Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Labneh

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 and this is our new favorite way to serve them.

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

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!

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! We love sweet potatoes baked in the oven, cut into wedges and grilled, or cubed and roasted. 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.

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.

What Is Labneh?

We'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. We like to think of it as a healthier substitute for cream cheese or sour cream, with many additional benefits and nutrients.

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. We 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.

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!

Wondering What To Serve With This Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe?

So, now that we’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 Tzatzikipair perfectly with this sweet potato side dish.
3. Grilled Chicken Shawarma Kebabs- say hello to your new favorite dinner!

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!