Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Fresh Figs Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Meri

We ate this at room temperature, as suggested, and didn't particularly care for it. The figs were not at peak ripeness and that was probably part of the reason.
Today I heated the leftovers in the microwave and it was delicious. Heating also helped the figs soften and deepen in flavor. Heating changed this recipe from a "don't save" to "I'll make it again."

NB

Rebecca S

Outstanding flavor and a beautiful presentation, to boot! I substituted organic un-sulfured dried figs (due to availability issues) and cut them into smaller piece. I also included soft goat cheese. We ate the dish warm. (The potatoes held up as leftovers the next day, also warmed.) A+!

DMF

Unlike revenge, this is a dish best served warm. I substituted pomegranate molasses for the balsamic reduction. Much simpler and it has the same sweet/sour flavor profile. I also added 4 or 5 mild red chiles to the hot chile and used extra green onions. Finally, I added a handful of baby arugula for color and flavor. With those modifications, this was very popular.

26 August 2016

Vegetarian, so no goat cheese, but added a bed of arugula. Delicious! I'll double the balsamic reduction though. :)

Jean

This took me 1 hour. I used dried, soaked figs in lieu of fresh, and they were very good, too.

Kristen

Delicious! I didn’t add sugar to the balsamic reduction, and it was plenty sweet enough. I served this dish on a bed of arugula and my whole family gobbled it up. I’ll make it again when I need to use up my seasonal figs. I like this recipe much better than making a jar of fig jam.

Rami

Made it first time as indicated but roasted the figs. Very nice. Second time didn’t have figs so roasted firm sliced plums. Very good result .

Thasin

We made this today. Delicious! Both the red chili and the goat cheese are essential for this dish's flavor. I will try it without the scallions next time - perhaps some asparagus?

Diane B

This was divine. We served it warm as a vegetarian entree with herbed wild rice w/chickpeas and almonds. I asked a neighbor for a few more figs from her tree just to have this again.

Emily Penfield

I am lucky enough to have made this in Puglia Italy. I found excellent organically grown sweet potatoes and beautiful, delicious figs ( local specialty). Rather than goat cheese I used another local specialty, cacioricotta...something found only here in the south and simply devine. It was so satisfying, so deeply delicious. Well worth it.

Tania

This is fabulous! Threw the figs into the scallion-chile mix for the last minute or so to warm them up. Served the whole dish warm and it was to die for.

Rachel

Used pomegranate molasses as suggested

Midwest Maven

I skipped the cheese and sprinkled very coarse salt on the sweet potatoes just before roasting, but otherwise followed the recipe. I confess to loving sweet potatoes in general, but these are over the moon.

Linda

Not sure where the adaptation is here as it’s identical to Ottolenghi’s recipe except for the units of measurement. I used the original recipe which calls for 40ml balsamic and 20g sugar. I only used 16g of sugar as the figs were very ripe and sweet. The level of sweetness was exactly right and the glaze was so very much better than commercial versions which are usually far too syrupy.

Schrodinger's Catppuccino

I was quite skeptical about the oil, scallions (green onion), and chili; it turned out to be marvelous! The savory completed the whole plate! Love it!

suzanne

I love this recipe! Any recommendations for substitutions for figs once they go out of season?

suzanne

My husband wants to peels the sweet potatoes but I am a direction follower. Who is correct?

Rebekah

Loved this! We subbed dried figs because we had them. Poach dried figs in the balsamic vinegar. Delicious.

MRR

Roasted some of the figs with the sweet potatoes, and then added more raw figs before serving.I have a very productive fig tree, and look forward to making this each fall.

Amy Outlaw

I've made this 2x now. I doubled the balsamic vinegar reduction and didn't add sugar as the sweet potatoes and fresh figs were sweet enough. I LOVE it!

jillthis was

During these Covid times, when people can no longer gather in the kitchen, and we entertain al fresco alongside patio heaters and under blankets, I’m always looking for a dish to make ahead so I can spend more time with our dinner guests. Atop a bed of homegrown lettuces, this was it!

Kathleen

This was OMG delicious! Used a red Fresno chili, which had just enough warmth for me. I also roasted the figs with a little honey at 500 degrees just until softened. When figs are not in season, I think pear (roasted?) might work as a substitute for the figs when those aren't in season.

stephen

Fresh figs are a rare find here in Maine, but I found some at Whole Foods in Portland. So I made this tonight. It was a hit! The only substitution was a sauteed onion since I didn't have any green onions. The goat cheese really makes the dish.I served it warm, as others have suggested.

Sandy

Delicious. I added small wedges of brie to give it a protein/fat punch as a meatless main. I served it warm, after letting the brie wedges halfway melt into the sweet potato spears. Fresh figs. And yes, I'll make this as often as possible until fig season ends.

Michele

We have fig trees, though we have to fight the squirrels for the fruit; so are fortunate in being able to eat ripe figs. Love this recipe, and because we have the fruit double the figs and halve the other ingredients (excepting the glaze) and eat it all for lunch for two.

Naf

Too much effort for an okay salad. The roasted sweet potatoes taste good. So do the sautéed green onions. But as a combined dish along with figs, it does have a cohesive great taste. I’ll pass.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Fresh Figs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you peel figs before baking? ›

Fresh figs are delicate and rot quickly so I do store mine in the refrigerator to keep them longer. There's no need to peel fresh figs or cook them first, they'll bake beautifully in the oven. If you have whole frozen figs you can use those too, just defrost them first so they are easier to slice.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

How do you roast figs Jamie Oliver? ›

Preheat your oven to 110ºC/225ºF/gas ¼. Lay your figs, cut-side up, in a baking tray. Using a fine grater, zest your clementines over the figs then dust the figs with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar. Pop the figs in the oven to bake for 4 hours, checking on them every hour or so.

Should sweet potatoes be peeled before baking? ›

Removing the skins removes some of the nutrients from the potato, so don't peel them if you're making healthy sweet potato recipes. The skin also helps the inside stay moist as the potato cooks.

When should you not eat figs? ›

Both fresh and dried figs contain a high level of vitamin K. People taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin need to keep the vitamin K levels in their diet consistent, so they may wish to avoid figs.

Why put baking soda on figs? ›

Alkalinity breaks down the structure of plant cell walls. I assume the purpose of this baking soda bath is to soften the structure of the fig. That's why yours softened so much. If you want to maintain the structure of the fig, try using an acidic bath, as acidity helps to maintain plant cell structure.

Why don t sweet potatoes get crispy? ›

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

Should you rinse sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

But cooking with sweet potatoes requires some prep work. You can't just wash them under running water and then bake, boil, or fry them. Their skin can be contaminated with bacteria and pesticide residues, so you should give them a good scrub.

Why is boiling a sweet potato better than baking? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

Do you eat the skin of roasted figs? ›

The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish. Always cut off the stem. Wash the figs and gently pat dry to serve whole.

Are roasted figs good for you? ›

Figs offer a variety of nutritional benefits, including being a source of potassium, magnesium, and calcium, all of which can improve blood flow. Magnesium is also important for stress reduction, managing inflammation in the body, and even for getting a quality night of sleep.

What do you eat with fresh figs? ›

Incorporate figs into a symphony of tastes and textures with sticky honey-glazed halloumi, peppery rocket, salty prosciutto and toasted almonds. The sweet flavour of figs pairs well with creamy mozzarella and bitter salad leaves like chicory, so why not get inventive with your own assemblage?

Why do people not eat the skin of sweet potatoes? ›

They found that peeling the sweet potato led to a 64% loss of fiber compared to the unpeeled version. Researchers concluded that keeping the skin on a sweet potato "is the best condition to maintain the high fiber content."

When should you not eat sweet potatoes? ›

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Should you poke holes in sweet potatoes before baking? ›

Recipe Tips

Don't forget to poke: Poking holes in the sweet potatoes is crucial. It allows steam to escape, ensuring the insides become perfectly soft while preventing any oven mishaps from over-pressurized potatoes. Oil evenly: When rubbing oil onto the potatoes, make sure it's evenly distributed.

How to prepare figs for cooking? ›

How to prepare figs. Gently wipe the skins with a damp cloth, trim off the stem if it's hard, then either keep whole or cut in half from top to bottom. Alternatively, you can make a fig 'flower'. Make a deep cross at the top end of the fig, cutting almost but not all of the way through.

How do you soften figs for baking? ›

Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer. To give your fruit some extra flavor, swap the water for fruit juice or a liquor, like rum, bourbon, or brandy.

Why do you peel figs? ›

Although it's not necessary to peel figs (even though in Italy that's generally the way fresh figs are eaten), the skin of a ripe fig should detach easily, removing only the thin, outer layer. An unripe fig when peeled will take much more of the flesh with the skin.

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