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Roasted Sage and Maple Sweet Potatoes

Kristin Teig

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED December 3, 2025

When southerners moved up to Kansas following the burgeoning jazz music scene of the 1920s and 1930s, they brought their food culture with them, including sweet potatoes and yams. We didn't use them much at home, but my friend's parents always had a side of sweet potatoes on the dinner table, and I fell in love with their sweet taste. They're widely used in Native cuisine and are indigenous to Central America. The earthiness of the sage in this recipe highlights the sweet potato, and the maple syrup enhances its natural flavors. As if great taste weren't enough, this root vegetable is packed with nutrients. – Pyet DeSpain

 

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Roasted Sage and Maple Sweet Potatoes

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time about 40 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-size cubes
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, washed and patted dry, plus a few more for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil (or another neutral oil)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato cubes and sage leaves with the maple syrup, sunflower seed oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure that the sweet potatoes are evenly coated.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and golden, tossing halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving dish, garnish with additional fresh sage leaves, and serve.

– Excerpted from Rooted in Fire by Pyet DeSpain reprinted with permission from HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 2025.

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