Sweet Potato Wedges with Chili and Cinnamon
Roasted sweet potato wedges are a favorite comfort foods. In this recipe, they’re rubbed with Turkish red pepper and cinnamon, sprinkled with cheese, and finished with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. These seasoned sweet potatoes are easy to make, making them an perfect weeknight side dish.
Sweet Potato Seasoning
Many seasonings and spices go well with sweet potatoes. Cinnamon, chilies, smoked paprika, turmeric, and nutmeg are a few that I use on a regular basis. I like the simple combination of Turkish red pepper and cinnamon, which are both essential Turkish spices. Turkish red pepper is only slightly spicy and has tons of flavor, and cinnamon complements the sweetness of the sweet potato.
When are Sweet Potatoes in Season?
Sweet potatoes are a sure sign of fall. I start to see freshly harvested sweet potatoes at the farmer’s market around the beginning of October. The harvest is usually done by December, but sweet potatoes store well, so they are usually available until late spring or early summer, making this a good recipe to keep on hand almost year round. At home, be sure to store sweet potatoes in a cool dry place, away from onions. Find your local farmer’s market by entering your zip code here.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Wedges
I coated these sweet potato wedges with just a couple of ingredients, including one of my favorite essential Turkish spices, Turkish red pepper. If you don’t have Turkish red pepper, substitute Aleppo pepper (they are botanically identical) or try using a smaller amount of spicier crushed red pepper flakes. Pomegranate molasses is made from pomegranate juice that is boiled and boiled and reduced into a syrup. It adds a slightly tart kick at the end. If you don’t have any, leave it out, or try sprinkling some lemon juice over the roasted sweet potatoes wedges at the end.
Sweet Potato Wedges with Chili and Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 4 cloves garlic*
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Turkish red pepper, Aleppo pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 oz. feta cheese or goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Scrub sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch wedges. There’s no need to peel them. Peel garlic cloves and leave whole. In a bowl, mix together olive oil, spices, salt and pepper. Rub over sweet potatoes wedges and garlic.
- Place sweet potatoes and garlic on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pop into oven for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking if you like.
- Meanwhile, crumble cheese. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle crumbled cheese on top.
- When potatoes are soft and cheese is melty, remove from oven. Carefully transfer to a serving platter, and drizzle with pomegranate molasses.