Fish Free Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Turmeric & Garlic
These smashed sweet potatoes are the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show — crispy, caramelized edges giving way to a fluffy, golden interior that's loaded with warm spice. Boiling the potatoes first and then pressing them flat before roasting is the move that makes all the difference, creating those irresistible lacy, 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 oven, so every bite is deeply seasoned and fragrant. Everything here is built from whole, straightforward pantry ingredients, so there's no need to scan labels or worry about hidden seafood-derived additives that sometimes sneak into sauces and spice blends. A squeeze of fresh lemon and a handful of chopped parsley at the end brighten the whole thing up and make it look genuinely stunning on a platter. This is the kind of recipe that works just as well for a weeknight dinner as it does for a table full of guests.
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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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