Every recipe has a story, and this roasted organic covington sweet potatoes dish is no exception. It started with a cookbook that sparked creativity and unearthed a deeper connection to the ingredients that define southern cuisine.
Back in 2019, I purchased the Cherry Bombe Cookbook shortly after attending FAB, a women-focused hospitality conference that lit a fire under my culinary ambitions. Flipping through its pages, filled with recipes and stories from inspiring women in the food world, I felt the urge to cook at home again. One dish led to another, and within days, this recipe came to life—a celebration of tradition, versatility, and flavor.
organic covington sweet potatoes cooked with tradition and legacy in mind
Sweet potatoes have been a staple for generations across the Southeast. From sweet potato pies to smoky, charred potatoes cooked over an open flame, the sweet potato is one of the most versatile ingredients in southern kitchens. And with versatile ingredients memories and traditions are created.
For me, a fond memory of sweet potatoes wasn’t with a recipe but in the field. I remember learning the difference between a “yam” and a sweet potato while talking with a farmer I used to work with during a farm tour. I had no idea that there was a distinct difference. Yams are native to Africa and Asia, and sweet potatoes are native to America. So, the sweet potatoes you buy in the grocery store are not yams.
Benne seeds, which is another ingredient I used in this recipe, takes me back to my time staging at The Grey in Savannah. The kitchen was alive with the nutty aroma of benne seeds toasting, and I was completely swept away. When I got back to North Carolina, I couldn’t stop experimenting with them as a sesame seed substitute.
At the time when I was creating what would be fond memories of sweet potatoes and benne seeds, I wasn’t thinking of the significance of the two ingredients. It wasn’t until after that it hit me: so many of our beloved southern dishes are rooted in the food traditions of enslaved Africans, including many of the sweet potato recipes we cherish today. Their cooking techniques and ingredients, like benne seeds and peanuts, helped shape the foundation of Southern foodways, and this recipe is my way of honoring that legacy.
the recipe: a symphony of flavors
This sweet potato dish will be your new holiday favorite, and it’s easy to see why. The creaminess of the sweet potato pairs perfectly with the rich, nutty flavor of the peanut butter sauce. The acidity of an herb and red onion salad brings brightness, while a crunchy topping of peanuts and toasted benne seeds adds texture and flair. With every bite, this dish tells a story resilience, cultural exchange, and the boundless versatility of the sweet potato.
soundtrack for organic covington sweet potatoes
In the kitchen, Stevie Wonder’s “Manhattan at Six” played in the background as I prepped this dish. The melody matched the rhythm of peeling, toasting, and tasting—a perfect accompaniment to the creative process.
a lesson in versatility and connection
I hope this dish inspires anyone who tries it to appreciate the versatility of the sweet potato. From savory to sweet, this humble vegetable carries diverse flavors beautifully and offers a wealth of nutritional benefits, including fiber and vitamin B6. It’s a reminder of how food connects us—to our history, our health, and one another.
So gather your ingredients, turn up the music, and savor the magic of transforming a simple southern staple into a dish that’s as rich in flavor as it is in history.
roasted organic covington sweet potatoes
Yield: 4-6 people
Prep Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour
organic ingredients
- Organic Covington Sweet Potatoes (or any orange sweet potato) – 8 medium
- Organic Parsley – 1 bunch
- Organic Red Onion – 2
- Organic Lemon – 3
- Organic Garlic – 1 clove
- Fix & Fogg Smooth Peanut Butter – 1/2 cup
- Water (Cold) – 1/4 cup
- Cayenne Pepper – 1/8 teaspoon
- Charleston Specialty Foods Benne Seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Roasted Unsalted Peanuts – 1/4 cup
- King Cobra Honey – 2 tablespoons
- Graza Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 bottle
- Kosher Salt – 2 teaspoons
preparation
- Preheat oven to 380°F.
- Wash and peel all sweet potatoes.
- Cut in half lengthwise then into wedges and in half.
- Toss in 1.5 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 1.5 teaspoon.
- Then spread out on 2 – 12×6 sheet pans.
- Bake the Sweet Potatoes for 30 minutes, check every and rotate 10 minutes. Roast the sweet potatoes until they are fork tender.
- As the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the peanut butter sauce and topping for the sweet potatoes
- I know it sounds a bit strange but trust me on this one. 😉
- Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce
- In a small bowl whisk ½ cup of Fix & Fogg Smooth Peanut Butter and 1/8 teaspoon together slowly add the juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons.
- The peanut butter will seize up a bit (Wonder why? Check out the fun fact below) so slowly add ¼ cup of cold water to the mixture.
- A little fun fact — When a small amount of lemon juice (or water) is added to peanut butter, the hydrophilic dry particles are drawn to the water. As a result, it clumps up.
- Place in cooler for the time being and this can be made in advance.
- Dish Toppings
- Pluck the leaves of the parsley and set aside then fine chop the remaining parsley including the stems.
- Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons.
- Cut and peel a red onion in half then julienne into fine slices.
- Grate 1 clove of garlic with microplane.
- Rough chop the roasted unsalted peanuts.
- Lightly toast the benne seeds in a small pan over low medium heat. The seeds are done once you can smell the aroma, or the seeds will turn a light brown like brown sugar.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, set aside until they are cool to touch.
- Toss the parsley (leaves and chopped), julienned red onion, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt and cracked pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 grated clove of garlic all together and set aside.
- Take a large spoon full of the Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce and spread it across the bottom of the serving platter. Place the Roasted Covington Sweet Potatoes on top of the sauce.
- Top the sweet potatoes with the parsley salad then finish with the toasted benne seeds and peanuts. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of honey then Bibbidi–bobbidi-boo!
Learn more about one of Happy Dirt’s farmer-owners who grows Organic Covington Sweet Potatoes. If you’re a wholesale buyer interested in learning more about the availability of North Carolina Organic Sweet Potatoes, give us a shout. Simply enjoy learning about Happy Dirt farmers and organic produce, sign up for our newsletter.
