The perfect appetizer for happy hour, bake a pan of spiced sweet potato fries and serve with a refreshing cilantro yogurt sauce.
I adapted this recipe for Sweet Potato Fries with Coriander Yoghurt from a recipe in Diana Henry’s book Simple. Diana is a food writer whose recipes I have come to love and my collection of her cookbooks is steadily growing as she publishes new work. 
The recipe for sweet potato fries is a great combination of flavours and contrasts. Hot, spicy, smoky, sweet, cool and fragrant all in one dish is pretty good going in my book. The sweet potato fries are a good replacement for the usual potato fries and you can serve it as a side dish or as a delicious snack with
drinks.
There really is not much to it. Cut the sweet potatoes in wedges and dredge with olive oil and the seasonings. While they roast in the oven make the dipping sauce by whizzing the avourings in a food processor and adding to the yoghurt. You can omit the coriander and replace it with parsley or even rosemary or thyme if coriander is not to your taste. A delicious variation would be to use the tandoori spice mix of these Tandoori Roasted Carrots, one of the most popular recipes I have published to date.
Click here for the cilantro yogurt sauce recipe.
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Sweet Potato Fries and Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro Yogurt Dip:
- 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves and tender stems
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Toss the sweet potato wedges with the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a lightly oiled roasting tray. Do not crowd the pan.
- Roast for about 40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until cooked through and lightly caramelized at the edges.
- While the wedges are roasting, make the dip: place the cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin in a food processor and pulse to a rough puree.
- Stir the herb puree into the yogurt and season well with salt and pepper.
- Serve the wedges drizzled with half of the dip, with the rest on the side for dipping.
Notes
If cilantro is not to your taste, parsley, rosemary, or thyme all work well in its place. Spreading the wedges in a single layer is key to getting them to roast rather than steam.
- Category: Appetizer
Frequently Asked Questions
What seasonings should I use for the sweet potato fries?
You should dredge the sweet potato wedges with olive oil and your choice of seasonings, which can include spices like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or even a tandoori spice mix for a different flavor.
Can I substitute the cilantro in the yogurt sauce?
Yes, you can replace the cilantro with parsley, rosemary, or thyme if you prefer a different herb.
How do I ensure my sweet potato fries are crispy?
To achieve crispy fries, make sure to cut the sweet potatoes into even wedges, coat them lightly with olive oil, and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet before roasting.
