Thyme was the first herbs of the week, which was so many weeks ago! Thyme is a fantastic herb to use in roasting fall veggies and squashes. Try out this recipe with either the orange or white sweet potatoes.
Brown Butter-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Arugula, Bacon, and Thyme
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp thinly sliced sage leaves
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves
- 4 slices of bacon
- 6 oz arugula, baby arugula preferably or large leaves torn into small pieces
- Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper
Note: You can easily halve this recipe
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the brown sugar. Set aside.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns brown and nutty, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the red pepper flakes, sage, and thyme. Pour the brown butter and herbs over the sweet potatoes, making sure to get all of the brown bits. Toss well, thoroughly coating all of the sweet potatoes with the brown butter and herbs. Season with 1 Tbsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp pepper, then toss again to combine.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large sheet pan lined with parchment. Lay the bacon strips evenly across the potatoes. Roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized. After about 15 to 20 minutes, toss the potatoes with a spatula to make sure they’re coated evenly with the brown butter and herbs. Your bacon may be done at this point. If it’s not, just set the bacon strips to the side, toss the potatoes, then lay them back across the potatoes for more time in the oven.
When they’re done, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and put them into a serving bowl. Let cool for a few minutes, then toss in the arugula. You want the arugula to slightly wilt but retain some of its shape. Crumble the bacon over the sweet potatoes and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Original Recipe)