Easy Sweet Potato Bites Appetizer with Pomegranates
These Sweet Potatoes Bites with Whipped Ricotta & Pomegranates are perfect next time you're on the hunt for a festive appetizer during the holiday season! They're an especially great option if you have gluten-free guests!
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
For Sweet Potato Rounds
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Whipped Ricotta
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon honey or hot honey
- 2 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves removed from stem
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
- dash black pepper
For Topping
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves removed from stems
- drizzle honey or hot honey
Instructions
- Make the sweet potato bites. Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C). Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Give the sweet potatoes a good rinse. You can remove the skin with a vegetable peeler if you want, but I keep it on for more texture and dietary fiber. Slice the potato widthwise into slices with a sharp knife. Pile the slices on the baking sheet. Coat each slice with olive oil, salt & black pepper. Line the sweet potato slices in an single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and fork tender, flipping halfway through. Cooking time will vary.
- While the potatoes roast, make the Whipped Ricotta. Add the ricotta cheese, olive oil, salt, honey, orange zest and fresh thyme to a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes, pushing down the sides as needed.
- Assemble the sweet potatoes by adding a layer of the whipped ricotta on top. Add pomegranate seeds, chopped pistachios, and fresh thyme on top. Add a drizzle of honey or hot honey.
- Hint; Be sure to line the sweet potato slices in a single layer so they cook evenly! You may need to do them in batches depending on the size of your baking sheet
Notes
Expert Tips
- Bake the sweet potato rounds in a single layer. You may need to do them in batches depending on the size of your baking sheet.
- Flip the slices at the halfway mark, around 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them in the last 5-10 minutes to make sure they don't burn!
- Use full fat ricotta cheese for the most creamy end result.
- Drain the liquid out of your ricotta before adding it to the blender or food processor. This helps the dip be more creamy.
- It will take a few minutes for the ricotta to get creamy in the blender or food processor so be patient!
- Meal Prep - you can prep each component of this recipe in advance! Store in separate airtight containers in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Assemble right before serving. The components will stay good in the fridge for 1-3 days.
- Storage - Leftovers of these sweet potatoes with ricotta keep relatively well. Store in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They won't look as pretty, but they'll still taste good!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!