Sweet Potato Rosettes with Toasted Walnuts, Cranberries & Thyme

Sweet Potato Rosettes with Toasted Walnuts, Cranberries & Thyme

There is something about a beautifully presented side dish that makes a holiday table feel extra special. And when it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m always looking for ways to give traditional ingredients a fresh and unexpected twist. Who besides me is so bored with the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes? I know they are a crowd favorite but these stunning rosettes will make them forget all about the marshmallows!

Thinly sliced sweet potatoes are wound into delicate spirals, tucked into muffin tins, and baked until tender with beautifully golden edges. Toasted walnuts add a lovely crunch, while cranberries bring a pop of color and just the right amount of tartness. A little brown sugar and cinnamon add warmth without making the dish overly sweet, and fresh thyme gives the finished rosettes a savory touch.

What I especially love about this recipe is that each guest gets an individual little rosette on their plate. They’re elegant enough for Thanksgiving dinner but easy enough to serve alongside a roast chicken or pork tenderloin on a chilly fall evening.

And here’s a little entertaining secret, toast the nuts and measure all the ingredients days ahead of time so on the day of your gathering you can slice, assemble and go!

If you’re looking for a side dish that will have everyone reaching for their cameras at the same time as their forks, this might be the one!

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously butter the cups of a standard muffin tin.
Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes until plump. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
Finely grind half of the toasted walnuts until they resemble coarse crumbs. Coarsely chop the remaining walnuts and set aside.
Using a mandoline, slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise into very thin strips, approximately 1/16 inch thick. The strips should be flexible enough to bend without breaking.
Arrange the sweet potato strips in overlapping rows, then gently wind them into tight spirals, adding additional strips as needed to create full rosettes. Nestle each rosette into a buttered muffin cup, keeping the spirals as tight as possible.
Brush the tops generously with melted butter and sprinkle with the finely ground walnuts, allowing some of the crumbs to fall between the sweet potato layers.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are becoming tender and the edges begin to turn golden. If the edges brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt in a small bowl.
Remove the muffin tin from the oven. Sprinkle each rosette with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then scatter the cranberries and remaining chopped walnuts over the tops.
Return to the oven for approximately 5 minutes, until the sugar has melted slightly and the sweet potatoes are completely tender.
Allow the rosettes to rest in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before carefully lifting them out with a small offset spatula. Arrange on a serving platter and finish with a scattering of fresh thyme leaves.

Sweet Potato Rosettes with Toasted Walnuts, Cranberries & Thyme

2–3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus additional for greasing the muffin tin
½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine sea salt
Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously butter the cups of a standard muffin tin. Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes until plump. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.Using a mandoline, slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise into very thin strips. The strips should be flexible enough to bend without breaking. Arrange the sweet potato strips in overlapping rows, then gently wind them into tight spirals, adding additional strips as needed to create full rosettes. Nestle each rosette into a buttered muffin cup, keeping the spirals as tight as possible. Brush the tops generously with melted butter and bake for 20-30 minutes until they are tender. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt in a small bowl. Remove the muffin tin from the oven. Sprinkle each rosette with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then scatter the cranberries and chopped walnuts over the tops. Return to the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the sugar has melted slightly and the sweet potatoes are completely tender. Allow the rosettes to rest in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before carefully lifting them out with a small offset spatula. Arrange on a serving platter and finish with a scattering of fresh thyme leaves.

Pro Tips: A mandoline is really needed to do this dish justice. For the prettiest rosettes, choose sweet potatoes that are uniform in width. Thin, flexible strips are essential for creating tight spirals. If the strips seem too stiff, microwave them briefly, just until pliable, before assembling. I used my large muffin tins. The Sweet potatoes can be cut, assembled into rosettes, and brushed with butter up to 3 hours before baking. These are at their best served warm, when the edges are lightly crisp, and the centers are beautifully tender.

LET’S COOK!

The holidays are such a wonderful time to gather around the table, share delicious food, and create special memories. I hope you’ll find plenty of inspiration in my recipes and upcoming cooking classes to make your celebrations even more memorable.

Thursday, November 19^th 6:30-8:30 A Toast to Autumn: An Evening of Bites & Sips Grab your favorite foodie—or come solo and make new friends—for a Girls’ Night In filled with fabulous food, a little indulgence, and plenty of fun. We’ll kick things off with a festive Apple Cider Paloma and settle in for an evening of irresistible bites made for sharing. We’ll start with luscious Cream Cheese Crab Cakes, golden and crisp, served with a zesty Remoulade Sauce. Next, we’ll build a gorgeous Centerpiece of creamy Burrata, ripe Pears, toasted Walnuts, and a generous drizzle of golden Honey. Warm Baked Goat Cheese gets a burst of flavor from savory Pepper Tomato Confit, while Maple Bacon and Blue Cheese Crostini bring together smoky, salty, sweet, and creamy in one READ MORE & REGISTER

Gifts from the Kitchen! Thursday, December 3rd 6:00-8:30 READ MORE and REGISTER OR Friday, December 4th 11:00-1:30 READ MORE and REGISTER There’s something so special about giving a gift made with your own hands, and this festive class is filled with delicious inspiration for creating thoughtful gifts everyone on your list will adore. And of course, we’ll bring back everyone’s favorite part of the class: festive and creative packaging techniques that make homemade gifts truly extraordinary!We’ll begin with a cozy bowl of my signature Tomato Basil Soup, Crusty Artisan Bread, and a festive holiday cocktail. Then I’ll share a wonderful collection of sweet and savory gifts, with plenty of delicious tastes along the way. You’ll sample every offering and even take home a beautifully packaged treat of your own!We’ll start with one of the trendiest gift ideas of the season, Compound Butters, creating a trio of luscious flavors, perfect alongside a crusty loaf of Herb, Sun-Dried Tomato, and White Cheddar Bread. We’ll explore fragrant Herbes de Provence infused Olive Oil and a gorgeous Cranberry, Red Onion, and Balsamic Confit that will make any holiday cheese board shine.On the sweeter side, we’ll bake buttery French Lemon Pound Cakes, create an Elegant Collection of Chocolate-Dipped Dried Fruits, including candied oranges with dark READ MORE & REGISTER Thursday, December 3rd 6:30-8:30 OR READ MORE & REGISTER OR Friday, December 4th 11:00-1:30