Description
Get ready to impress with this drool-worthy sweet and savory vegan NC sweetpotato appetizer (or snack!) that happens to also be gluten-free, grain-free, and refined sugar-free. The crunchy walnuts and pomegranate seeds match perfectly with the smooth ricotta and creamy roasted NC sweetpotatoes. With simple spices to perk up the flavor even more and a beautiful bright mix of colors, these simple and flavorful NC sweetpotato rounds with vegan ricotta are sure to be a showstopper.
Ingredients
- 2 long NC sweetpotatoes, cut into rounds*
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (+ more for coating the baking sheets)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup toasted walnuts pieces
- 3/4 cup Homemade Vegan Ricotta
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- drizzle of pure maple syrup
- Garnish: flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a silicone brush to brush two bare baking sheets with avocado oil.
- Coat NC sweetpotato rounds with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil on all sides and arrange in a single layer on the rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle with pepper and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Flip each round and bake another 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fine salt.
- While the NC sweetpotatoes cook, use a toaster oven and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.** Arrange walnuts in a single layer on a bare baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. I sometimes toss them in 2 teaspoons of avocado oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a generous sprinkle of salt before roasting for extra flavor.
- Top each round with 1 tablespoon of the vegan ricotta cheese. Add the pomegranate seeds, toasted walnut pieces and fresh chives overtop the cheese. Next, drizzle a tiny amount of maple syrup and sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve and enjoy immediately while the NC sweetpotato rounds are warm.
Notes
*This works best with NC sweetpotatoes that are long, skinny and uniform in width throughout. I cut them into rounds that are 2 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. I like to leave the skin on for added nutrients, aesthetics and texture.
**No toaster oven? No problem! This step only takes 5-10 minutes and can be done before or after the potatoes in the regular oven (just don’t forget to adjust the oven temperature).
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American
