Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Caramelized Onions

We tore through these sweet potatoes before we had the chance to take much of a picture, so we’ll have to describe them instead.

These are the easiest things. So much flavor for so little work. We caramelized onions slowly in butter and olive oil (hands off, really – they cook themselves) then browned sweet potatoes and garlic. We let them steam until soft, then added some ginger and paprika for flavor. The sweet, full flavor of the onions and sweet potatoes carry the dish; it’s rich and warm, and so easy.

This is fall food for us. Try the leftovers in a breakfast burrito with an egg!

Sweet Potatoes and Caramelized Onions
serves 4

2 large Spanish onions
3 large sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, slivered
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper

Peel and chop the onions. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes or matchsticks. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large heavy frying pan or 4-quart pot. Sauté the onions slowly over medium heat until they are turning amber, then darker brown – about 15 minutes. Once the onions are caramelized, add the sweet potato chunks and garlic. Continue cooking over medium heat, turning up the heat a little if the potato does not brown at all. Cook until the potatoes are also slightly browned and golden.

Add the water, turn the heat to low, and cover for about 10 minutes, or until the potato has softened. Remove the lid, turn the heat back up, and add the ginger, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste, Sauté just a little longer, then remove from the heat and serve.

Related Links
• Good Question: Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
• Recipe: Sweet Potato Rosti
• Sweet Potato Pie: Fall Pizza Combos
• Recipe: Sweet Morning Potato

Originally published October 23, 2007