Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Sundried Tomato & Spinach Pesto - My Fussy Eater | Easy Family Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you use sun dried tomato pesto instead of sundried tomatoes? ›

Sure you can. But you'll need to be aware of the other flavors that come along with sun dried tomato pesto, like garlic, basil, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. And depending on what you're making, things like texture, structure, and cooking time may be altered.

Spread sweet potatoes on 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast until bottom side is browned, about 30 minutes. Carefully flip potatoes with thin offset spatula and roast until second side is browned and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl.

Made according to an authentic Italian recipe, this wonderfully intense pesto captures the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes perfectly. Shake well before use. Once opened keep refrigerated and use within two weeks.

Sun dried tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, which may help reduce the risk of some health conditions like certain cancers and age-related macular degeneration. Sun dried tomatoes are also a good source of: Vitamin C. Vitamin K.

Use your senses to determine if your sweet potato is past its prime. First, give it a squeeze. It'll be firm if it's fresh, and mushy if it's not. Other signs to check for are discoloration, shriveled skin, black or brown spots, and suspicious odors.

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.

Soak them. I was always a little skeptical when I read this in recipes, but it's essential. Soaking the sweet potatoes removes excess starch, which allows them to crisp up easier. You will want to put them in cold water for at least 30 minutes, but the longer you can go, the better.

Canned tomatoes would make for a particularly good substitute in pizza sauce, pasta sauce, or tomato soup recipes that call for sun-dried tomatoes. Like bell peppers, canned tomatoes also tend to be cheaper than sun-dried tomatoes, so you shouldn't hesitate to grab a can or two the next time you go grocery shopping.

Use in sauces or chopped in salads and pastas. For 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, substitute either 1 1/2 cups drained canned tomatoes or 4-6 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped. Both substitutions will yield a thinner sauce. You can roast tomatoes until they begin to dry out.

Is sundried tomato pesto the same as sundried tomato paste? ›

There's a little difference between pesto and paste. Usually pesto recipes call for parmesan cheese and garlic, and their consistency is runny and more suitable for pasta recipes. Instead, paste recipes don't use cheese, the garlic is optional, and the consistency is more stiff and less runny.