Summer Sweet Potatoes With Tomatoes Mozzarella Pesto (Printable version)
Roasted sweet potatoes topped with juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil pesto.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
→ Dairy
04 - 7 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved
→ Pesto
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Olive Oil & Seasoning
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Brush sweet potato halves with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, blend basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
05 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
06 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted sweet potatoes become candy-like and tender while staying substantial enough to feel like a real meal
- Everything happens on one baking sheet, which means almost zero cleanup after dinner
02 -
- Sweet potatoes vary wildly in size—check them at 25 minutes since smaller ones cook faster than expected
- Drain the mozzarella for at least 15 minutes or the pesto will slide right off instead of clinging
03 -
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper instead of foil so the sweet potatoes do not stick and cleanup stays minimal
- Make extra pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays for instant flavor in future meals