You may have tried to roast sweet potatoes to perfection, but ended up with potatoes that were disappointingly soft. It’s not your fault—the higher sugar content and moisture in sweet potatoes leads to a softer texture when roasted. But this recipe, adapted from Jeremy Scheck’s new cookbook, Cooking Smarter, employs a few tricks to deliver the crispiest, most delicious roasted sweet potatoes I’ve ever tasted—no exaggeration! If Jeremy’s name doesn’t ring a bell (or, like me, you rely on the young people in your life for the latest online trends), he’s a rising star in the culinary world, especially on TikTok. I had the pleasure of meeting him at one of my book signings when he was still in high school, and it’s been incredible watching his journey since then.
So what’s Jeremy’s secret to making crispy roasted sweet potatoes? First, it’s key to par-boil the potatoes in salted water mixed with a little baking soda. The baking soda breaks down the potato’s surface, creating a rough texture that enhances crispiness upon roasting. The par-boiled potatoes will be tossed in olive oil with seasoning and potato starch before being roasted. The potato starch acts as a coating to crisp up…
