Introducing my (current) favourite sweet potato recipe: roasted thick steak-like slabs of sweet potato served with a whipped tahini sauce and a garlicky-sesame-chilli topping for a Middle Eastern inspired MEATY meatless dinner!
Sweet potato steaks
Named as such because the thick slices of sweet potato kind of remind me of meaty steaks, I love this recipe because it uses economical sweet potatoes to make a really tasty, satisfying meat-free dinner that’s something a little different. Here in Sydney, you can even find “imperfect” sweet potato for as little as 99c/kg ($0.50/lb, GBP0.50/kg).
Cut thick slabs, roasted until tender then dig into it with a knife and fork like you would a rib-eye.
Though, today’s “steaks” are dressed up a whole lot more than I do with beef steaks! A generous smear of tahini yogurt, and a glittering, sizzling topping of garlic, sesame seeds, green and red cayenne peppers. STELLAR flavour combination!
Meet the players in todays’ recipe!
Slabs of sweet potato roasted with a simple spice mix until golden on the surface and tender inside.
The garlic-sesame-chilli topping.
The Whipped Tahini Yogurt (well, it’s just whisked, but “whipped” sounds better 😂)
Crunchy toasted flatbread for dunking! (Optional)
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these meaty meatless steaks. I have an easy alternative for the topping if you need to speed things up. But don’t skip the Tahini Yogurt Sauce or the seasoning for the sweet potato!
a big sweet potato & Seasoning
Large sweet potato – We need a large one because we will be cutting 2 thick steaks from the centre of it. If you don’t have a large one, don’t fret! Just make more smaller ones. 🙂
Seasoning – Nothing unusual here, just all my usual players. I like to use smoked paprika because it’s got a lovely….well, smokey flavour. 😂 But you can just substitute with ordinary paprika.
Whipped tahini yogurt
“Whipped” is an elaborate name for something that takes 20 seconds to whisk!! 😂 I use the name as a clue of the texture which is more light and fluffy than a basic yogurt sauce. It’s almost like soft whipped cream.
Plain yoghurt – Not sweetened, and not flavoured.
Tahini – Paste made with sesame seeds. Usually found in the health food aisle at grocery stores. Use hulled tahini (more common), not un-hulled which is darker and more bitter. The jar label will specify which it is.
Use Chinese sesame paste as a sub if you have leftovers from other recipes I’ve shared, like this one or this one!
Lemon – For tangy lemon flavour.
Garlic – Because it makes it tastier. Finely grate it using a microplane so you don’t have big lumps in the sauce.
TOPPING (or not)
This garlicky, oniony, sesame topping speckled with non-spicy flecks of green and red chilli adds interest, colour and flavour to this sweet potato dish. But on nights when it’s all too hard, I’ll give this a miss and just use a handful of store-bought Crispy Asian Shallots. Crispy, oily and salty, it works a treat as a finishing touch!
Shallot (US: eschalot) – Also known as French onions, they look like baby onions but have purple-skinned flesh, are finer and sweeter. Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots” ie the long green onions. Substitute with same amount of finely minced red onion.
Cayenne peppers – the large chilies that are not very spicy at all once deseeded. They provide a warm hum! If you’re concerned, leave it out and substitute with 1 tsp each coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Different flavour profile but they will bring something else to the dish to compensate.
Garlic – Finely minced and fried up until golden, it adds a stack of flavour to this topping!
Toasted pine nuts – For sprinkling on at the end. Substitute with other nuts: pistachios (love the green colour and flavour!), almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds.
Coriander/cilantro – For a fresh finish and also for colour. Coriander haters can substitute with parsley or chives, but for me, I really like coriander for these Middle Eastern flavours.
How to make Sweet Potato Steaks
This recipe kind of reminds me of a salad – the ingredients list looks lengthy but the making part is low effort!
Cooking the sweet potato steaks
Sweet potato cutting – Using a sharp knife, cut a small slice off one end so you can stand the sweet potato upright, stable.
Cut the cheeks off, then cut two x 1.8cm/0.7″ thick steaks from the middle that are flat on each side. Ignore my very specific steak size guide (1.8 cm thick, 17 cm long, 7 cm wide (0.7 x 6.5 x 2.75″), just cut whatever you can using the sweet potato you have!
Too hard? If cutting steaks standing the potato upright is too hard, just cut 1.8cm/0.7″ thick rounds and make sweet potato “filet mignon”!! Depending on your potato size, you should be able to make 4 to 6.
Rub with just 2 teaspoons of olive oil then sprinkle with the seasoning mix.
Bake at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced) for 45 – 50 minutes or until tender. Don’t flip – we want good colour on the surface.
Topping, sauce & assembling
Whipped tahini yogurt sauce – Put the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds, then whisk again for 10 seconds – it will be like soft whipped cream. Serve straight away or at room temp.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry small pan until they have golden patches, become shiny with oil and smell amazing. Remove immediately into a bowl.
Topping – Heat the oil then sauté all the Topping ingredients for a few minutes until the garlic is golden.
Assemble – Smear sauce on a plate.
Still assembling… Place the sweet potato on top.
Almost finished…. Sprinkle with Topping, pine nuts, coriander/cilantro then a swish of olive oil. A pinch of sumac wouldn’t go astray either, if you’ve got some (lovely lemony red spice used in Middle Eastern / Mediterranean cooking). Now it’s ready to EAT!!
Highly recommended – crispy bread for serving
I will happily eat this just as it is. There’s so much flavour packed into one plate, and that yogurt sauce really makes it.
But if you want to take it over the top, serve with a crispy bread of some kind. Great textural contrast and excellent vehicle for piling! My favourite is some pita or Lebanese bread with a sprinkle of zataar or dukkah. Then just bake for 10 minutes until crispy – pop it in the oven with the sweet potato.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Sweet potato steaks
Ingredients
- 1 gigantic sweet potato – to cut 2 x “steaks” 1.8 cm thick, 17 cm long, 7 cm wide (0.7 x 6.5 x 2.75") – Note 1
- 2 – 3 tsp olive oil
Spice mix:
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (or more garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or more onion powder)
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Whipped tahini yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt (250g)
- 2 1/2 tbsp tahini (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Topping:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp eschallot (US: shallot), finely chopped (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp red cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely chopped (not spicy, Note 4)
- 1 tbsp green cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely chopped (not spicy, Note 4)
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Serving:
- 2 tbsp pine nuts , toasted
- 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped
- Pinch of sumac , optional (or paprika)
- Pita or lebanese bread , toasted (Note 5)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
- Bake sweet potato – Rub sweet potato steaks with oil, then sprinkle each side evenly with spice mix (don’t rub, it smears). Bake 45 – 50 minutes until potato is soft. Don’t flip.
- Tahini yogurt sauce – Whisk ingredients in a medium heat-proof bowl until mostly combined. Microwave for 20 seconds on high. Whisk again – it will be like softly whipped cream! Use warm or at room temp.
- Toast pine nuts in a small pan (no oil) preheated over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove into a bowl.
- Topping – In the same pan, heat oil (still on medium). Add all Topping ingredients and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden. Transfer into a bowl immediately.
- Assemble – Smear most of the yogurt sauce on plate (save some for drizzling). Put sweet potato on top. Sprinkle with Topping, drizzle with yogurt sauce, then sprinkle with pine nuts, coriander and sumac. EAT with crunchy toasted flatbread!
Recipe Notes:
b) Use oil spray to sauté the topping (but be a little generous else it’ll never sizzle!) – save 100 cal per serving
c) Use low fat instead of full fat yogurt – save 60 cal per serving (note: sauce will be thinner)
d) Skip tahini and just make plain yogurt lemon garlic sauce – save 110 cal per serving. I’d be really sad if you had to do this – tahini is so good!
Total potential calorie saving 330 cal (682 cal down to 352 cal). Nutrition per serving, assuming all yogurt sauce is consumed. This is a big, hearty, meaty meal! See note 6 for calorie cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Some of my (current) favourite meatless meals
Life of Dozer
He likes what he sees.
This was at the Ballroom Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney last week, hosted by Dymocks bookstore. You can watch the video here!
Another fabulous recipe Nagi, I cooked this one today, and was received well by all, even the “I only eat meat” 12YO. Yogurt Tahini Sauce delicious. Smells a bit like a well known sesame seed bun! I rushed it a bit, will make sure my “steaks” are a little thicker next time.
Can’t wait to make this recipe- right up my alley- trying to go more veggie based- and I need to find more tasty veggie meals like this one. Yum.
Hi Nagi. Love your work but a little confused about your ingredient explanation in this recipe.
Maybe it’s a State thing but your eschallots have always been called shallots in Vic. & Tas.
The long green ones are definitely, and have always been, spring onions.
That’s also what Coles and Woolies call them.
It’s the same in WA. This is one of only two places I think I see them called eschallots
So along with the squash soup recipe from last week, this will go onto the menu when my husband does snowmobiling this coming winter! Looks great and I would take a sweet potato over a regular one any day…thank you, thank you!
Hi Nagi, I was thinking that this would look great as a side dish at Christmas if smaller thick rounds of sweet potato were cut and placed on large platter.
Could you give me an idea of cooking time please?
yum yum yum. This sounds incredibly delish!!
you are now my ONLY recipe source 🙂
Wow thanks Nagi! Ny old Dad has been pretty crook and he loves sweet potato, I just scored some huge ones for like a dollar each, Im off to the grocer to get tahini, all I’m missing, Thanks again, Gazza
WOW WOW what a delicious sweet potato steak recipe, you have outdone yourself
This looks delicious, but like with so many of your recipes, i will eliminate the oil to significantly reduce the overall fat content – the topping ingredients can all be sauteed in water or stock – all the flavour, much less fat. Almost 700 calories for one meal with 63% fat, um no, alas age has caught up with me and i just cant do that anymore. (Damn shame to be honest!)
Totally understand Mel! To cut down on fat I’d recommend using a really good non stick pan and oil spray, that will reduce 100 cal per serving. Use low fat yogurt instead of full fat (save another 60 cal per serving) and oil spray for the sweet potato (save another 50 cal). Then if you skip the tahini and use just yogurt sauce instead, you’ll save another 110 cal per serving. The end dish will of course taste different but that’s where I’d cut down on fat (in order of priority) to reduce the calories. 🙂 N x PS Popping this in the notes
Thankyou! These are great suggestions that i will happily adopt!
I am happily speecless Nagi😍
Hi Nagi, I usually buy sweet potato (yellow / purple) from asian grocery since I use it for dessert, and the one from Coles / Woolworths is not sweet. If I’m using the one from Asian groceries, will it make a big different in term of taste and texture?
this looks really nice. how do you come up with ideas for recipes?
Honestly? Giant sweet potatoes were on sale for 99c/kg. I got a stack of them for another purpose, didn’t end up using them so I wanted to use them. They were so big and chunky, the first thought that came to mind was to cook them like steak!! Tried on the BBQ but it didn’t work, too thick and burnt. So stuck with oven. And as usual with meat free meals, I like to add a stack of flavour to make it tasty and interesting for carnivores!!! So that’s how I came up with this recipe 🙂 N x
wish i had your vision. second best is that you are so happy to share yours.
These as “fillet mignon” rounds as a side dish with your slow cooked lamb shoulder…. yummy. And thank you yet again for marvellous food.