Summer Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Mozzarella (Printer-friendly)
Tender roasted sweet potatoes topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil pesto for a vibrant summer meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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, 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 tablespoons 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 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray.
03 - Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
04 - 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.
05 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
06 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
07 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of warm roasted sweet potatoes and cool fresh pesto creates this incredible temperature contrast that keeps every bite interesting
- It looks impressive on the plate but comes together with barely any active cooking time
02 -
- Sweet potatoes can vary wildly in cooking time depending on their size, so start checking at 25 minutes rather than strictly following the clock
- Letting the roasted sweet potatoes cool for just 5 minutes before topping them makes handling so much easier and prevents the cheese from melting too fast
03 -
- If your sweet potatoes are enormous, cut them into thirds instead of halves so they cook through before the edges burn
- Pat the mozzarella balls dry with paper towels before halving them—excess water will make the final dish soggy