Ina Garten Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Orange Butter

Ina Garten roasted sweet potatoes with chipotle orange butter turn 6 small sweet potatoes, smoky chipotle and maple syrup into a tender, spiced side dish in 1 hour 15 minutes. Try this easy side dish for Thanksgiving or Sunday dinner, since it's a simple recipe with make-ahead butter that cooks hands-free.

Roast the sweet potatoes for the full hour, until a knife slides in with no resistance, so the centers turn creamy and sweet. Pull them early and the middles stay firm, which keeps the butter from melting into them.

Ina Garten keeps a log of this flavored butter in her fridge, so a few sweet potatoes in the oven become a side good enough for company. She chills the butter in parchment paper, then slices it into 12 pieces, so each potato gets two melting pats of smoky orange heat.

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Orange Butter

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

320

kcal

Sweet potatoes roast until the skins crisp and the insides turn soft and creamy. Chilled chipotle orange butter then melts into each one, adding a smoky, citrusy sweetness.

Ingredients

• 6 small sweet potatoes (see note)
  

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  

• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce)
  

• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can)
  

• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. That keeps the sugars that leak from the potatoes from baking onto the pan.
• Roast the potatoes: Pierce 6 small sweet potatoes in several places with a sharp knife so they don't burst. Roast them on the prepared sheet pan for 1 hour, until they are very tender when pierced with a knife.
• Mix the butter: Combine 1/4 pound softened unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, then mix on medium speed until well combined.
• Form the log: Set a 12 x 8-inch piece of parchment paper on a board with the 12-inch edge near you. Spread the butter in a strip along that edge with a rubber spatula, then roll it up and away from you into a log.
• Chill the butter: Refrigerate the log for at least 15 minutes. It firms up while the potatoes finish, so it slices cleanly.
• Open the potatoes: Cut a slit in the top of each potato and squeeze the ends together to open it. Then sprinkle the insides with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Butter and serve: Cut the chilled chipotle butter into 12 pieces and place 2 pieces in the opening of each potato. Serve them hot, so the butter melts into the flesh.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make the chipotle orange butter ahead of time?

Yes, the butter is made to be a make-ahead item. Roll it into a log, keep it in the fridge and slice off pieces whenever you roast potatoes. Ina Garten keeps a log on hand for quick side dishes.

Why do the sweet potatoes need to be the same size?

Potatoes of about the same size finish cooking at the same time, which is why Ina Garten suggests picking evenly sized ones. Otherwise the small ones turn dry while the big ones are still firm in the middle.

How do I make the butter less spicy?

Use less minced chipotle and a little less adobo sauce, since those two ingredients carry nearly all the heat. The maple syrup and orange zest keep the butter sweet and bright even with a milder kick.

What else can I use this chipotle orange butter on?

Ina Garten says flavored butters bump up the flavor of fish and chicken as well as simple vegetables. I like it melted over grilled corn or roasted carrots, and it works on plain grilled chicken too.

What's the most common mistake with roasted sweet potatoes?

Skipping the piercing step is the biggest one, since trapped steam can make the potatoes burst in the oven. Pull them out too early and the centers stay firm instead of creamy.