Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onion and Feta Cheese.
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These baked sweet potatoes are elevated with caramelized onions and crumbled feta cheese, making them a deliciously savory side or a light dinner option.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat.
- Add the sliced onions to the saucepan and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar over the onions and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- Cut a slit down the center of each sweet potato and gently push the ends to open them up.
- Season the inside of each sweet potato with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top each sweet potato with a generous amount of caramelized onions and crumbled feta cheese.
- Serve immediately as a side dish or a light main course.
Notes
- For a creamier texture, you can mash the sweet potato slightly before adding the toppings.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sweet potato
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 15
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe add brown sugar to the onions while caramelizing them?
The 1 tbsp of brown sugar is sprinkled over the sliced onions after they have softened for 10 minutes, then cooked for a further 15–20 minutes. The sugar accelerates caramelization and deepens the onions’ golden color and sweetness, producing a richer, more savory-sweet topping that contrasts with the salty feta.
Can this be served as a main dish or only as a side?
Both — the excerpt calls it a “delicious light dinner” as well as a side dish. Each of the 4 sweet potatoes is served whole with a generous portion of caramelized onions and crumbled feta, making it substantial enough for a light vegetarian main.
How do I make this vegan?
The notes explicitly say to omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based alternative. Everything else in the recipe — sweet potatoes, onions, olive oil, and brown sugar — is already vegan. 
