Melting Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Melting Sweet Potatoes are everything their name promises — tender in the centre, golden at the edges, and infused with buttery rosemary flavour. Melting Sweet Potatoes transform a simple sweet potato into a rich, caramelised side dish that feels restaurant-worthy yet effortless at home.

Melting Sweet Potatoes bring together roasted edges, silky centres and fragrant herbs in one deeply satisfying dish. This sweet potato recipe uses a clever two-stage roasting method that creates a buttery crust before gently braising the rounds in stock for that signature melting texture.

Ingredients for Melting Sweet Potatoes

Here is what you need to make Melting Sweet Potatoes:

• Sweet potatoes – the star of this recipe. Choose medium-sized sweet potato pieces so your rounds cook evenly and develop that golden surface.
• Unsalted butter – melted and poured over the rounds to create that buttery finish and help caramelisation begin.
• Olive oil – balances the butter and prevents burning while roasting at high heat.
• Fresh rosemary sprigs – divided, with chopped leaves for flavouring the coating and whole sprigs added later for aroma.
• Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth – essential for the second roasting stage, allowing the potatoes to absorb flavour while turning melting sweet and tender.
• Garlic cloves – smashed to release flavour gradually into the broth.
• Kosher salt – enhances natural sweetness without overpowering.
• Freshly ground black pepper – adds subtle warmth and contrast.

If you want to experiment, consider adding smoked paprika for depth, chilli flakes for gentle heat, or a touch of thyme alongside the rosemary. A drizzle of honey and chopped pecans at the end can amplify caramel notes, while a sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving sharpens the overall flavour.

How to Make Melting Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is easy and straightforward, and once you make Melting Sweet Potatoes this way, you will return to it again and again.

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200C. Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly under cold water and peel them if you prefer a smoother finish. Slice them crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds and place them into a large mixing bowl. Separate the rosemary sprigs, reserving three whole sprigs for later, and finely chop the leaves from the remaining sprigs.
   

2. Step 2: Melt the unsalted butter completely. Pour the melted butter over the sweet potato rounds, then add the olive oil, chopped rosemary, a pinch of kosher salt and several turns of freshly ground black pepper. Toss thoroughly so every round is evenly coated in the butter and oil mixture. Arrange the slices in a single layer in a high-sided baking dish, ensuring they do not overlap. Place the dish in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the dish, turn each round carefully using tongs or a spatula, and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes. This stage develops a deep golden colour, lightly crisp edges and concentrated sweetness before adding any liquid.

3. Step 3: Prepare the stock while the potatoes roast. Use either homemade broth or one prepared from stock cubes. Choose chicken stock for a richer flavour or vegetable stock for a vegetarian version. Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully pour approximately 150 ml of stock into the dish. The liquid should reach about halfway up the sides of the sweet potato rounds; do not submerge them completely. Distribute the smashed garlic cloves over the top and place the reserved rosemary sprigs across the dish. Return the baking dish to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes more, or until the sweet potatoes are very tender and most of the broth has reduced.

4. Step 4: Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to rest for several minutes. This short resting period allows the remaining buttery broth to thicken slightly. Transfer the Melting Sweet Potatoes to a serving plate and spoon some of the reduced cooking liquid over the top. Serve warm, ideally alongside lean protein such as turkey.

How to Serve and How to Store Melting Sweet Potatoes

I serve Melting Sweet Potatoes warm, spooning some of the reduced buttery broth over the top just before bringing them to the table. They pair particularly well with roast turkey, grilled chicken breast, baked tofu or even a lentil salad if you want a vegetarian plate. Because the flavour profile is savoury and herbaceous, they also complement festive spreads and Sunday roasts effortlessly.

To store leftovers, allow the sweet potato rounds to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat them in the oven at 180C until warmed through, as this keeps the edges intact. Microwaving works, but it softens the exterior more than reheating in the oven. I do not recommend to freeze them, as they could turn out mushy.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes

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Melting Sweet Potatoes are roasted sweet potato rounds finished in aromatic broth with garlic and rosemary. The method combines high-heat roasting and gentle braising to create a buttery interior and golden exterior. Serve as a refined yet simple side dish for roast dinners or seasonal meals.

Ingredients

• 4–5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into 2.5 cm thick rounds
• Knob of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• 4–5 fresh rosemary sprigs, divided
• 150–200 ml low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (150–200 ml / ⅔–¾ cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200C. Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and peel them if you prefer a smoother texture. Slice them evenly into 2.5 cm thick rounds and place them into a large mixing bowl. Remove the leaves from several rosemary sprigs and chop them roughly, keeping three whole sprigs aside.
2. Melt the butter completely. Pour the melted butter over the sweet potato slices, then add the olive oil, chopped rosemary, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss carefully until each slice is evenly coated. Arrange the slices in a single layer in a high-sided baking dish, ensuring they do not overlap. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the dish and turn each slice over. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes until both sides are golden and lightly crisp at the edges.
3. Remove the dish from the oven. Carefully pour 150–200 ml of broth into the baking dish so the liquid reaches about halfway up the sides of the sweet potatoes. Do not fully submerge them. Scatter the smashed garlic cloves over the top and place the reserved rosemary sprigs across the dish. Return to the oven and roast for approximately 15 minutes more, or until the sweet potatoes are very tender and most of the liquid has reduced.
4. Remove from the oven and allow the dish to rest for a few minutes. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving plate and spoon some of the reduced buttery broth over the top before serving warm.

Notes

Slice the sweet potatoes evenly to ensure consistent cooking and texture.

Use a high-sided baking dish to safely contain the broth during the second roasting stage.

Ensure the broth reaches only halfway up the slices to maintain proper roasting.

Allow the dish to rest briefly before serving so the sauce thickens naturally.

Reheat leftovers in the oven at 180C for best texture.