Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema

Name: Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (, divided); 1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt; 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 4 small sweet potatoes (, halved lengthwise and scored); 1 packed cup fresh parsley; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 3 garlic cloves; 1 fresh red chili; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; Zest of one lemon; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp coarse sea salt (, plus more to taste); 1/2 pack (150g) silken tofu; 2 tsp maple syrup; 2 tsp lemon juice; 3/4 tsp chipotle powder; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1 1/2 cup frozen peas; 1 shallot (, finely diced)

Print recipe

Spring, Summer, Winter

GF NF RSF

1 hour 5 mins Prep: 20 mins Cook: 45 mins

Serves 4

These soft, roasted sweet potato halves are caramelized around the edges and are served with a bright, tangy, and peppery chimichurri, a smoky tofu-based crema, and vibrant peas, making it a wonderful flavor-packed meal to enjoy throughout the week.

Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , divided
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
4 small sweet potatoes , halved lengthwise and scored

Chimichurri

1 packed cup fresh parsley
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves
1 fresh red chili
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Zest of one lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp coarse sea salt , plus more to taste

Smoky Crema

1/2 pack (150g) silken tofu
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

For garnish

1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 shallot , finely diced

Roast the potatoes

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Step 2
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle coarse sea salt and pepper.
Step 3
Place each sweet potato half, flesh side down into the pan, moving it around to help spread the oil and seasoning mixture onto your pan.
Step 4
Brush the skin of each sweet potato half with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 5
Loosely cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and the flesh is caramelized around the edges.

Prepare the chimichurri and crema

Step 1
Pulse together in a mini food processor all the ingredients, except the olive oil and coarse sea salt until the garlic is broken down and the parsley is finely chopped. Do not turn it into a puree.
Step 2
Transfer to a jar along with the olive oil and coarse sea salt. Stir to combine.
Step 3
Give the mini food processor a rinse and add all the crema ingredients into it. Blend until smooth.

Assemble

Step 1
Place the frozen peas in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and let sit for 2 minutes or until thawed and warmed.
Step 2
Drain the hot water and cover the peas with cold water to keep from changing color. Let sit for 1 minute and drain.
Step 3
Assemble the dish by garnishing each sweet potato half with peas, bright and tangy chimichurri and a generous drizzle of smoky crema. Enjoy.
Step 4
Store each element separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Common Questions & Swaps

Can I replace the parsley with another fresh herb? If you have basil on hand, you could definitely make a pesto instead. Swap out the red wine vinegar with lemon juice, omit the red chili and oregano, and add some nutritional yeast and nuts or seeds of choice. You can also try making my favorite vegan pesto.
I am sensitive to heat, can I remove the fresh red chili from the chimichurri? I love my chimichurri quite spicy, but you can definitely remove the seeds of the red chili, use a small one or cut it in half, depending on how sensitive you are to heat.
Can I use medium, firm, or extra firm tofu? If you want a silky smooth crema, silken tofu is your best bet.

Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema in a plate

Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema

Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema overhead together with chimichurri in a bowl

Close up of Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema

This recipe was created in the context of an Instagram partnership with American Sweet Potatoes.

When I think of my favourite kind of recipes to develop, I think of ones where many flavours and textures build upon each other, where every bite you take is a new experience, slightly different than the ones before.

This sweet potato recipe is just that. Each sweet potato half is slowly roasted in a hot oven, allowing the flesh to both soften and caramelize. These are then topped with a tangy, bright, and spicy chimichurri that creates a beautiful contrast with the sweetness of the potatoes. Then bright green, slightly sweet and earthy peas are added on top for extra texture and flavor. This dish is finally completed with a generous drizzle of a cooling, smoky crema to tie all the flavors together.

As you create this recipe, I hope you take the time to taste all the individual elements on their own and notice how when paired with the other ingredients, even more new flavours emerge. I know I like to take this philosophy into my own life, noticing how when I take the time to practice gratefulness and wonder, there are always new reasons for gratefulness and wonder that emerge.

Roasted Sweet Potato Boats with Spicy Chimichurri and Smoky Crema with bite taken off

When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used.

For any modifications, refer to the Swaps & Comments section.

Extra virgin olive oil: It adds richness and an earthy flavor to both the roasted sweet potatoes and the chimichurri.

Coarse sea salt: Aside from the saltiness it brings forth, I love coarse sea salt for the texture it adds.

Freshly cracked black pepper: Using freshly cracked black pepper as opposed to the powdery kind ensures a stronger pepper flavour, which is why I always use it in my cooking.

Sweet potatoes: They are the star of this dish. Thanks to their subtle sweetness, their creamy texture, and incredible versatility, sweet potatoes are a perfect vehicle for flavor.

Fresh parsley: Herbaceous and peppery, it is the main ingredient of the chimichurri.

Red wine vinegar: Tangy and bright in flavour, it adds a wonderful acidity to the chimichurri.

Garlic: Its pungent and slightly spicy flavours brings richness to the bright chimichurri.

Oregano: I love its peppery bite and almost minty aroma.

Fresh red chili: It gives the chimichurri its traditional kick. If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds.

Lemon zest: I love the brightness and aroma it brings to the chimichurri.

Silken tofu: It is the base of the crema and gives it a wonderful silky, cooling creaminess.

Maple syrup: It balances out the other salty elements in this dish. I added it to the crema.

Lemon juice: Added to the crema, it gives it a nice kick of acidity.

Chipotle powder: It brings forth a lovely smokiness to the crema which adds more depth to this dish.

Frozen peas: I chose to add them to this dish to bulk it up a little with extra protein and I just love their bright green color and the sweetness they add to this main.

Shallot: Delicate and sweet in flavor, they also give this dish a little sharpness which brings out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

This recipe was truly a lot of fun to create. I love thinking of how the different elements brought forth new layers of flavour and texture.

I hope that as you take a new bite, you notice the subtleties of flavour of each element from the roasted sweet potatoes, to the tangy and bright chimichurri, to the silky and smokey crema, to the sweet green peas. You can also have fun customizing this recipe by swapping up the chimichurri with a homemade pesto, the crema with a tahini drizzle, and the green peas with corn or edemames.

I hope that if you try making this recipe, you share about it on social media and tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Happy cooking ✦