Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe with Rosemary and Pomegranate
Oct 21, 2022
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Roasted sweet potatoes are simple, flavorful, and ready in just 35 minutes. The natural sweetness of the potatoes pairs beautifully with warm spices and fresh rosemary, creating a perfectly caramelized bite every time.
This roasted sweet potato recipe takes things up a notch with smoky paprika, cinnamon, and a burst of freshness from pomegranate arils. Whether you’re serving them alongside a hearty main or enjoying them as a snack, these roasted sweet potatoes will be your new go-to!
Over the years, I have gathered many roasted vegetable recipes that make the perfect side dish or addition to your favorite salads and bowls. From roasted butternut squash and acorn squash to roasted brussel sprouts and Greek roasted vegetables (briam), you can always throw some veggies in the oven with some olive oil and the right spices to create a tasty side dish. Today I’m going to show you how to roast sweet potatoes so that they are perfectly tender and caramelized every time.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Versatile: These roasted sweet potato cubes are so versatile. You can serve them as a side dish, in bowls, tacos, and wraps.
Easy to Prepare: This recipe is as easy as peeling, chopping, tossing, and roasting. Simple yet so delicious, this is a sweet potato recipe you’d want to keep on hand.
Delicious: The seasoning and herbs enhance the flavor of the sweet potatoes and the pomegranate adds a nice touch.
If you’re a sweet potato fan, check out my crispy baked sweet potato fries, baked sweet potatoes, maple pecan sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, and sweet potato casserole. They’re both family-friendly and easy to make.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes: They caramelize naturally when roasted due to their high sugar content, creating a crispy, golden exterior. Cut the sweet potatoes into uniform cubes to ensure even roasting.
Olive Oil: It enhances caramelization and helps the spices stick to the sweet potatoes. Use extra virgin olive oil for a richer, more robust flavor. Use avocado oil or ghee for a different taste and smoke point.
Spices: I use 4 spices to make this recipe which are cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and smoked paprika. I enjoy using smoked paprika for roasting vegetables, however, regular paprika would work, too. You can use other spices such as cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
Rosemary: It has a woody aroma that balances the sweetness of the potatoes. Strip the leaves from the stem for even distribution. I also like to add some other fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, or oregano to this recipe.
Pomegranate Arils: Provide a juicy burst of freshness that cuts through the richness of the roasted sweet potatoes. To easily remove arils, cut the pomegranate in half and tap the back with a wooden spoon over a bowl.
How to Pick the Right Sweet Potatoes
Keep in mind that sweet potatoes and yams are two different vegetables. Yams are usually white inside and less sweet.
When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for the jewel or garnet varieties, as they are naturally sweeter and have a vibrant orange color. Choose small to medium-sized potatoes that are firm, and have no bruises, brown spots, or soft spots on the skin.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the Oven
Set the oven to 460°F to ensure high heat for caramelization. Lightly grease it with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Then, peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler.
Slice into ½-inch thick circles and cut into 1-inch cubes to ensure even roasting and crispy edges.
Season Sweet Potatoes Evenly
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, smoked paprika, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Make sure each piece is well-coated for a balanced flavor.
Spread Them Out
Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and ensure they’re not overcrowded.
Top with rosemary sprigs for an infused aroma as they roast.
Roast in Stages
Bake for 15 minutes, then take the baking sheet out and flip the sweet potatoes with a spatula for even browning.
Continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden, caramelized, and fork-tender.
Finish and Serve
Transfer roasted sweet potatoes to a serving plate and sprinkle with more rosemary and fresh pomegranate arils for a juicy, tangy contrast.
How Long Should I Roast Sweet Potatoes?
This depends on the temperature of the oven and the thickness of the potatoes. To roast sweet potato cubes that are 1-inch thick, you usually need 25 minutes at 450°F. If the chunks are larger, it would take 5 to 10 minutes more for them to roast.
Serving Suggestions
These roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary and pomegranate make a versatile side dish that pairs beautifully with many meals. Their caramelized edges, warm spices, and bursts of juicy pomegranate create the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and earthy flavors.
Breakfast: Serve alongside spinach omelette, shakshuka with feta, or sausage breakfast muffins.
Lunch: Toss it with Mediterranean salad, nicoise salad, or Greek shrimp salad for a vibrant salad.
Dinner: Serve it as a side dish with dijon salmon, Italian chicken skillet, roasted turkey recipe, or garlic lemon shrimp.
Recipe Tips
Get the Perfect Caramelization: Roast sweet potatoes at a high temperature such as 450°F to ensure tender inside and caramelized outside.
Customize the Texture: For extra crispy sweet potatoes, roast them for 5 more minutes at the end. If you prefer a softer texture, cover the baking sheet loosely with foil while roasting.
No Peeling Needed: The sweet potato skin is edible and crisps up beautifully when roasted. If you prefer to keep the skin on, just wash and scrub thoroughly the sweet potatoes.
Don’t Overlap: Arrange the sweet potato cubes in a single layer and ensure they’re not overlapping and the baking sheet is not too crowded so the air can circulate and caramelize the vegetables.
Coat with Olive oil: Use a good amount of olive oil and make sure every sweet potato cube is coated with the olive oil. This will guarantee a nice color, flavor, and texture.
Storage Tips
Refrigerating: Let the roasted sweet potato leftovers cool completely, transfer them to an airtight container, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Spread the cooled sweet potatoes on a sheet pan and freeze for 1-2 hours to prevent them from sticking together. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store them for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.
Reheating: To reheat, arrange roasted sweet potato on a baking sheet and place them in the oven at 325°F for 15 minutes to restore crispiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the skin of the sweet potato is edible when roasted. Make sure to wash and scrub the skin properly before cutting and roasting.
I don’t find soaking them in water necessary for this particular recipe.
I don’t like using parchment paper when it comes to roasting vegetables. In my opinion, vegetables brown better when there’s no parchment paper.
Yes! You can roast the sweet potatoes in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes
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Easy Oven Roasted Tomatoes Recipe (Video)
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Mediterranean Oven Roasted Vegetables
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary and Pomegranate
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450℉ and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
- Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, smoked paprika, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Arrange them on the baking sheet in one single layer and top with rosemary.
- Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven and flip the sweet potatoes using a spatula. Return them to the oven and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes until they're golden and caramelized.
- Transfer to a serving plate and top with more rosemary and pomegranate arils.
Video
Notes
- Get the Perfect Caramelization: Roast sweet potatoes at a high temperature such as 450°F to ensure tender inside and caramelized outside.
- Customize the Texture: For extra crispy sweet potatoes, roast them for 5 more minutes at the end. If you prefer a softer texture, cover the baking sheet loosely with foil while roasting.
- No Peeling Needed: The sweet potato skin is edible and crisps up beautifully when roasted. If you prefer to keep the skin on, just wash and scrub thoroughly the sweet potatoes.
- Don’t Overlap: Arrange the sweet potato cubes in a single layer and ensure they’re not overlapping and the baking sheet is not too crowded so the air can circulate and caramelize the vegetables.
- Coat with Olive oil: Use a good amount of olive oil and make sure every sweet potato cube is coated with the olive oil. This will guarantee a nice color, flavor, and texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I would have never thought to combine this flavor combo (especially the pomegranate arils) with sweet potatoes! What a flavor explosion!
These roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish to so many meals. Easy to make and so tasty! Love them!