These Chili Sweet Potatoes are a delicious and easy vegetarian appetizer or side dish, jam-packed with flavor! A take on the popular Indo-Chinese Honey Chili Potatoes, this vegan dish is finger-licking good and so simple to make.
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What makes this a healthy appetizer recipe
Sweet potatoes are an appetizing way to include some healthy carbohydrates in your meals, and roasting them makes them even more so. High in fiber and vitamins B and C, they lend themselves to any recipe with nary a worry. But this particular one feels like comfort food – much, much better than any takeout!
How to make vegan chili sweet potatoes?
There is a good chance that you’ll have all the ingredients to throw together sticky chili sweet potatoes if you make Asian food at home. The recipe is low on effort, yet it yields high-reward flavors.
A midday snack or a side dish that pairs virtually with everything, it is super easy to make. Since the oven does most of the heavy lifting, all you need is a chopping board and a tray!
- Start by cubing the sweet potato, then tossing them in oil and salt. You can, of course, cut them in wedges, too.
- Be cautious with your salt. The sauces already have some in them, and you don’t want the sticky chili sweet potato to be excessively salty.
- Toast the sweet potatoes in the oven till they are perfectly cooked through.
It takes around 20 to 25 minutes to toast the sweet potatoes. I always shift the tray to the top rack and turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes to caramelize the sweet potatoes beautifully.
Prepare the sweet chili sauce
While the sweet potato cubes toast, get the sauce ready.
- Combine rice wine vinegar, sriracha, and soy sauce with some maple syrup.
- I am partial to chili bean paste, so that went in next, but any homemade or store-bought chili sauce/paste will do.
- Pour the sauce on the crispy, golden cubes immediately after taking them out of the oven.
- Keep your oven mittens at the ready and handle the tray carefully because it’s going to be hot.
- Mix everything, taste, and adjust. Then drizzle a bit of cold-pressed sesame oil or peanut oil.
- Right before you serve, grace it with chopped green onions and fresh red chilies.
- Finish off with a handful of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch.
You’d think putting together opposites like maple syrup and sriracha would lead to chaos. But they balance out to create a die-for experience for the taste buds. The typical spicy Asian flavor of the sauce compliments the sweetness of the potatoes expertly.
Variations of the sticky chili sweet potatoes
Both sriracha and chili bean turn up the volume on heat. If you don’t want the same intensity level, mix in any chili sauce that suits your palate in quantities you feel like.
- If you enjoy a bracing punch of heat, try chili flakes or even fresh chilies.
- I was all out of honey, which made maple syrup a necessity. But honey is an excellent choice to bring that sweet undernote.
- In case you don’t have sesame oil, try peanut oil as a finishing oil.
- For more texture and crunch, top the dish with roasted crushed peanuts.
FAQs
Yes! I knew roasting worked because I’d tried it with my Sticky Sesame Cauliflower recipe to the great appreciation of my family. But air-frying or even frying the sweet potatoes or any other vegetable you are using is fine.
You can stick to the conventional path and try it with potatoes. Or switch things up a bit and try it with lotus stems.
Reheating the sticky sweet chili sweet potatoes
Glazed with a dancing melody of savory and sweet, the delectable dish makes a super addictive appetizer and a crowd-pleaser. The trick is to eat it hot, and if you dig in right from the baking tray, I won’t judge.
Chances are the sweet potatoes will vanish with the first helping. But in case there are some left, you can reheat them. The microwave does the job well. However, I do prefer a cast iron pan for this.
You could also reheat it in your oven. Tossing the sauce-laced sticky chili sweet potatoes in the oven again makes them stickier and yummier.
For more recipes that are better than takeout but just as quick – give Spicy Tofu Stir Fry and Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles a whirl.
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love these sticky chili sweet potatoes as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Sticky Chilli Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Sweet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed well and cubed
- 2 tbsp Peanut oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp Chilli bean sauce You can use any chilli sauce you prefer
- 1 tbsp Cold-pressed sesame oil or peanut oil
- Green onions, Sesame seeds, Red chillis for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220C.
- Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with peanut oil and salt.
- Spread in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and lightly browned on top.
- I like to move the baking tray to the top rack and turn on the broiler for the last 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on the veggies though, you don't want them to burn.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the sauce.
- Combine the sriracha sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, and chilli bean sauce in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for spicy/ sweet flavors.
- As soon as your sweet potatoes are out of the oven, carefully pour the sauce on top and mix well. Watch your hands, the tray will be hot!
- Taste and adjust for seasoning. Stir in the sesame oil or peanut oil for the finishing touch.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh chilli slices.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition
Karan says
so yum! Made this twice already 🙂
Natasha Minocha says
Yay, I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by xx
Sana Kapur says
Made this a bunch of times, always comes out so good 🙂
Natasha Minocha says
I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by, dear Sana
Surabhi says
Finger licking good!!!????
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you, Surabhi! xx