Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Big bowl of Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

Friends, it’s been a while.

How have you been? Do you love this time of year? I do. What have you been eating these days? Salads? Chocolate? Are you getting outside in this lovely, brisk weather? Are you feeling well? I’d love to know.

Fall makes me all emotional and introspective. I once cried for an hour after a scenic drive when the leaves were turning. We were listening to Greg Laswell. I got all grateful and started weeping. Fingers crossed it’s an annual occurrence. Sometimes you just need a good cry.

Lately I’ve been eating lots of plants and less sugar. And I’ve been walking and running a lot. And books! I’ve finished a lot of books recently, which isn’t typical for me, this one being my favorite.

I’ve also been listening to a lot of podcasts. Podcasts always impact me. Especially this one on sustainability and this one on minimalism. Good stuff.

Several halved skin-on sweet potatoes

Speaking of good stuff, how about them sweet potatoes?

For me, one of the most difficult parts of eating a plant-based diet is getting creative with meal ideas. Left to my own devices, I’d eat chips and guac for every meal. Clearly, that isn’t healthy or sustainable.

So, recently I’ve been trying to branch out and experiment with more well-balanced meals, such as these Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes.

Big bowl of freshly roasted halved sweet potatoes

The concept is simple:

Baked sweet potatoes – cut in half to shorten cooking time
Seasoned, roasted chickpeas
Garlic-herb sauce
Parsley-tomato salad for garnish

The result is a 30-minute lunch or dinner that’s both satisfying, savory and sweet, and seriously healthy.

Drizzling dressing onto our Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe
Using a spoon to add tabbouleh to Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

This is my new favorite way to do Mediterranean. This dish is:

Savory
Sweet
Fresh
Smoky
Warm
Comforting
Seriously healthy
Filling
Customizable
& Simple

I love how the sweetness of the sweet potatoes blends perfectly with the chickpeas and garlic sauce, and the lemony parsley-tomato salad provides a zesty fresh finish. Friends, I’m in love.

Plate of gluten-free vegan Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes alongside ingredients for making them

If you try this dish – and you must – let us know! Leave a comment or take a photo and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram or @minimalistbaker on Twitter! Or, share it with friends on Pinterest. We’re convinced people need this in their lives.

As always, thanks for supporting what we do. Cheers!

Plate of Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes for a healthy vegan meal

More Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes

Close up shot of a bowl of gluten-free vegan Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

Simple, 30-minute baked sweet potatoes topped with roasted chickpeas, a simple garlic-herb sauce, and a parsley-tomato salad. Delicious, fresh, healthy, and naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Bowl of Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes for a simple and healthy vegan meal
4.89 from 705 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Course Entrée, Side
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

  • 4 medium (~1/3 lb each) sweet potatoes*
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked (or regular) paprika
  • 1 pinch sea salt or lemon juice (optional)

GARLIC HERB SAUCE

  • 1/4 cup hummus (or tahini)
  • 1/2 medium lemon, juiced (1/2 lemon yields ~1 Tbsp juice)
  • 3/4 – 1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh per 3/4-1 tsp dried)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
  • Water or unsweetened almond milk (to thin)
  • Sea salt to taste (optional // I didn’t need any)

TOPPINGS optional

  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes (diced)
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley (minced)
  • 3 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Chili garlic sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a large baking sheet with foil.
  • Rinse and scrub potatoes and cut in half length wise. This will speed cooking time. Otherwise leave whole and bake longer (approximately double the time (45 min – 1 hour).
  • Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
  • Rub the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil and place face down on the same baking sheet (or another baking sheet depending on size). Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown – roughly 25 minutes.
  • While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, only adding enough water or almond milk to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more garlic for more zing, salt for savoriness, lemon juice for freshness, and dill for a more intense herb flavor. I found mine didn’t need anything else.
  • NOTE: If you don’t have hummus, tahini (which you can DIY!) will make a great base substitution for the sauce – just adjust the seasonings to accommodate the lack of flavor tahini provides.
  • Also prepare the parsley-tomato topping by tossing tomato, parsley, and red onion (optional) with lemon juice and set aside to marinate.
  • Once sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown – roughly 25 minutes – remove from oven.
  • For serving, flip potatoes flesh-side up and smash down the insides a little bit. Then top with chickpeas, garlic herb sauce, parsley-tomato salad, and chili garlic sauce (optional). Serve immediately.
  • Additional side ideas might include Hummus, Pita Chips, Baba Ganoush, or Persian Eggplant Dip. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Adjust number of sweet potatoes per person, and buy organic when possible for best quality and flavor. And slice into quarters instead of halves to speed cooking time if on the larger side.
*This recipe is inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Learn about the origin of hummus here and tabbouleh (parsley salad) here.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 308 Carbohydrates: 54.7 g Protein: 10.9 g Fat: 6.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 400 mg Potassium: 609 mg Fiber: 11.9 g Sugar: 10.4 g Vitamin A: 18597 IU Vitamin C: 7 mg Calcium: 115 mg Iron: 2.5 mg

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My Rating:




  1. Natalie says

    Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t like this because I’m not a huge fan of sweet potatoes. Well, I was wrong. This is delicious and I’m adding it to my regular lunch meal prep rotation. I used tahini instead of hummus for the sauce and an obscene amount of garlic. My husband is vegetarian and we struggle to find recipes we both like. If you cook the sweet potatoes cut side down (which I did accidentally), they taste like you cooked them on a BBQ which is actually pretty tasty.

  2. Meaghan says

    So delicious. This is one of my new favorite lunches. I did not have red onion or fresh herbs, so used green onion & dried parsley instead. Also, I added my dry spices to the chickpeas after cooking them – but that’s just how I usually make them. There are so many ways to use this meal (in wraps or over a bed of greens, for example.) Thanks!

  3. Aimee says

    This is a new favorite recipe for me! We added cucumbers to the tomato-parsley mixture, and also lined our bowls with kale and quinoa. Super tasty and healthy. Thank you for posting this recipe.

  4. Brendan says

    I don’t comment often on recipes online as I appreciate people who’ve invested the energy to give us a new dish.

    This however, is the worst thing I’ve made in my 44 years on this planet. It is bitter/garlicky, just plain off putting.

    Avoid this recipe like the plague. It’s absolutely horribly awful in every way possible.

  5. Kim says

    Beautiful recipe!
    I quartered the sweet potatoes, and added feta crumbles for serving.
    My husband’s new favourite dinner, hands down!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rei. See step 8 for the roasting time. It’s a little hidden down there! We’ll see if we can improve clarity as others have also mentioned having trouble finding it.

  6. Dawn O. says

    So good!!! I made the sauce with tahini and instead of the tomato topping, I did pomegranates and feta. This is a keeper!

  7. Pam says

    This was great! Loved the sweet and savory flavors together. I added some capers to the toppings for a tiny bit of salty. I’ll definitely put this in the dinner rotation!

  8. Pam says

    Wanting to make this later this week, but am wondering how long to bake the halved potatoes/chick peas. Your #2 instruction doesn’t really say. I’m looking forward to this delicious dish! Thanks.

  9. Susan says

    This recipe was amazing!! I’m so happy I tried it. I made it on a night that nothing but sweet potatoes sounded good- and it was absolutely perfect. Super easy, great delicious flavors, and quite hands off for how delicious it was. :) Thank you for sharing!!! Your recipes are always amazing, and this one is no exception. If you’re reading this wondering if you should try it- DO IT!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Susan! We’re so glad this recipe satisfied your sweet potato craving. xoxo

  10. Melissa Gillaume Cappaert says

    Easy and Epic. I had been meaning to try this recipe for some time and I am SO GLAD that I did. Thanks for a great quick and easy recipe.

  11. leah says

    Wanted a healthy lunch and to use up my sweet potatoes before they went bad & came across this recipe. It was so good! Loved the flavor pairings. I’m usually pretty basic when it comes to sweet potatoes, but this was a fun try. I detest chickpeas lol so I swapped for couscous (used the same spices). I’d definitely make this again and probably add some feta cheese next time.

  12. Orange Player says

    Delicious. I have tried many of your recipes and I have yet to try one I did not like. I made a directed except I eyeballed the ingredients for the parsley salad. I never would have thought to put lemon on a sweet potato. I meant to take a picture but after the first bite, the rest disappeared.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! xoxo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing, Kim! If you’d like the chickpeas to retain more moisture, we’d suggest baking for less time. Hope that helps for next time!

  13. Jayne Burnside says

    I just finished making this and all the components were easy to make but I cannot see that anyone could make this in 5 minutes as stated. You have vegtables (sweet pot/garlic/lemon/tomatoes/onions to clean and cut, a sauce to make and the chickpeas to spice. My prep time was an hour and I work fairly quickly. That aside, I am excited to put it together and try it (later today). Thank you for this healthy and delicious recipe. Sorry I can’t rate as I haven’t eat it yet, the sauce is amazing though!

  14. Kristy says

    I loved this recipe. It was fun to make.I am new to Mediterranean cuisine. The sauce was definitely favorite part. Very creative recipe. The only bad thing was the chickpeas came out really dry. Not sure if that is how they are or I missed something. Thank you for the recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing, Kristy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it overall! Baking the chickpeas for less time will make them less dry. Another idea would be to use parchment paper instead of foil. Hope that helps for next time!

  15. Tina Pecheos says

    We will definitely be making this again!
    We pealed the baked sweet potatoes and sliced them before removing from the pan. Then we added a bed of shredded cabbage to the bowl before placing the potatoes slices on top. I accidentally doubled the spice measurements but the chickpeas were great and the lemon garlic Tahini sauce was the star of the dish!
    Thank you for a spectacular meal!

  16. Deborah says

    I just made these today and they were delicious. I followed the recipe as it was and my taste buds couldn’t be more satisfied.

  17. Karen Alvarez-Delfin says

    I love it!!!!!! I made it yesterday, and I really enjoyed this meal. A change: I used a Greek yogurt-base sauce that I had already made the day before (Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, dry mint, and olive oil.) I loved some much how the garbanzo beans turn out; I think next time I will roast two cans, so I can have plenty.
    I will make it again and again, for sure!

  18. Renée St-Germain says

    This is THE dish my very carnivorous son ASKS for!!! Served it to vegetarian friends and they said it was as good as eating in a restaurant! Full of different textures and flavors!!! The only thing I never get right is the hummus sauce. I always have to add water because it’s to thick and a dab of maple syrup (From Quebec, I add a touch of it every where! ;-) )because mine is always bitter. Maybe it’s the type of tahini I buy…
    Thank you for all your wonderfull recipes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad your son enjoys it. Thank you for the lovely review, Renée! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Angel, like with most dishes (except soups/stews), it is best when fresh. But this one does reheat well too!

  19. Sherry says

    Made this for dinner tonight. Followed the recipe exactly, and wow!… it was easy, so flavorful, satisfying and filling! A new favorite!

  20. Natasha says

    This was absolutely delish! I made the microwave hummus also, and just WOW! I loved it so much and will be making this a routine meal. I appreciate you for sharing =)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Natasha. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  21. Juliana says

    Amazing! The only thing I have changed – added a feta (mixed with olive oil and zaatar) on the potatoes just in the end… So not vegan anymore – but so testy ! Thank you for the idea – saved my family dinner!

    • Yiva Black says

      Delicious, filling and clean tasting. I used hummus, didn’t have dill but it didn’t need it. The salsa on top is a must – brings it all together .

  22. Jamie says

    This is so good and so filling! I used just one large sweet potato and made 2 larger portions as a meal… I left out the tomatoes and it was still perfect. I will definitely be adding this to my rotation of vegetarian meals!

  23. Rebecca says

    I love this unique combination of flavors! However, I’m not used to the strong flavor of raw garlic and will probably try garlic powder instead next time. Thanks for sharing your creative recipes!

  24. Tyler says

    Loved the recipe but the video shows adding a red onion to the topping which makes everything so much better. Unfortunately it’s left out of the ingredients, and I would have missed it entirely if I didn’t watch the video. It’s such a small request, but I’d love to see it added so when I come back to the recipe in the future I’ll be able to shop accordingly.

    Thank you for the great recipe and the matching video!

  25. Kelly says

    This was wonderful! Only change I will make in future is to reduce the cinnamon a little bit. Thank you so much for kindly sharing your amazing recipes MB! I love your enthusiasm; always very inspiring and interesting. 😊

    With great appreciation always,
    Kelly in BC, Canada

  26. Sandra says

    This looks delicious. But I am allergic to sesame so cannot use hummus in the garlic herb sauce. Can you recommend a substitution?

  27. Danielle says

    This is a really simple, straightforward recipe that tastes good. I didn’t have time to cook our raw chickpeas so those didn’t get added, and we decided to skip the chili sauce. This is great as a main dish if you can add some tofu and veggies somewhere otherwise perfect for a side dish. I have never roasted sweet potato so quickly!

  28. Ava says

    This is one of my all-time favorite recipes! I make it many times a year and have been making it for ages since I first tried it years ago. It just has such a good balance of flavors, textures, and colors + it’s healthy and nutritional, just everything you need in a meal.

    I personally always use the tahini in the sauce instead of hummus and it’s so good I could marry it! Also usually I skip the parsley from the tomatoes and just use green onions for the topping but it’s just as nice.

    This also made me change my mind about dill which I am so grateful for! Dill has become a staple in many of my dips and marinades because of this recipe. Great job and many thanks!

  29. Christina says

    Made this tonight for dinner. It was so so good! My husband said he was going to put the hummus-sauce in his coffee, he loved it so much. Thx for the great recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Love it! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed them. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  30. Emilie says

    Hey,
    I lived your site but now really too many adds… it’s getting really annoying. I counted 10 adds in one page.
    I understand you want to make money but with this approach, I won’t consult your recipes anymore.
    Hope it helps,
    Emi

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy many of our recipes! Thank you for your honest feedback and sorry for any inconvenience, Emilie. We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free and high quality.

  31. Sara says

    Really enjoyed this one! I topped with tomatoes, cilantro, pickled onions and vegan feta. Yum! I’ll definitely keep this one in rotation.

  32. Nicole-Marie says

    Wow! This was absolutely delicious. All the parts come together for one amazing outcome. The garlic hummus sauce balances out the sweetness of the potato while the roasted chickpeas add a yummy crunch. I love the tomatoes on top for a blast of freshness. 10/10 Will make again.

  33. Alyssa says

    I’ve made this probably a dozen times now and I love it every time. It is so comforting, filling, and fresh. Thank you!!

  34. Bailey says

    This is one of my staple dinners. I love this recipe! Easy to make, very flavorful and easy to prep so all you have to do I bake the sweet potatoes.

  35. Christian S. says

    This was a fun meal to prepare and, I thought, an interesting new use for sweet potatoes. I wanted the potatoes to have more of the seasoning flavor that was on the chickpeas. Could I coat the potato halves with the seasoning mix before I put them face down on the prepared baking sheet? Or maybe add the seasoning halfway through the baking process? Wondering if that is a bad idea.

  36. ML says

    This is such a great recipe that is quick and easy to make. The garlic herb sauce is sensational. I felt full and content after eating this tasty meal. I didn’t have any parsley so used coriander instead and was still delicious :) Thanks for sharing!

  37. Dana B says

    This was fantastic! I used tahini and added the cherry tomatoes and parsley. WOW! Definitely felt like some out of an Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook but so much easier. I will make this again and again and again for my vegan and non-vegan friends/family.

  38. Ella says

    This is delicious but I can’t decide if it’s a main or a side dish. Found myself getting hungry again shortly after eating… any recommendations on what I could add to make it a bit more filling?

    Absolutely gorgeous flavours and so so easy to make, definitely coming back to this one

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ella, so glad you’re enjoying it. To make this more filling we recommend pairing it with hummus. Hope that helps!