Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

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How To Make Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is a super quick and easy meal idea that comes together in around 45 minutes. You’ll actually be making 3 simple recipes at the same time that combined, create the ultimate healthy and flavor-packed meal that’s not only vegetarian-friendly but it is also packed with protein and fiber! 

Sounds tricky? Nope, this recipe is super easy and comes together with no special equipment or advanced cooking skills necessary.

Here’s how;

Step 1 – Prepare and bake the sweet potatoes

• Preheat the oven to 200°C /400°F.
• Scrub and rinse your sweet potatoes. Cut lengthways.
• Add to a baking tray skin side up with some olive oil and seasoning.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until tender. 

Step 2 – Prepare chickpeas

• In a large baking tray, add chickpeas, cumin, onion powder, and paprika along with some nutritious extra virgin olive oil. Mix well and season to taste with some salt and white pepper. 
• Add to the oven (on a separate tray above the sweet potatoes) and bake for around 25 minutes or until they begin to crisp up.

   

Step 3 – Prepare toppings

• Prepare salad toppings by dicing your tomato and cucumber. Red onion is another optional ingredient that works well.
• Add the tomato, cucumber, olive oil, olives, capers, corn and half the feta cheese (if using it) and mix well. 
• Add a squeeze of fresh lemon. 
• Set toppings aside for use later. 

Step 4 – Prepare yogurt salad dressing

• Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and chives to a mixing bowl. 
• Whisk ingredients together until a thick, creamy consistency. Season to taste with some salt and cracked white pepper.
• Continue to whisk while adding a tablespoon or two of fresh water. This will thin out the dressing and give a better consistency for drizzling. Add more water if you want a thinner dressing texture. 

Step 5 – Plate and serve

• Add baked sweet potato to a plate (skin side down). Use a fork to break up the center of the sweet potato. 
• Add toppings, roasted chickpeas, some crumbled feta cheese, and drizzle with some of the salad dressing. 
• Serve while sweet potatoes are still hot. 

How to prepare dried chickpeas 

Using dried chickpeas? We got you. Just follow these simple steps to prepare your dried chickpeas for this recipe. 

The good news first! Dried chickpeas are considerably cheaper than canned chickpeas and are usually found in 15oz – 30oz bags.

The bad news, dried chickpeas require some preparation before they can be used in recipes. 

To prepare dried chickpeas, you’ll need to allow some extra time to make this recipe and follow the steps below;

• ​​First, soak the dried chickpeas in some clean fresh water overnight. The chickpeas will expand to around twice their size so add at least double the amount of water to chickpeas in a large bowl. 
• Next, drain them from the water and add them to a pan with some fresh water. 
• Simmer them for around 2 hours for them to soften up. Alternatively, use a slow cooker or pressure cooker to prepare your chickpeas.

How to bake sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are pretty easy to prepare and bake extremely well. By cutting them in half, you can dramatically reduce the cooking time (by around half). Follow these simple steps and you’ll get the perfect baked sweet potato every time! 

• Preheat the oven to 200°C /400°F.
• Before baking, make sure you give your sweet potatoes a good scrub to remove any dirt or grit on the skin (Remember they are root vegetables so they grow in the ground).  
• Rinse with some fresh water and pat dry. 
• Cut your sweet potatoes in half lengthways and place them on a baking tray with a little oil, skin side up. 
• If you’re cooking whole sweet potatoes, it’s a good idea to pierce the skin a few times with a fork on top, or use a sharp knife to cut a slice lengthways. Allow extra time when baking whole sweet potatoes.
• Bake for around 35-45 minutes depending on how soft you want the flesh to be. The longer you leave them baking, the softer and more caramelized the flesh will become.  

Why this recipe works! 

This recipe is inspired by 4 different recipes that hail along the shores of the Mediterranean region. The ingredients are fresh and healthy, and jam-packed full of flavors that pair together to offer a truly Mediterranean flavor profile. 

Baked sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic root vegetable that grows in abundance during the Fall. When baked, the sweet potato flesh begins to soften and caramelize, making them ideal for oven-baking and loading with your favorite toppings. 

Roasted chickpeas with Mediterranean spices

This tasty recipe is served as a side dish or tapas all over the Mediterranean, although spices may vary. It combines roasted chickpeas that have been tossed in spices and olive oil and oven-baked until they crisp up. 

The end result is nothing short of a flavor explosion and perfect for some layered flavor and texture in any meal or salad. Best of all, this dish takes around 30 seconds to prepare and can cook in the oven at the same time as the baked sweet potatoes.

If you love chickpeas, check out these recipes too: Chickpeas with spinach and eggs, Mediterranean eggplant casserole with chickpeas and tomato, and this vegan spinach with chickpeas recipe. 

Mediterranean style toppings

It doesn’t take much to transform the already delicious baked sweet potato into a flavor superstar with the right topping choices. We’ve opted for a healthy array of fresh and flavorsome salad ingredients. Tomato adds some flavor and acidity, cucumber and sweet corn add some crunch, and the olives, capers, and feta cheese add some saltiness and texture. 

Super healthy yogurt salad dressing

If Ranch and Caesar dressing got super healthy and made a love child, this would be it! This healthy yogurt dressing is made using Greek (Natural) yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. 

Using chives and some simple seasoning the flavor is fantastic and pairs perfectly with the creamy baked sweet potato, crispy spiced chickpeas, and lots of fresh salad topping. 

There’s also no need to skimp on the salad dressing if you’re on a diet! Greek yogurt is low in fat compared to other creamy dressings, plus it’s a great source of protein and probiotics while also offering plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Read about 7 of the best Spanish olive oils to try in 2024, including shops that stock them overseas. 

How To Meal Prep 

This recipe is great for meal prepping as while you’re baking your sweet potatoes, you can make the chickpeas and toppings at the same time, or make them as you need them throughout the week. 

• Baking a batch of sweet potatoes takes around 35-45 minutes in a preheated oven. One cooking tip is to not crowd the sweet potatoes too much in the oven. Baked sweet potatoes can easily be reheated in the oven or microwave and will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• The roasted chickpeas are a little tricky to keep crisp for meal prepping. We found that you may want to cook them a little longer if you’re planning to use them over a few days. 
• Toppings can easily be made in advance, although it’s best to keep any wet ingredients separate until they are served to retain more nutrients and freshness (no one likes soggy tomato salad!).
• The salad dressing can be made in large batches and stored in the fridge for up to 6 days in an airtight container or sealable jar. 

Why this recipe is so good!

• Baked sweet potatoes are healthy and have virtually ZERO fat and very little sodium. A 100g serving of sweet potato has around 85 calories, 1.6 grams of Protein, and 3g of Dietary fiber. 
• This recipe uses mostly fresh ingredients that are all part of a traditional Mediterranean diet.
• This recipe is low in calories and yet very filling thanks to the carbs from the sweet potato and chickpeas. 
• Perfect served as a side dish or on its own, for lunch or for dinner. 
• This recipe is vegetarian, however, it can easily be adapted to suit individual dietary requirements. The salad dressing can also be made vegan by omitting or substituting the yogurt for a vegan-friendly option.
• Mediterranean baked sweet potatoes are ideal for meal prep.

Tips For Making The Best Baked Sweet Potatoes

• Give your sweet potatoes enough time to cook right through. 20 minutes won’t be long enough. Hold out for at least 30-35 minutes or until you can easily press a fork into the flesh of a sweet potato.
• The chickpeas will need less time to cook if you place them on a higher shelf in the oven. Allow around 25 minutes to cook on the upper ⅓ of the oven.
• While waiting for the sweet potatoes, prepare the chickpeas, toppings, and salad dressing.
• Embrace Mediterranean flavors with the toppings. Feta or goat’s cheese both work well, as do fresh ingredients such as diced tomatoes, cucumber, corn, olives, and capers. 
• The dressing literally takes 5 minutes to make and can be made last.
• Any leftover dressing can be stored and reused for up to 6 days if refrigerated. 

What to eat with Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

This is a great meal all on its own, but it can also work great as a healthy and filling side dish. 

Consider serving it with some grilled veggies, grilled halloumi, or pile your baked sweet potatoes on top of a bed of couscous (the dressing is perfect for couscous).  

If you’re looking for a healthy, nutritious, and flavorsome lunch option, the baked sweet potatoes can easily be removed from their skins and added to a wrap or sandwich. Load your favorite wrap with some toppings and a little sauce and you’re good to go! 

Serving suggestions

This recipe is super easy to scale up or down and the recipe ingredients as they are listed are ideal for a dinner for 3 people. If you’re scaling, One large sweet potato (around 10oz/300g) is plenty for a single serving when loaded up with the toppings and chickpeas.

How to store any leftovers

This recipe is always best served right after cooking, however, if you have any leftovers, they can be easily stored and eaten as a tasty lunch or snack the next day. 

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. 
• Leftover sweet potato and chickpeas can be reheated in the oven or microwave (although the chickpeas will not be as crispy once refrigerated and reheated again). 
• A tip for reheating the chickpeas is to fry them with a tablespoon of oil in a pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Reheating should take around 3-4 minutes once the pan and oil are hot. 
• The salad should not be stored for more than 24 hours. 
• The homemade salad dressing can be made in a sealable jar and will keep for up to 6 days when refrigerated.

Want More Healthy Main Meals?

• Chickpea stew (potaje de garbanzos) – this hearty, healthy, and delicious stew is loaded with goodness and flavor (ready in under 1 hour). 
• Mediterranean lentil and spinach stew – with a cumin and chili vibe, this is a great winter warmer and is so easy to prepare it’s ready in 30 minutes.
• Vegan oven-baked rice and veg – this is a vegan version of arroz al horno and it’s as visually pleasing as it is satisfying for your tastebuds (ready in 1 hour). 
• Spanish-style white bean stew – creamy white beans are simmered down in a rich smoky paprika-infused tomato sofrito sauce (ready in under 1 hour).