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About This Purple Sweet Potato Recipe
We will guide you through our easy method of roasting purple potatoes. If you so choose, you can recreate the demonstrated Parmesan and rosemary crust which adds a lot of complexity to the final flavor.
And if you would rather use a different combination of flavoring agents we will show you how to still create a crispy outside around the creamy center of each potato bite.
Is Purple Sweet Potato Healthier?
The variety of purple sweet potato shown above, known as Stokes, has a brownish purple skin and a striking purple flesh. An almost perfect red beet look-alike!
There is also the Japanese purple sweet potato, known as Okinawa sweet potato, which has a paler skin but is also intensely purple colored inside, with a similar texture. It is not be confused with Ube.
Stokes purple sweet potato is a US variety, currently a product of Frieda's branded produce. Originally, it was cultivated, patented and introduced commercially by a North Carolina farmer by the name of Mike Sizemore.
Stokes purple sweet potatoes can be considered better than orange yams in terms of the health benefits they offer.
As a variety they are a good source of fiber; contain about eight times more vitamin E than orange sweet potatoes; about four times more vitamin C; as well as anthocyanin antioxidants (the same ones present in blueberries, but Stokes purple have about three times more).
How Do You Cook Purple Sweet Potatoes?
Purple sweet potatoes do not cook differently than other well-known sweet potato varieties such as yams and white sweet potatoes.
The best ways to cook purple sweet potatoes are roasting, baking whole, frying, boiling (to make mashed potatoes) and braising.
NOTE: The visual appeal of the flesh remains even after thermal treatment. The intense purple color does not fade which makes these tubers a delight for the eye.
Ingredients for This Recipe
Purple sweet potato. Budget an average sized Stokes purple sweet potato per person to be served.
Corn starch. To help make the potatoes extra crispy by absorbing extra mositure on their surface as well as to help the parmesan mixture adhere better.
Parmesan. Freshly grated retains more flavor than store-bought (also see tip below).
Olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil adds more robust flavor and its fruitiness complements the sweetness of the potatoes.You can also opt for a more neutral type of cooking oil.
Rosemary, kosher salt and black pepper. About four fresh sprigs of rosemary provide a good flavor addition to the parmesan, if you want more go with six.
TIP: Cut a block of parmesan cheese into cubes and use the ice-crushing feature of your blender to create the perfect 'crumb' for grated parmesan. We find this method to be easier than setting up a food processor.
How to Make Parmesan Crusted Purple Sweet Potatoes
As per the image sequence shown below there are only a couple of simple steps involved.
Prep. Peel and cut the potatoes in bite-sized chunks. Dust them with corn starch and mix them to make sure they are well coated on all sides. Chop the rosemary very finely and mix the ingredients for the coating, then pour it over the starched potatoes and stir.
Roast. Transfer the parmesan and rosemary coated purple sweet potatoes to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread them evenly so they can become crispier while tender inside. Roast them at 425 F for about fifteen minutes and then open the oven to flip them over. Continue roasting until satisfied with the external crispiness.
TIP: When you flip the potatoes after the initial fifteen minutes, the time for them to cook through and become crispy varies based on (1) how large you cut them and (2) how fine/coarse the parmesan cheese you used. Taste one bite when you flip them - its degree of doneness will help you decide if you should leave them in the oven for only five more minutes or maybe seven to ten more minutes.
Ways to Enjoy
Parmesan crusted purple sweet potatoes are wonderful in any of the manners listed below:
- on their own as a healthy any-time of day snack
- as a filling for wraps or creatively themed tacos
- as a side to various proteins (from grilled pork belly to roasted lamb ribs)
- the crispy little nuggets make a wonderful addition to mixed greens salad with shaved red onion, balsamic reduction and kalamata olives.
Flavor Variation Ideas for Stokes Potatoes
Other ideas to flavor a crispy roasted purple potato are listed below. Just always be sure to dust them with corn starch in order to create a superior crunch for the coating.
Garlic and herbs - mix three tablespoons of olive oil with chopped fresh or dried herbs (parsley, oregano, rosemary, chives etc) and minced garlic to taste, season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste and coat the starched potatoes.
Curry powder - mix a tablespoon (or to taste) of your favorite curry powder with three tablespoons of neutral oil, perhaps add some lemon juice to taste. Coat the starched potatoes and roast them.
Miso - mix one and a half tablespoons of miso paste with three tablespoons of neutral oil and lime juice to taste, taste and season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper if needed.
Storing and Reheating
You can store leftover parmesan crusted roasted purple sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about four days. Be sure they have completely cooled down before you place them in the container.
To reheat place the potatoes in a suitable dish and into a preheated 425 F oven for just a couple of minutes. Or you can use the microwave (inferior method, but works satisfactorily).
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Recipe
Parmesan Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs purple sweet potato variety Stokes or Okinawan
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 4 tablespoon olive oil*
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the purple sweet potatoes and cut them into as uniform bite-sized pieces as you can. Place them in a large bowl and dust them with the corn starch. Mix them to make sure they are evenly coated.**
- Very finely chop the rosemary and in a small bowl mix it with the grated parmesan, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the starched potatoes and stir to make sure they get nicely coated.
- Transfer the coated potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and space them as evenly as you can. Roast for fifteen minutes, then use a spatula to flip them over. Taste one to assess how tender they have become. Based on your findings continue roasting for another 5 to 10 minutes, as needed, until in your judgement they are cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Notes
- cut them into even pieces - the more similarly sized and shaped they are, the more evenly they will cook.
- don't skip the corn starch - it absorbs moisture from the surface of the cut potatoes and helps the parmesan mixture adhere.
- space them as evenly as you can on the baking sheet - to allow for better air circulation, even if your oven is fan assisted ie. convection/has an air fryer option.
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