Tropical Sweet Potatoes with Macadamia Dukkah

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(Note: this post was originally published on June 7, 2020. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)

A Refreshing Tropical Sweet Potato Dish

Do you ever feel like your go-to side dish needs a remake? Classic sweet potato recipes (especially for the holidays) can be so boring, plus they're often loaded with butter, sugar, and even marshmallows. Say goodbye to the predictable version and give this tropical potato recipe a try instead. These roasted potatoes are vibrantly-colored, have a refreshing (and protein-rich) lime and herb yogurt sauce, and get some much-needed crunch from a unique macadamia dukkah topping.

This is a dish that you can serve all year long. It's loaded with bright, tropical flavors and is a beautiful addition to a summer dinner party, a picnic, or a potluck. It works equally well during the fall though, and especially at Thanksgiving when some color and freshness are unexpected. I promise you'll never want to go back to traditional recipes after trying these tropical sweet potatoes.

Colorful orange and purple sweet potato rounds with a tropical macadamia dukkah topping

(Highly Non-Traditional) Macadamia Dukkah

Although the potatoes themselves are great, the true star of this dish is a magical, crunchy topping. It's a (very) non-traditional version of dukkah, which is an Egyptian nut and spice blend. Dukkah is usually made with hazelnuts and sesame seeds; it's packed with flavor from spices like cumin and coriander. It adds great crunch on top of salads, grilled veggies, and proteins.

This macadamia dukkah is the same concept, but with a different flavor profile. It uses macadamias, sesame seeds, cumin, and lime zest to bring complexity but also brightness to this tropical potato recipe. I highly suggest making a double batch and putting it on everything from salads to roasted veggies to nourish bowls; it's easy, crunchy, a bit decadent, and packed with flavor.

Interested in non-traditional dukkah riffs? I think you'll also love this raw beet salad with pistachio dukkah.

Close-up of healthy tropical sweet potatoes with a creamy yogurt sauce and a macadamia crumble topping

Tropical Sweet Potato Variations

This unique tropical potato recipe is surprisingly versatile. I generally make it during the summer because of the Hawaiian-inspired flavors, but it would provide great freshness to Thanksgiving too. You can serve it hot, room temperature, or cold, allowing you to match the season and the event accordingly. You can use orange, purple, or a combination of sweet potatoes, or go for a truly Hawaiian vibe with taro root instead.

Feeling outdoorsy? You can grill the potatoes instead of roasting. Follow the recipe below for all the steps except the cooking. When you're ready to cook, just grill the sweet potato rounds over medium heat for about 15 minutes, flipping half-way through. It's a great way to add some summer flair to this dish.

Make-Ahead Tips

These colorful potatoes are make-ahead friendly, meaning they're great for entertaining or potlucking. You can easily prepare the macadamia dukkah and the herb sauce a day in advance; just store them in sealed containers in the refrigerator. You can also cook the potatoes a day ahead and then reheat them (if desired). Just wait to assemble the potatoes, sauce, and dukkah until just before serving so the topping stays crunchy.

Tropical sweet potatoes on a serving platter, topped with a macadamia dukkah crumble

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's what you'll need for this tropical potato recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

  • Sweet potatoes. Try to get potatoes that are all the same size so they cook evenly. You can use orange, purple, or a mixture of the two as shown here.
  • Cooking oil. I like to use coconut oil because the flavor makes sense alongside these tropical sweet potatoes, but any high-temperature roasting oil will work.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Macadamia nuts. I like to use roasted for the most flavor, but raw is alright too if that's all you can find. If using raw, you can toast them in a dry skillet to enhance the flavor.
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Cumin
  • Lime zest and juice. You'll use the zest in the macadamia dukkah and the juice in the herb sauce.
  • Yogurt. Make sure it's unflavored and unsweetened, and choose a vegan yogurt if desired. This recipe will work best with a yogurt that is full-fat and very rich.
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh mint

A dish of creamy herb yogurt sauce and a dish of macadamia dukkah, shown next to a platter of roasted orange and purple sweet potatoes

Closing Thoughts

This tropical potato recipe is such a fresh and unique take on the classic. Thanks to the vibrant colors, tropical flair, and contrasting creamy/crunchy textures, this dish is one that everyone seems to love. It's much more exciting (and lighter) than typical sweet potato dishes that are loaded with butter and sugar.

How will you enjoy these pretty potatoes with crunchy macadamia dukkah? Will you make them for a summer party? Will you serve them for Thanksgiving? Because this dish is so versatile and make-ahead friendly, I hope it makes a frequent appearance in your home; it certainly does in ours.

Beautiful orange and purple sweet potatoes with a creamy yogurt sauce and a macadamia dukkah topping

Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

Suggested Pairings

Planter's Punch

Tropical Coconut Lime Hummus

Tropical Macadamia Mango Slaw

Healthy Tropical Pad Thai Salad

Vegan Pineapple Poke Bowl

Tropical Sweet Potatoes with Macadamia Dukkah

These roasted tropical sweet potatoes have Hawaiian-inspired flavors, a creamy herb sauce, and a very unique macadamia dukkah topping. They're a major upgrade to classic, boring, sugary sweet potato dishes.

Author:
Lee

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

  • Two orange sweet potatoes
  • Two purple sweet potatoes
  • Oil of choice for cooking
  • Generous salt and pepper

For the Macadamia Dukkah

  • 0.5 c roasted macadamia nuts
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • Zest of a lime

For the Herb Sauce

  • 0.25 c unflavored, unsweetened yogurt of choice
  • Juice of a lime
  • 0.25 c fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 c fresh mint

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into rounds about a quarter of an inch thick.
  3. Roast the potato rounds on a well-oiled baking sheet with generous salt and pepper for 20-30 minutes until tender.
  4. To prepare the dukkah, combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until the texture is coarse and crumbly.
  5. To prepare the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth.
  6. To serve, lay the sweet potato rounds on a serving platter. Sprinkle generously with dukkah, then drizzle with sauce. Serve extra dukkah and sauce on the side.

Leave a Comment

Please Share Your Thoughts!

Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.

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Anonymous
June 16, 2024
This is such an interesting combination of flavors. We made this at a family BBQ and did the potatoes on the grill. Worked great, even a hit with the kids.
Pamela
May 23, 2022
I made this with yams and it was excellent! The dukkah had a lovely texture and the sauce provided a burst of citrus. A simple dinner on a hot summer night, definitely a repeat 👍
Sara Tercero
May 23, 2022
Wow this is an exciting upgrade to sweet potatoes. I bookmarked this one because I LOVE macadamias so much and making dukkah from them is ingenuous!!!
Mariela Marrero
February 18, 2022
Macadamia nuts!! Wow this recipe sounds amazing! I love the flavors.
Jen
December 30, 2021
We made these for a holiday dinner this year. The flavors are so fresh and fun!
Lee
December 23, 2021
Anisha- Haha I'll pair tropical flavors with ANYTHING! Actually, my thinking was based on the use of taro root in Hawaiian cuisine, and taro and sweet potatoes are so similar (although the latter is much easier to find). Some day I'll do this with Hawaiian taro though!
Anisha
December 22, 2021
Once you say it's tropical, I'll come running. I'm so intrigued by this combo because I never would have thought to pair tropical flavors with a cozy veggie like sweet potatoes but I can totally see it working! Thanks for the idea, Lee :)
Pamela
June 26, 2020
I received a generous gift of Mauna Loa macadamia nuts, and quickly looked for a way to use my favorite treat. I used beets and sweet potatoes to get similar color. It is delicious, filling, bright flavors.