CHILI-LIME SWEET POTATO FRIES
Sweet potato fries are great on their own, but they’re even better with a little heat and a fresh squeeze of lime juice. These fries are awesome as a side dish or even just as a snack or appetizer. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper depending on how spicy you like them—this recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon, and that’s definitely enough for a moderate to high level of spiciness. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ lime
Chimichurri (here), for dipping (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Spread the sweet potato wedges out over a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the cayenne. Mix around well with your hands (make sure you wash your hands afterward before touching anything, especially your eyes). Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, checking on them to prevent burning and flipping halfway through the cooking time.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle the lime juice over them, and serve with Chimichurri (if using).
VARIATION 1 MAPLE-CINNAMON SWEET POTATO FRIES: Make a sweeter version by drizzling the sweet potato wedges with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
VARIATION 2 PLAIN SWEET POTATO FRIES: Skip the cayenne and lime juice, and just season with salt and pepper.