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    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Labneh

    Honey-roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon and ginger pair perfectly with our favorite lemon zest labneh recipe, finished with a generous drizzle of good olive oil and flaky sea salt!

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    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes over labneh with olive oil and green onions and parsley on a plate

    Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Labneh: The Perfect Match

    There’s nothing quite like crispy, hot, roasted sweet potatoes fresh out of the oven, except for maybe when they have been tossed in good olive oil, honey and warm spices. We enjoy oven-roasted sweet potatoes year round in our family, and this is my new favorite way to serve them.

    A few years ago, Natalie discovered an amazing recipe in the Gjelina cookbook. The recipe pairs labneh (a soft cheese made from strained yogurt) with roasted sweet potato wedges. Soon after, Natalie made the dish for a party I was hosting and we all fell in love with the idea of serving sweet potatoes with labneh. We have been busy perfecting this simple sweet potato recipe ever since, and I am confident you’ll love it as much as we do!

    Ingredients laid out on table sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt green onions, olive oil, honey, lemon zest.

    How To Roast Sweet Potatoes:

    Roasting vegetables is one of the easiest ways to cook them, and a great way of adding vitamins, fiber, and FLAVOR to your dinner! Sweet potatoes can be roasted whole, in wedges, or in cubes. For this dish, we've opted for baked sweet potato cubes. Here’s the how to roast sweet potatoes in the oven:

    • Preheat oven to 425°F.
    • Mix honey, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
    • Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes.
    • Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them in the honey mixture until they're coated.
    • Bake until the potatoes are tender and slightly caramelized. How long this takes will depend on the size of the potato pieces.
    Honey, olive oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and crushed red pepper flakes being mixed in a small bowl with a spoon.
    Sweet potatoes being tossed with honey in a bowl
    Honey roasted sweet potatoes on a baking sheet
    Honey roasted sweet potatoes on a baking sheet

    How Long Do You Roast Sweet Potatoes?

    How long you roast your sweet potatoes is entirely dependent on the size of the potato pieces you are baking. If you’re baking wedges you’ll need to cook them for 50-60 minutes. If you’re making roasted sweet potato cubes, your baking time is cut in half—roughly 25-30 minutes— which the reason we decided to call for sweet potato cubes in this recipe. The smaller you go, the less time it takes.

    A few more favorite variations of sweet potatoes that we’ve cooked up in the oven :

    Half-Inch Dice: Like in ourSweet Potato Tacos.

    Thinly Sliced: Just like these in this Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole.

    Honey roasted sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with olive oil

    What Is Labneh?

    I’d like to introduce you to the roasted sweet potatoes' greatest sidekick, homemade labneh cheese. If you’ve already tried this thick, creamy, spreadable yogurt cheese then you know it’s what dreams are made of.

    Although labneh (or lebneh) is considered a cheese, it is made simply from plain yogurt that has had some of the moisture strained out of it. It is light and refreshing with a tart and mild flavor. It has been a traditional part of Lebanese cooking for centuries, but has been widely adopted outside of Middle Eastern cuisine, as well.

    Eaten much like hummus, labneh is traditionally included as a part of any mezze spread. It is often served as a dip for falafel or pita, a protein-packed breakfast with fruit, or served with olive oil and veggies for lunch. This labneh recipe is extremely versatile. I like to think of it as a healthier substitute for cream cheese or sour cream, with many additional benefits and nutrients.

    Yogurt, 1 teaspoon salt and lemon zest in a bowl.
    Labneh in a bowl

    How To Make Labneh:

    Making labneh is so fun, and it's incredibly easy to prepare at home! The only “special” tool you need to make it is a clean kitchen towel. I like to use the thin, flour sack kind of towel, but if you happen to have some layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, either one of these will work as well.

    Step 1: start with a tub of plain, whole milk Greek yogurt, some salt and a lemon.

    Step 2: Line a colander with the towel, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag and set it over a large bowl.

    Step 3: Scoop the yogurt into the lined colander and place it in the fridge to strain. The longer you strain your yogurt (up to 24 hours) the thicker it will get. We like ours soft and spreadable, so for this particular simple sweet potato and labneh recipe, we only strain it for a few hours.

    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes over Labneh, parsley, olive oil, red pepper flakes

    This is Best Sweet Potato Recipe You’ll Ever Make!

    Now that you know how to make both labneh and honey-roasted sweet potatoes, it’s time to put it all together! We promise, you are going to love this delicious sweet potato side dish.

    Here’s a little recap of everything that we've got going on that makes this the best sweet potato recipe ever:

    • Cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes, oh my!
    • Honey and olive oil, for the win!
    • Labneh yogurt, made with lemon zest, salt, and your favorite plain Greek yogurt.
    • Flat leaf parsley and green onions to help this healthy oven-roasted sweet potato dish achieve over-the-top greatness!
    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes over labneh with olive oil and green onions and parsley on a plate

    How Healthy Is This Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe?

    Not only do these roast sweet potatoes with labneh taste phenomenal, it’s actually really good for you! Take these facts into consideration when planning this dish and you’ll feel great that you found such a winning combo of ‘delicious-meets-good-for-you’ food.

    These healthy, oven-roasted sweet potatoes are full of nutrients, such as:

    • Lots of vitamin A!
    • Vitamin C and beta-carotene (immunity boost anyone?)
    • Fiber and potassium!
    • Vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium—the list of health benefits goes on and on!

    Labneh boasts:

    • More protein with fewer calories, fat, and sodium than similar dairy options like cream cheese, sour cream or creme fraiche.
    • Good-for-your-gut probiotics (another great immunity booster)!
    • Calcium!
    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes over labneh with olive oil and green onions on a plate with a linen and serving spoon.

    Wondering What To Serve With This Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe?

    So, now that I’ve convinced you to make these oven-roasted sweet potatoes with labneh cheese, you’re wondering what to serve them with, right? Well, they could be served as a light dinner in and of themselves. But they'd also be delicious served alongside these fantastic main dishes.

    1. Lamb Burger With Harissa Mayo and Pickled Red Cabbage. You can swap out the goat cheese on the burger for an extra dollop of labneh!
    2. Beef Kofta Kababs with Tzatziki pair perfectly with this sweet potato side dish.
    3. Grilled Chicken Shawarma Kebabs- say hello to your new favorite dinner!
    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes over labneh with olive oil and green onions and parsley on a plate

    In Love with these Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes?

    Did you make and LOVE this dish? We want to see your labneh and oven roasted sweet potatoes creations! Share your handiwork with us on Instagram and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can feature you on our stories. Happy eating!

    Related Recipes

    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Labneh

    Originally published: March 21, 2019

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  40 min
    • Calories: 243
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 16 oz plain greek yogurt
    • 1 lemon, zested
    • 2 tsp salt, divided
    • 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled cut into 1 1/2 " pieces
    • 3 tbsp honey, warmed
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
    • flat leaf parsley, chopped
    • green onions, chopped
    • olive oil
    • flaky sea salt

    Method

    1. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, 1 teaspoon salt and lemon zest.
    2. Line a large sieve or colander with cheesecloth or clean, thin (flour sack style) dish cloth; set over a large bowl. Place the yogurt mixture in the colander. Gather edges of cheesecloth to cover yogurt. Place in refrigerator and let drain for 4-6 hours (longer if you want it to be thicker).
    3. Gently squeeze out any excess liquid over the sink, set aside.
    4. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
    5. In a small bowl mix the honey, olive oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
    6. Lay the sweet potatoes out on a rimmed baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle the honey mixture over the potatoes. Roast, tossing occasionally, for 35-40 minutes in oven or until tender.Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.
    7. Spread the labneh onto a platter and top with the roasted sweet potatoes. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, green onions and flakey sea salt to taste.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories243
    • Protein11 g
    • Carbohydrates49 g
    • Total Fat1 g
    • Dietary Fiber6 g
    • Cholesterol4 mg
    • sodium1456 mg
    • Total Sugars29 g

    Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Labneh

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Toni Cordtz

      Do you recommend serving this dish Hot, cold or room temp?

      We like the sweet potatoes to be hot/warm. Hope you enjoy!

    • Jamie

      If I were to travel with this dish how would you suggest doing so?

      A covered casserole dish would do the trick.

    • Susana Sevilla

      Hello. I would like to make this recipe vegan. How can I use vegan alternatives?

      Oooo that's tricky! We haven't found a vegan sub for Greek yogurt that we love yet. You might just take the honey-roasted sweet potatoes and serve them as-is?

    • Jane Morgan

      OMG - these were amazing! Kids home from college AND Mr. Husband were all raving about how delicious these were. I was scrounging for a side dish after the holidays and I had all ingredients for this recipe in my pantry/fridge. I didn't have time to follow the instructions for the Labneh - just mixed it up and used it. It really made the dish sparkle - 10/10 will make again!

      So glad to hear!

    • Hillary Calvert

      I'm surprised there's only one review of this DIVINE recipe. If you are afraid to try it because you don't know what labneh is, don't be. Its so simple and the umami is off the charts.

      Thank you Hillary! We are so glad that you liked it!

    • Sarah Legat

      Make this, make it now. It is an incredible dish.The lebnah is so good. I always leave it in my fridge overnight, to make a thicker cheese consistency. And for the sweet potatoes I always grind up the red pepper a little bite before putting it on, so that you don’t get a single potato with a ton of pepper on it. SO GOOD!

      Glad to hear you think it's incredible!