Celery Free Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Turmeric & Garlic
These golden, crispy-edged smashed sweet potatoes are the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show at the dinner table. Boiling them first until fork-tender, then pressing them flat and roasting at high heat, is the move that creates those irresistible lacey, caramelized edges you just can't get any other way. The spiced olive oil mixture — turmeric, smoked paprika, garlic, and a hint of ginger — gets spooned right over each flattened potato before it hits the oven, building a deeply savory, slightly smoky crust on top. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of celery and celery derivatives, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved. A squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley at the end brighten everything up and balance the warmth of the spices beautifully. These are equally at home next to a weeknight roast chicken or as the centerpiece of a plant-based spread — and they reheat surprisingly well if you somehow have leftovers.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lb small sweet potatoes (about 8, each roughly 3–4 inches long)
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the boiling water
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by at least 1 inch, and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until a fork slides through the thickest potato with no resistance, about 20–25 minutes.
- 2
Drain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander for 2–3 minutes until the surface moisture evaporates. Drizzle 1 tbsp of the olive oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet and spread it to coat the surface.
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