Baked Sweet Potato Rounds with Goat Cheese & Honey
Baked Sweet Potato Rounds with Goat Cheese & Honey transforms simple ingredients into an elegant appetizer featuring caramelized sweet potato coins topped with creamy goat cheese and finished with honey drizzle and fresh herbs, delivering a perfect sweet-savory balance.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes uniform in width for even cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese chèvre, at room temperature for easy spreading
- 3 tablespoons honey plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- Flaky sea salt for finishing optional but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then slice them into ¼-inch thick rounds. Maintaining even thickness is crucial for consistent cooking.
- Place the sweet potato rounds in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange the seasoned rounds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they don’t overlap to achieve proper caramelization.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are slightly crispy and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Allow the sweet potato rounds to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. This cooling time helps them firm up slightly for easier handling.
- Top each round with a small dollop (about ½ teaspoon) of goat cheese, gently pressing it into a small mound on top of each round.
- Drizzle honey lightly over each round and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if using.
- Serve immediately while still warm, or at room temperature for a different but equally delicious experience.
Notes
- For extra flavor, mix a small amount of orange zest or minced garlic into the goat cheese before topping the sweet potatoes.
- These can be partially prepared ahead of time: bake the sweet potato rounds, store in the refrigerator, then reheat briefly before topping with cheese and honey.
- For a spicy-sweet variation, add a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes on top of the honey.
- Uniformly sized sweet potatoes work best for even cooking times.
- The rounds will continue to crisp up slightly as they cool.