Description
These Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a delicious and nutritious vegetarian meal featuring roasted sweet potatoes filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta mixture, enhanced by a flavorful herb drizzle. Perfect as a wholesome main or side dish, this recipe combines tender roasted sweet potatoes with sautéed spinach, garlic, and cheese for a comforting yet light dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Spinach and Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Herb Drizzle
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly, pierce them several times with a fork, then rub each with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast sweet potatoes: Place the prepared sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Make herb drizzle: While the sweet potatoes roast, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, chopped parsley and basil, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl to create the herb drizzle.
- Sauté spinach and garlic: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped baby spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
- Prepare ricotta mixture: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine all flavors.
- Stuff sweet potatoes: Once the sweet potatoes are roasted and cool enough to handle, slice each one lengthwise and gently scoop out a small portion of the flesh to make room for the filling.
- Fill and bake again: Fill each sweet potato cavity with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Return the stuffed sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
- Serve: Remove from oven and drizzle the prepared herb sauce over the stuffed sweet potatoes before serving for an extra burst of fresh flavor.
Notes
- You can prepare the herb drizzle ahead of time and refrigerate it to let flavors meld.
- For a vegan version, substitute ricotta and Parmesan with plant-based alternatives.
- Adjust nutmeg quantity based on your preference; it adds warmth but should not overpower.
- Make sure not to scoop out too much sweet potato flesh to keep the potato stable for stuffing.
- Serve as a main dish with a light salad or as a hearty side to grilled proteins.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: spinach stuffed sweet potatoes, ricotta sweet potatoes, vegetarian stuffed sweet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, healthy stuffed vegetables, Mediterranean vegetarian dish
