This roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli recipe is a simple and delicious side dish that pairs well with a variety of protein options for a complete healthy dinner meal. Great for meal prep as well!
One of my favorite ways to round out easy dinners is by adding roasted vegetables. I love this hands off method for cooking veggies with just a few simple ingredients that also tastes absolutely delicious. Just toss everything in some oil and seasoning and toss onto a sheet pan to bake – doesn’t get any easier!
The combination of roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli is an easy way to add both a vegetable and a starch to a meal. Plus, I love the extra color from both of these veggies! I’ve shared a couple of other roasted vegetable recipes on the blog that are also worth checking out, these balsamic herb roasted vegetables, oven roasted cabbage, and curry roasted vegetables are a few of my favorites.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- An easy, hands off way to cook up a simple vegetable side dish for dinner that the whole family will love.
- Pairs well with a variety of protein options like sausage, tofu, and chickpeas for easy sheet pan meals!
- Make it different every time with the spice and sauce combinations provided in this post!
- This delicious recipe is vegan, dairy free, nut free, egg free, and gluten free.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Broccoli: give your broccoli a thorough rinse before chopping it into uniform size pieces. You can also roast the stems too! Just peel the tough outer layer on the stems with vegetable peeler and then chop the stems into bite sized pieces. Throw them on the sheet pan with the rest of the broccoli to roast. Don’t have broccoli? This recipe also works well for green beans.
- Sweet Potato: give your sweet potatoes a good scrub before chopping into 1/3″ size pieces or small cubes. I leave the skin on but you can peel it off if you prefer. Don’t have sweet potatoes? You can use any variety of potato or cubed butternut squash instead.
- Olive Oil: we prefer to use olive oil for roasting vegetables because we always have it on hand and the flavor pairs well with veggies. You could also use vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil which have a high smoke point but mild flavor. Save more expensive oils like avocado oil or a fancy olive oil for salads!
- Garlic Powder/Onion Powder/Paprika: this blend of spices gives your broccoli and sweet potatoes a nice balance of flavor. Add a bit of smoky flavor by using smoked paprika. You’ll also add some sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste. You can use fresh garlic if you’d like, just add 2-3 cloves of garlic that have been minced. Add some spice with red pepper flakes if you’d like.
Other Spices and Sauces to Try
- Everything Bagel: use about 1 tablespoon of everything bagel spice instead of the spice blend in the recipe. We do this all the time and it’s so simple and so good!
- Nutritional Yeast: add a bit of cheesiness to your roasted broccoli and sweet potato without the dairy by sprinkling 3-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast on before baking.
- Balsamic Vinegar: toss your broccoli and sweet potato in 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar before baking. Love the sweet/tangy flavor of balsamic with these veggies.
- Miso Tahini Sauce: I am obsessed with this delicious miso tahini sauce! We use it most often on oven roasted cabbage, but it works for just about any vegetable.
- Peanut Sauce: an easy and delicious way to add more flavor! Just drizzle on after roasting while everything is still on the sheet pan or wait and drizzle directly onto your plate. Here is my favorite peanut sauce recipe.
- Ranch Dressing: it’s delicious on fresh broccoli so why not add a bit of ranch dressing to your roasted vegetables? We love my easy vegan ranch dressing recipe.
Step by Step
Step One: Add the broccoli florets, sweet potatoes, oil, and spices to a large bowl and toss with a wooden spoon to coat
Step Two: Spread in an even layer onto a baking sheet (lining with parchment or silpat mat is optional). Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender with golden edges. Check veggies at the 25 minute mark and adjust cooking time if needed.
Expert Tips
- Mix in a bowl first: I know it is annoying to dirty an extra mixing bowl, but it really does help the vegetables get more evenly coated in the oil and spices.
- Don’t crowd your veggies: To ensure that the broccoli and sweet potato get nicely browned, make sure that there is some space left between pieces so they aren’t sitting on top of each other. When crowded, the vegetables tend to steam rather than roast and may be soggy or soft.
- Stir only once: You’ll get a nice golden brown and crispy layer on the bottom of the vegetables if you skip any stirring while baking.
Recipe FAQs
No, I actually don’t often use a lined baking sheet because I find that when the veggies have direct contact with the pan they get a little crispier. However, for quick clean up you can line your pan with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
Olive oil is a great option for roasted vegetables. The smoke point for olive oil is over 400 degrees so it is perfectly fine to use with roasted vegetables. Plus, it adds a more rich flavor than a canola or grapeseed oil.
The oil does three things, 1) it adds flavor and 2) it helps the vegetables crisp better while roasting, and 3) adding a fat like oil helps you better absorb the fat soluble vitamins in the vegetables.
What to Serve with This Recipe
We like to serve this this roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes recipe with a plant-based protein like vegan sausages or this super easy BBQ tempeh for a tasty sheet pan meal. You could also serve it up with some cooked grains in a bowl with some browned tofu or chickpeas and quinoa or rice.
Health Benefits of Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
- Broccoli is rich in vitamin C which is important for immune function and healthy skin. It is also a good source of folate which is needed for normal tissue growth and cell function.
- Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A which supports eye health and immune function. They are also a good source of other nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese.
- Both broccoli and sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber. So many people don’t get enough fiber in their diets but it is so important for gut health!
- Sweet potatoes and broccoli are also both high in antioxidants. Diets high in antioxidants can help lower your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lbs broccoli (1 large or 2 small crowns)
- 1 lbs medium sweet potatoes
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and chop the broccoli and sweet potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil and spices and toss with a wooden spoon to coat.
- Spread evenly on a metal baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until browned and fork tender.
Notes
- Mix in a bowl first: I know it is annoying to dirty an extra mixing bowl, but it really does help the vegetables get more evenly coated in the oil and spices.
- Don’t crowd your veggies: To ensure that the broccoli and sweet potato get nicely browned, make sure that there is some space left between pieces so they aren’t sitting on top of each other. When crowded, the vegetables tend to steam rather than roast and may be soggy or soft.
- Stir only once: You’ll get a nice golden brown and crispy layer on the bottom of the vegetables if you skip any stirring while baking.
Nutrition
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The American Diabetes Association provided me with the ingredients to assemble the recipe above for a healthy lunch as compensation for my participation in National Healthy Lunch Day.
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