sweetness and creates a more complex flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings
- Calories: 268.5
- Sugar: 9.33g
- Sodium: 127mg
- Fat: 15.55g
- Saturated Fat: 9.7g
- Carbohydrates: 31.17g
- Fiber: 4.17g
- Protein: 2.1g
- Cholesterol: 40.67mg