Roasted sweet potato rounds topped with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, fresh rosemary, cranberries and honey make an easy fall appetizer for holiday gatherings and dinners.
Sweet Potato Bites with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Rosemary
These sweet potato bites make a simple fall appetizer. Thin rounds of sweet potato are roasted, then topped with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, fresh rosemary, cranberries and a little honey.
The roasted sweet potato slices make a bite-sized base for the toppings, and you can serve the rounds on their own like you would crostini or set them on a cracker if you want a little more crunch.
They're the kind of appetizer I like for fall and winter because you can prepare the sweet potato rounds ahead of time and assemble them just before serving. They work equally well as part of a holiday spread or alongside other small bites before dinner.
Why Use Sweet Potato as the Base?
If you've made sweet potato toast, the idea here is similar: slices of sweet potato take the place of bread.
The roasted sweet potato rounds work like crostini, with enough structure to hold the toppings while still being small enough to eat in a bite or two. The natural sweetness of sweet potato works well with the tangy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, rosemary and cranberries.
Why You'll Like These Sweet Potato Bites
- A different take on crostini. Roasted sweet potato rounds take the place of bread and give you a base for a range of toppings.
- Good for entertaining. Most of the preparation can be done ahead, so the bites only need to be assembled before serving.
- Easy to change up. Use feta instead of goat cheese, dried cherries instead of cranberries, or apricot jam in place of the honey.
- Serve them two ways. The sweet potato rounds are sturdy enough to serve on their own, or you can put them on crackers.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes – Choose sweet potatoes that are fairly straight and even in diameter so the rounds are similar in size. There is no need to peel them unless you prefer to.
- Goat cheese – Soft goat cheese is easiest to spread over the roasted sweet potato. Let it come to room temperature first if it's very firm. Or use a vegan goat cheese for a vegan alternative.
- Walnuts – Toast them before assembling the bites.
- Fresh rosemary – Finely chop the leaves so the rosemary is evenly distributed over the bites.
- Dried cranberries – Their tart sweetness works with both the sweet potato and goat cheese. Roughly chop them if they are large.
- Honey – A light drizzle is enough. You can also use apricot jam for a vegan alterative.
- Crackers – Optional. The sweet potato rounds can be served on their own or placed on crackers just before serving.
How to Make Sweet Potato Bites
Roast the Sweet Potato
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut them into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Try to keep the slices as even as possible so they cook at the same rate.
Arrange the slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and season with salt.
Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned around the edges.
Let the rounds cool for a few minutes before adding the toppings.
Assemble the Bites
Spread a little goat cheese over each sweet potato round.
Top with toasted walnuts, chopped rosemary and cranberries, then drizzle lightly with honey.
Serve the bites on their own, or place each one on a cracker just before serving.
Make Ahead
The sweet potato rounds can be roasted several hours ahead or the day before. Let them cool completely, then cover and refrigerate.
The walnuts can also be toasted ahead of time and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Bring the sweet potato rounds closer to room temperature before assembling. For the best texture, add the toppings shortly before serving, particularly if you're using crackers.
Variations
Feta Instead of Goat Cheese
Feta gives the bites a saltier contrast to the sweet potato. Crumble it over the roasted rounds rather than spreading it.
Dried Cherries Instead of Cranberries
Dried cherries have a pronounced tartness and work well with the goat cheese, walnuts and rosemary.
Apricot Jam Instead of Honey
A small dollop of apricot jam can be used in place of the honey. The flavor pairs well with the goat cheese and sweet potato.
Vegan Option
Use a vegan goat cheese or feta in place of the regular cheese, and use apricot jam instead of honey. If serving them on crackers, make sure the crackers are vegan as well.
Serving Suggestions
These work well as an appetizer before dinner, particularly in the fall and winter when sweet potatoes are in season. They also fit easily into a Thanksgiving or holiday appetizer spread, where the combination of sweet potato, cranberry and rosemary feels at home.
For a larger selection of appetizers, serve them alongside other small bites and let guests take them as they are or add them to crackers for more crunch.
Final Thoughts
The idea of using roasted sweet potato rounds as the base works well beyond this combination of toppings. Once you have the rounds roasted, you can change what goes on top depending on what you're serving or what you have on hand. Enjoy!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Bites
Roasted sweet potato rounds topped with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, fresh rosemary, cranberries and honey.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4 ounces/112g goat cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup/37g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup/40g dried cranberries
- 1–2 Tablespoons/42ml honey, for drizzling
- Crackers, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut them into rounds about ¼-inch thick.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and season with salt.
- Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned around the edges.
- Let the sweet potato rounds cool for a few minutes, then top each with the softened goat cheese, toasted walnuts, fresh rosemary and dried cranberries.
- Drizzle lightly with honey and serve as is, or place each sweet potato bite on a cracker just before serving.
Notes
Dietary: Vegetarian. Can be made vegan with vegan goat cheese or feta and apricot jam in place of the honey. For a gluten-free, serve without crackers or use gluten-free crackers.
Make ahead: Roast the sweet potatoes and toast the walnuts up to a day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and assemble shortly before serving.
Variations: Substitute feta for the goat cheese, dried cherries for the cranberries, or apricot jam for the honey.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 34Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 46mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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