These crispy roasted sweet potato slices seasoned with garlic and thyme are the perfect side dish for any protein.
The recipe is simple, requiring just a few ingredients and yielding crispy and buttery goodness your whole family will love!

Sweet potatoes were on my ‘food-I-hate’ list for a long time. Then at some party, trying not to insult the host who baked them to their crispiness, I took a few bites, and I was hooked.
Usually, I roast them spread on a cookie sheet, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin.
Then I roast them crispy, but sometimes they stick to the bottom of the sheet. This method of roasting gets them crispy without all the sticky mess.
Sweet potato fries with sour cream or caramel sauce are also often on our menu rotation, as are stuffed. We also love them for brunch, pan-fried with eggs.
📃 Why it Works
- Baked sweet potato slices are crispy, almost caramelized, on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside.
- They are paleo and Whole30 friendly.
- They’re easy to throw together with just a few ingredients.
- They’re great for meal prepping.
- They're simple comfort food.
- They are an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and potassium.
- They go with everything and are the perfect side for your holiday meal! Who doesn’t love yams with Thanksgiving turkey? This recipe is much healthier than the usual candied yams our grandmas used to serve.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Sweet potatoes: There are many varieties. Red and orange-skinned are "moist," sweeter, and creamier, but if your grocery store only carries one type, make sure they’re firm, without growth sprouts, soft spots, patchy colors, or bruises on their skin. In short, look for the perfect sweet potato! 😄
- Butter: The butter adds an incredible flavor to roasted sweet potatoes; however, if you’re vegan or on a low-fat diet, you can use vegan butter or oil instead. Olive oil, avocado, grapeseed, and coconut oil work well.
- Spices: We only use salt and pepper and get the most flavors from garlic and thyme. You can add your favorite spice blend or try these: paprika, cumin, onion powder, and chili powder. If you’re not sure what spices and herbs complement each other, download this helpful spice guide.
🔪 Instructions
- Wash potatoes. Using a sharp knife, slice them into thin rounds, no thicker than ¼-inch (microwaving potatoes for 2-3 minutes makes them more pliable).
- Carefully arrange the slices upright in a greased pan; tuck in garlic and thyme among slices.
- Brush sweet potato slices with the remaining two tablespoons melted butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake until potatoes are tender and crisp. Garnish with fresh thyme.
👩🍳 Top Tips
- Make sure to get potatoes uniformed in size.
- Different types cook differently, so it is imperative to check them during cooking than relying solely on time. Not to mention that oven temperatures vary too!
- Sweet potatoes are tough to cut, so I like to microwave them for a few minutes to soften them up a bit. If you want to omit this step, make sure to sharpen your knife! You can also use a mandoline slicer, but I find these slices are too thin. It is excellent for making sweet potato chips, though.
- If your sweet potatoes are small, you can make them Hasselback-style: cut them almost all the way through (left joined at the bottom) into thin, fan-like slices. Just make sure to serve one potato per person.
- You can use a 9-inch square or round metal or ceramic baking pan. I wouldn't suggest using a glass pan. I find they don't get as crispy in it.
🍽 How To Serve It
They are excellent with chicken, pork roast, and Thanksgiving turkey. You can use leftovers to toss them with your salads or vegetable/grain and burrito bowls.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
It is a matter of personal preference. For this recipe, I scrubbed them and kept the skin on.
This depends on the recipe and the size of the potato slices. At 400 degrees F, they should take about 45-60 minutes. Bake until potatoes are completely cooked through, and the edges turn crispy.
Store them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat them in a microwave (they won’t be crispy, but still delicious) or your oven.
😋 Other Amazing Recipes to Try
More delicious and healthy sides to try:
- Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
- Belarusian Potatoes and Kidney Beans
- Bosnian Djuvec Rice with Vegetables
- Low-Carb Mock Potato Cauliflower Salad
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Kitchen knife or a mandoline slicer
- 9-inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- Fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a baking pan with two tablespoons melted butter.
- Wash potatoes. Using a sharp knife, cut off and discard the ends. Slice them into thin rounds, no thicker than ¼-inch. (read the recipe notes for tips).
- Carefully arrange the slices upright in a greased pan - tuck in garlic and thyme among slices.
- Brush slices with the remaining two tablespoons melted butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to get potatoes uniformed in size.
- Sweet potatoes are tough to cut, so I like to microwave them for a few minutes to soften them up a bit. If you want to omit this step, make sure to sharpen your knife! You can also use a mandoline slicer, but I find these slices are too thin. It is excellent for making sweet potato chips, though.
- If your sweet potatoes are small, you can make them Hasselback-style: cut them almost all the way through (left joined at the bottom) into thin, fan-like slices. Just make sure to serve one potato per person.
- You can use a 9-inch square or round metal or ceramic baking pan. I wouldn't suggest using a glass pan. I find that potatoes don't get as crispy in it.
- Different types cook differently, so it is imperative to check them during cooking than relying solely on time. Not to mention that oven temperatures vary too!
Leslie says
We made a recipe very similar to this last Thanksgiving, and it was incredible...so pretty and so tasty at the same time! Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Jas says
And so simple! Can't beat that 😀
Sheri says
These look so good! Thanks so much for joining us at the To Grandma's House We Go link party. Your link has been pinned! Please join us again next Wednesday! Cheers!
Jas says
Thank you much!
Sandra L Garth says
I'll take a sweet potato over a russet any day! These are going to be so good.
Jas says
They are good and good for you. 🙂
Snap says
I love sweet potatoes and this sounds delicious and different from my "usual". Thanks! I've printed out your recipe.
Jas says
Thanks so much for stopping by and pinning! 😀
Chas says
Great share, thanks!
Jas says
You're welcome!
Mother of 3 says
This sounds so good and so easy too! Pinned.
Jas says
It can't get any easier than this 🙂 Thanks for pinning!
Randi Tisdall says
Those photos are excellent, and I love sweet potatoes!!
Jas says
Aw, thank you, Randi! Means a lot 😀
Rheagan says
With all the sweet potato we eat, I'll definitely be giving these a try!
Jas says
Yes! Come back and let me know how you like these, please!
Ashley Tukiainen says
These looks so simple and delicious! Sweet potatoes are a favorite in our house!
Jas says
They really are simple and delicious. Hope you'll give them a try!!!
Gillian Kent says
Thes look delicious. I love sweet potatoes any way I can get them.
Jas says
Thanks, Gillian! Hope you'll add this recipe to your rotation 🙂
Katie says
I LOVE sweet potatoes!! These looks delicious!!!!! <3
Jas says
Thanks, Katie! I love them when they're crispy 🙂
Ann says
I have been looking for new sweet potato recipes so I can convince my family that they really do like sweet potatoes. I think this might do the trick.
Jas says
Ha ha, it took me trying crispy sweet potatoes to convince me I like them too. I wasn't always a fan, just in the last few years if you can believe that. 🙂
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Oh they look so good!
Jas says
Glad you like them, Kat! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Leanna says
These look modern, fun and delicious. This would be easy enough for an everyday meal. Thanks for sharing.
Jas says
Hi, Leanna! Yes, these are very easy to make. Thanks for stopping in. Wishing you wonderful holidays ahead!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I saw a butternut squash done like this - hassleback - in a gourmet magazine - Looks delicious Jas! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner Link up! And Happy Thanksgiving!
Jas says
Oh, I bet that's tasty too! Thank you, Helen, and happy Thanksgiving!