Summer Sweet Potatoes With Tomatoes Mozzarella Pesto (Printable)

Roasted sweet potatoes topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh pesto. A colorful vegetarian main or side perfect for summer gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz mozzarella balls, drained and halved

→ Pesto

05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Olive Oil & Seasoning

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil for roasting
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Brush sweet potato halves with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, blend basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
05 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
06 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The way the sweet potatoes get all caramelized and sticky on the bottom while staying fluffy inside is basically magic
  • You can throw everything together in under an hour but it looks like you took all day
  • Cold pesto on hot sweet potatoes is a contrast that will make you pause between bites
02 -
  • If your sweet potatoes are thick, give them an extra 10 minutes, undercooked ones are disappointing
  • Let the pesto come to room temperature before drizzling, cold oil can make the mozzarella seize up
  • Salt the sweet potatoes more than you think you need, they are dense and can handle it
03 -
  • Pat the mozzarella dry with paper towels before adding it, otherwise the sweet potatoes can get soggy
  • If the pesto tastes too sharp, add a teaspoon of honey or a pinch more salt to balance it

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