Citrus Free Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Turmeric & Garlic
These smashed sweet potatoes are the kind of side dish that steals the whole table — crispy, caramelized edges giving way to a fluffy, golden interior that's loaded with warm, earthy flavor. Boiling the potatoes first and then smashing them flat before roasting is the move that makes all the difference, creating those irresistible lacey, crunchy borders 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 upper rack, so every bite is deeply seasoned and fragrant. Since the whole dish is built on whole vegetables and pantry spices, there's nothing hidden to worry about for anyone avoiding citrus — and the optional lemon juice at the end is easy to skip without losing any of the dish's bold character. The turmeric gives everything a gorgeous, jewel-toned color that looks almost too good to eat. These are equally at home next to a weeknight roast chicken or as the star of a vegetable-forward spread, and they come together with almost no fuss.
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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)
Can be omittedlemon juice
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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