Sweet Potatoes With Tahini Butter
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 2½pounds sweet potatoes of any color (about 4 medium), washed
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick), at room temperature
- ¼cup well-stirred tahini
- 2 to 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus lime wedges, for serving
- 2tablespoons soy sauce
- 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1clove garlic, finely grated or pounded smooth with a pinch of salt
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2tablespoons white sesame seeds
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
354 calories; 19 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 538 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium pot fitted with a steamer basket or footed colander. Place sweet potatoes in the steamer. Cover, reduce heat to medium and steam until potatoes are completely tender, 35 to 40 minutes. (Use a skewer or paring knife to check for doneness; the potatoes should be soft all the way through.)
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk butter, tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic until smooth. It might seem as if the butter and liquids will never fully combine, but they will — just keep stirring! Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lime juice as needed.
- Step 3
Set a small pan over medium heat. Toast the sesame seeds, swirling the pan continuously, until seeds are golden. They’ll give off some oil and start to clump together, so if needed, stir with a wooden spoon to keep them moving so that they toast evenly. They’ll turn a nice deep-golden shade just as they dry off a bit, about 4 minutes. Transfer seeds to a small bowl to prevent them from overcooking.
- Step 4
When the sweet potatoes are tender, use tongs to transfer them to a large plate or platter. When they are just cool enough to handle, split potatoes in half lengthwise, and season with flaky salt. Spread tahini butter generously onto the flesh, and top with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
SR
OK I try not to weigh in often but as a physician who has recently lost over 25 pounds, can I say that a vegetable 'fat bomb' of this nature fits in beautifully with starch and fat cravings while contributing vitamins and fiber that are so much better than any processed foods? Eating this recipe weekly is part of the secret to my success!
Maureen
We frequently eat baked sweet potatoes that are wrapped in foil paper. This time I baked one in the oven in foil paper and steamed one. The steamed one was tasted bland; the baked one was deliciously sweet. The tahini butter was a nice touch, but was unnecessary with the baked one. I'll stay with baking.
Alison
This is one of the BEST recipes I've come across on here. It's delicious. I've made it several times in the past few weeks at the request of friends and family. And I've been asked to share the recipe several times as well. Delicious with Japanese yams, and works great if subbing tamari for soy, too. Definitely a winner! Full disclosure: I cooked my sweet potatoes in the microwave, because I'm often short on time and also I'm a complete heathen.
LC PacNW
We use the Instant pot. Usually 8 minutes with high pressure, although maybe somebody else has used its steam function.
Sleestak
If you’re thinking of trying this recipe and are wondering what this unusual combination of flavors will taste like, well, close your eyes and try to imagine sweet potatoes covered with a sauce of tahini, butter, and lime juice. If that sounds appealing, this recipe might be for you. Unfortunately, I did not experience the thrill of “crunch, salt, umami and acidity” promised by the recipe, just a bunch of flavors that didn’t go particularly well together.
bt
I always microwave them for 11 minutes, they turn out fine, so easy....
Walter
When I made up the tahini butter and tasted it, I had serious doubts and thought that peanut butter would make a better topping. However, I always follow a recipe's directions to the hilt on the first try reserving the right to modify it later. I was wrong. This is a keeper. I have a 4x8 raised bed in my garden devoted to sweet potatoes and next winter a lot of them are going to get steamed. Delicious!
klr
This is delicious. Totally disagree with the person who said the flavors don't come together. You have to use a fair amount of salt on the sweet potatoes and then squeeze a good amount of lime on at the end. As Samin describes, you will wolf one down in 2 bites standing over your sink.
Luther
This is fabulous! Come on people, sweet potatoes are bland to begin with. Why is everyone harping on the blandness? That's what the Tahini butter is for. Followed the recipe as written, steaming and all. Potatoes were perfect as to tenderness, Tahini butter is outstanding. Gives the sweet potato a great and different flavor. Had this with Melissa Clark's Grilled Flank Steak. To die for. Stop harping on fat, and all the negatives. This is great food NOT junk food as someone said.
SF Mamma
The tahini butter is great with rice, wilted greens (kale, collard greens) and even on pan-fried tofu! Great umami flavor.
msl
Actually, the best way to cook a sweet potato: with skin on, wash, prick a few times with a fork, place on a paper towel in the microwave. Heat on high around 3-4 minutes until the potato feels somewhat soft to the touch (time will vary depending on the size of the potato and how many). Immediately remove and wrap tightly in foil. You should be able to hear it still bubbling and cooking in the foil. Leave it about 10 minutes, unwrap, and you have a buttery soft, sweet, perfectly cooked potato
Katy
Made this for my Dad for father’s day, it is absolute heaven. We put little more garlic and salt, lots of lime. I will never broil sweet potatoes again, they were heaven! My toddler also loved the tahini butter. This is a new staple in our house. Thanks, Samin, for sharing w us!
Alonna Smith
I want try some togarashi instead of the sesami seeds. I think the sweet potaotes wouldn't mind a little heat and a whiff of dried tangerine rind.
Larissa
Turned this into a bowl by scooping the potatoes out of their jackets, spreading tahini butter on top, sprinkling with sesame seeds, and then adding a poached egg. It seemed to require slightly less butter that way, and also allow for better flavor distribution.
bridget
depends on whether you'd rather spend a few minutes whisking or a few minutes washing out the parts of your food processor.
Jen C
We have made and loved this many times-it is such delicious alternative to traditional sweet potato toppings. The question I have is this-we want to make it for a dinner party where one of the attendees has a serious dairy allergy. What can we sub for the butter?
ramio
I tried making this same recipe, but I substituted olive oil for butter, and I noticed a weird curdling effect with the lime juice that wasn’t present when I made it with the butter. Wondering if anyone knows what’s causing it
nancy
So easy and a great addition to make a meal special without any fuss. Steaming the yams is now my main go to. They are fluffy and the skin comes off so easily.
Martha
An immersion blender makes short work of the sauce. The sweet potato and the bitterness of the tahini really balance each other well. I found there was enough salt in the sauce without adding extra to the potato itself. I like fish sauce so I used half fish sauce and half soy sauce.
Barbara
I skipped the butter as others said as I want to avoid animal fat. I steamed sweet potatoes for the first time as my oven didn’t work. I’m glad I found this. It was delicious and I will certainly use this recipe more often. I’m not a microwave fan and used my old pressure cooker with steamer.
Roland
Was afraid of 45 min of steam in my kitchen, chose 50 min in the oven, sauce prepared with lemon - delicious
Michael O'C
This is ridiculously delicious!
Richard graham
bake at 400for hour or so
cali cook
Not convinced that steaming is better than roasting, but I loved this sauce! Added some honey to balance out the bitterness of the tahini.
Zach
Medium potatos. Sauce is spectacular. Idk I could still throw them on the grill/oven for some char
vanessa
I misread the recipe and omitted the butter by accident and it was still delicious! I was wondering why the sauce seemed a bit thick… I thinned it out with a bit of water and adjusted to taste (still not knowing about the butter omission). The richness of the tahini was still delicious offset with the umami from the soy and the acidity of the lime. I redid the recipe a few days later WITH the butter, and while delicious, I actually prefer it without!
Sandy
Absolutely fantastic!!! I had some tahini butter and toasted sesame seeds leftover and served them the next night over roasted broccoli and cubed sweet potatoes. Divine.
sarina
I made this vegan and it was so good. I substituted 100g of silken tofu for the butter (and blended in a food processor). I also drizzled a teaspoon or two of liquid coconut oil on the potato before adding the tahini mixture. The overall macro balance (fat/carb/protein) was absolutely perfect, I will be adding this to regular rotation. Was also good for breakfast with a bit of breakfast sausage.
julie
Made extra miso butter to mix with warm soba noodles and serve with salmon and broccoli
aebus
Delicious. Opted for the air fryer instead of steaming, skipped the sesame seeds, pre-softened the butter.
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