Roasted Sweet Potatoes Pecans (Printable)
Tender roasted sweet potatoes combined with crunchy toasted pecans and a hint of maple syrup.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1.5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Nuts
02 - 3/4 cup pecan halves
→ Seasonings
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper until fully coated.
03 - Spread the sweet potatoes evenly in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Roast for 20 minutes, then gently toss the sweet potatoes and scatter pecan halves over them.
05 - Drizzle maple syrup evenly over the sweet potatoes and pecans, then return to the oven and roast for an additional 10 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and pecans are toasted.
06 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra pecans.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sweet potatoes actually caramelize at the edges, turning syrupy and almost candy-like without any added sugar.
- It comes together in 40 minutes total, which means you can add it to your table without much fuss, even on busy weeknights.
02 -
- The maple syrup goes on during the last 10 minutes of roasting, not at the beginning—if you add it early, it burns and tastes bitter, a mistake I made exactly once.
- Size your potato cubes consistently so everything roasts at the same pace and you don't end up with some pieces still firm while others fall apart.
03 -
- Don't crowd the baking sheet—if potatoes overlap, they'll steam instead of roast, and you'll lose those crucial caramelized edges.
- Toast the pecans separately on a small sheet for the first 5 minutes if you like them extra crunchy, then add them to the potatoes for the final roast.