Active Time

　　20 minutes

　　Total Time

　　40 minutes

　　The ideal roasted sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy, browned and caramelized but not charred, and just really tasty. Meet my favorite easy way to get there. Roasting at a lower temperature makes root vegetables get steamy and soft; here we roast at a more aggressive heat to help the sweet potatoes brown (which means more flavor) and cook quicker (which means dinner, faster). Be sure to cut the sweet potatoes into even pieces so they all cook at the same rate. I like to use a metal fish spatula for tossing—these get under the potatoes easily without squeezing or squishing them the way tongs would. You’ll toss the sweet potatoes with oil and salt before roasting on a parchment-lined baking sheet, but the remaining seasonings are added after cooking, which keeps the spice flavors fresh and bright and prevents them from  burning. These roasted sweet potatoes will have a noticeable shimmery slick of maple syrup on every bite; they’re ideal for serving alongside roast chicken or pork—or a classic Thanksgiving turkey. 

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Ingredients

4–6 servings

　　2 lb. sweet potatoes (3–4 large)

　　¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

　　3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

　　1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

　　1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tsp. ground cinnamon

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°. Peel 2 lb. sweet potatoes (3–4 large), then slice crosswise ¾"–1"-thick and cut into ¾"–1" pieces. (You want them to be all about the same size so they cook evenly.) Transfer to a large bowl and add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; toss to coat. Transfer sweet potatoes to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading out evenly; reserve bowl.

　　

Step 2

Roast sweet potatoes, tossing occasionally with a metal spatula, until browned and fork-tender, 20–25 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, whisk 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in reserved bowl.

　　

Step 4

Transfer roasted sweet potatoes to bowl with spice mixture and toss to coat.