Summer Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Mozzarella (Printable)

Roasted sweet potatoes topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh pesto. A vibrant vegetarian Mediterranean dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved

→ Pesto

05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Olive Oil & Seasoning

11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Brush sweet potato halves with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, blend basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
05 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
06 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted sweetness of the potatoes balances perfectly with bright tomatoes and creamy mozzarella
  • Its forgiving enough to make on a lazy Tuesday but pretty enough for company
  • Everything comes together while the potatoes roast, so theres almost no active cooking time
02 -
  • Do not skip flipping the sweet potatoes cut side up before adding toppings or the cheese will slide right off.
  • The pesto tastes better if it sits for 15 minutes before serving, so make it first if you have time.
  • These are best eaten the same day because the mozzarella releases water as it sits.
03 -
  • Scrub the sweet potatoes well and leave the skin on. It holds everything together and adds texture.
  • Let the roasted sweet potatoes cool for a few minutes before flipping so they do not fall apart.
  • Taste the pesto before adding salt because the Parmesan is already quite salty.

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