Summer Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Mozzarella (Printer-Friendly)

Tender roasted sweet potatoes topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh pesto—a colorful Mediterranean-inspired summer dish ready in 50 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
02 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved

→ Pesto

05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Olive Oil & Seasoning

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Brush sweet potato halves with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the tray. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - In a food processor, blend basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Flip them cut-side up.
05 - Top each sweet potato half with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese softens.
06 - Remove from oven, drizzle generously with fresh pesto, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes becomes extraordinary when topped with juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella
  • Homemade pesto transforms everything it touches and comes together in minutes
  • This dish works beautifully as a light dinner or impressive side for summer gatherings
02 -
  • Roasting the sweet potatoes cut-side down first creates a natural caramelized sweetness that you cannot achieve any other way
  • The pesto tastes better if you let it sit for 10 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together
  • Do not skip draining the mozzarella, excess water will make the sweet potatoes soggy
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan until golden before making pesto, it deepens their flavor significantly
  • Taste the pesto before adding salt, as Parmesan already contributes quite a bit

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