I ‘ve been making so many “one pot” or “skillet” meals lately that I’ve barely made any traditional side dishes. I get a lot of questions about side dishes, though, so I’ve decided to challenge myself to come up with some more vegetable based sides. These Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes are just one idea that I’ve had up my sleeve…
I love the mix of sweet, spicy, and smoky, so I took the spice rub that was used for the famed Glazed Pork Chops and applied it to sweet potatoes. I altered the ratio of the ingredients just a bit to account for the cooking method and the fact that the sweet potatoes provide a good amount of sweetness on their own. I sliced the sweet potatoes thinly for a more interesting texture, but you could certainly cube them if you didn’t feel like exercising your knife skills. 😉 (Or you could use a mandolin.)
The cooking time for these Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes will vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of your sweet potatoes, so use my recommendations as a guide. You’ll want to test the sweet potatoes with a fork for doneness, just to be sure.
Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes
from votes A little smoky and a little sweet, these thinly sliced smoky roasted sweet potatoes are going to be your new favorite side dish. 
Servings 6 Prep 15 minutes Cook 45 minutes Total 1 hour Save RecipeSaved! Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 2 lbs. ($2.50)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.03)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper, 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill ($0.03)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into 1/8-inch thick slices.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
- Place the sweet potato slices in a large bowl and drizzle the olive oil over top. Sprinkle the spice mix over the sweet potatoes, then toss until the potatoes are evenly coated in oil and spices.
- Arrange the seasoned sweet potato slices in a casserole dish, stacked in a row like a deck of cards. They don’t have to be perfect.
- Cover the dish with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let cook for an additional 15 minutes. Test the sweet potatoes with a fork for doneness. If they’re still firm, allow them to roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. If they become too brown during that time, simply cover the dish with foil to prevent further browning.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 211.82kcalCarbohydrates: 27.75gProtein: 2.05gFat: 10.92gSodium: 421.38mgFiber: 3.75g Read our full nutrition disclaimer here. 
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Step by Step Photos
Start with two average sized sweet potatoes, or about two pounds. Oh, and start preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
Wash, peel, and slice the sweet potatoes. Slice them fairly thin, about 1/8 inch, to help them cook a little faster.
Prepare the smoky spice mix by stirring together 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional), 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).
Drizzle 2 Tbsp of olive oil over the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle on the smoky spice mix. Toss the ingredients until they’re evenly coated in oil and spices (this takes a little bit of mixing… use your hands).
Arrange the slices in a casserole dish, standing face to face. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I didn’t even turn the pieces all the same way, I just grabbed a stack and sat them in the dish until it was all filled up (squeezed a few down the center, too).
Cover the dish with foil and let it roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Test the sweet potatoes with a fork to make sure they’re tender (pick a larger piece to pierce). If they’re still a bit solid, let them roast another 10-15 minutes. The total time needed will depend on how thick or thin your slices are and maybe even the size or shape of your dish.
I served my Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey Mustard Pork Chops and some rice. A little steamed broccoli or a salad would be a nice addition, too. 🙂