Bored of plain sweet potatoes? Try this fluffy, nourishing dish that can brighten your dining table.
Just when I thought I had tried all the possible ways to serve my favorite root vegetable, I discovered riced sweet potato. It’s an ideal side for all kinds of main dishes, from meat to plant-based. This dish is perfect as a replacement for any meal that would use rice, especially if you want to switch it up with an earthy-sweet taste.
Although it appears fancy and elaborate, riced sweet potato is extremely simple to make, and you only need a food processor. For this reason, it’s an ideal dish to whip up in a pinch. It’s fluffy, flavorful, and simple enough to serve in any kind of meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether you’re a busy parent or a cramming college kid, riced sweet potato makes mealtime easy.
Each forkful of riced sweet potato is laced with olive oil, salt, and pepper. But you can expand upon that in any way you’d like. For instance, I enjoy adding a teaspoon of cumin for some warm spice or half a teaspoon of dried rosemary for some herbaceous earthiness. However you choose to jazz it up or dress it down, riced sweet potato is a winning dish.
Growing your own sweet potatoes
One of the easiest ways to grow sweet potatoes is with slips, which are sprouts that come from mature sweet potatoes. To bring those forth, all you need to do is soak an organic sweet potato in a container of water. After a week or two, sprouts will turn up. These can be planted a foot and a half apart in moist soil, with the top leaves poking out of the ground. With proper weeding, watering, and enough sunlight, sweet potatoes will grow and flourish within three to four months. If you’d like to go on your own gardening adventure, I recommend asking someone who’s planted their own before to get the best tips and tricks.
How do I store leftovers?
Once cooled to room temperature, riced sweet potato can be stored in an airtight container. Refrigerate it for 4-5 days, or freeze it for 2-3 months. If you do freeze it, thaw it in the fridge overnight first. Then, reheat in a pot on the stove with a splash of oil and/or broth. Stirring the riced sweet potato occasionally over medium heat for a few minutes should do the trick.
Serving suggestions
Garnish your riced sweet potato with fresh parsley or your favorite herb. If you’d like an easy plant-based meal that satisfies, then top off the riced sweet potato with Vegan Chili, Great Northern Beans, or Falafel With Canned Chickpeas. Otherwise, try something meaty like Slow-Cooker Ribs, Air-Fryer Popcorn Chicken and Garlic Sautéed Spinach, or Pork Chops With Apples. There’s no limit to what you can try with riced sweet potato, so have fun exploring the possibilities.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cubed sweet potato in a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Pulse for about 15 seconds until the texture resembles grains of rice. Do not over process to avoid a mushy texture.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the riced sweet potato evenly in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 1 minute.
- Stir and spread again; repeat this process two more times for a total of about 3 minutes until lightly browned. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then transfer immediately to a bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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