Check out the gorgeous color of these tubers! This is the first thing I ever made with purple sweet potatoes. When I saw them at the grocery store, I was immediately attracted to them as they were such a stunning shade of purple. When they bake, they do mellow out a bit to almost a burgundy but still beautiful nonetheless. For anyone wondering like I had before trying them, I can't detect any difference in flavor between these and the more common orange sweet potatoes.
I know that this guacamole recipe is perhaps not authentic, but it's my go-to recipe especially when I am low on groceries and don't have the fresh add-ins like cilantro. And while I do enjoy cilantro, I really don't miss it in this recipe. I love the simplicity of this and how versatile it is.
Tips for Perfectly Crispy Baked Sweet Potatoes:
- Make sure your oven is at the right temperature before placing the wedges in the oven. I highly recommend buying an oven thermometer. Ovens are notorious for being liars, and while they may display a temperature on the panel, the actual temperature may be much different inside.
- Dry the potatoes before slicing. Water will interfere with the oil so the wedges won't be coated properly. A bit of oil really helps with crisping.
- Ensure all of the wedges are coated with oil. I recommend using your hands if you don't mind getting a bit messy, as it's easier, faster and more efficient than using a spoon.
- Don't over crowd the wedges - each one needs to lie flat on the pan.
- Invest in an aluminum baking sheet. They are great at all temperatures, won't warp in high heat, and aren't covered in toxic non-stick coatings which end up scratched. They also distribute heat evenly and ensure perfect bottoms on cookies.
- If you have a mammoth sized sweet potato and a small one, modify the recipe - instead of 12 wedges for the giant potato, perhaps you need to cut it into 16. Likewise, if the small potato is much smaller than average, it may only need to be cut in 8 wedges.
If you make these Crispy Purple Sweet Potato Wedges with Guacamole, please let me know in the comments below and give it a rating in the recipe card! Also, I love connecting on Instagram where you can tag me in your creations using my recipes. Thank you for reading along!
Crispy Purple Sweet Potato Wedges with Guacamole
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium purple sweet potatoes
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Guacamole
- 3 large avocados
- ½ medium shallot minced
- juice of ½ lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Other add-ins if desired - chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, garlic
Instructions
For the wedges:
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes, and pat them dry with paper towel. No need to peel them as the skin helps with the crispy exterior.
- Cut each potato into wedges by cutting it into quarters, and then each quarter into thirds resulting in 12 wedges per potato.
- Place the wedges on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Dust with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Using your hands or a large wooden spoon, toss to coat evenly and then arrange the wedges on the pan so that each one is lying flat. If they are piled together, they won't be crispy.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the wedges. Return to the oven for another 10-14 minutes. The inside of each wedge should be fully cooked and tender.
For the guacamole:
- Wash, peel and pit the avocados. Place in a medium sized bowl. Mash with a fork.
- Add the minced shallot, lime juice and salt (and add-ins if desired). Mix together. Add more salt and/or lime juice to taste. Serve immediately with the sweet potato wedges.
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