Description
This Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe offers a flavorful and nutritious twist on a classic comfort food. Baked sweet potatoes are loaded with a vibrant mixture of broccoli, aromatic garlic, fresh herbs, and optional cheddar cheese, then combined with a creamy cashew-lemon sauce for extra richness. Perfect as a wholesome side or a satisfying vegetarian main dish, these twice baked sweet potatoes deliver a balance of textures and fresh flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes and Veggies
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- â…“ cup chopped scallions
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup chopped parsley and/or microgreens
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cashew Cream Sauce
- ½ cup sweet potato mash (from the baked sweet potatoes)
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 4+ hours & drained
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Additional Liquid
- ½ cup water (for blending sauce)
Instructions
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork several times and place them on a baking sheet. Bake them for about 45-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool slightly before handling.
- Cook Broccoli and Prepare Flavor Base: While the potatoes bake, steam or blanch the broccoli florets until tender yet crisp, approximately 4-5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, chopped scallions, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to create a dressing.
- Scoop Potato Flesh: Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, reserving the skins intact for stuffing.
- Prepare Cashew Cream Sauce: In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews, sweet potato mash reserved earlier, fresh lemon juice, whole garlic clove, chopped fresh rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and half a cup of water. Blend until smooth and creamy, adjusting water quantity as needed for desired consistency.
- Mix Filling: To the sweet potato flesh, add the broccoli florets, the olive oil and garlic dressing, hemp seeds, chopped parsley and/or microgreens, and the cashew cream sauce. If using, fold in the cheddar cheese gently. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Stuff Sweet Potato Skins: Spoon the mixture back into the sweet potato skins, dividing the filling evenly among the shells.
- Bake Again: Place the stuffed sweet potatoes back on the baking sheet and bake in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and the tops are slightly golden if cheese is used.
- Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with extra fresh herbs or microgreens if desired, and serve warm as a main or side dish.
Notes
- Soak cashews at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure a creamy sauce.
- Cheddar cheese is optional; omit for a vegan version.
- Adjust herbs and seasoning according to taste preferences.
- Use microgreens or fresh parsley for garnish to add freshness and color.
- Sweet potatoes vary in size; baking time may need adjustment accordingly.
- The cashew cream sauce can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 2 days.
