Firecracker Smashed Sweet Potatoes — a plant-based Other recipe by BOSH!
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Firecracker Smashed Sweet Potatoes

These Firecracker Smashed Sweet Potatoes are genuinely one of those recipes we find ourselves coming back to again and again. There's something so satisfying about the crispy, caramelised edges of a smashed sweet potato topped with that creamy chilli crisp sauce. The combination of earthy tahini, zingy lime and that slow-building heat from the chilli crisp is absolutely next level. It takes about an hour start to finish, which we know sounds like a commitment on a weeknight, but most of that is just the oven doing its thing while you get on with life. Trust us, this one is absolutely worth it.

Cook: 60 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Roasting tin
  • Small bowl
  • Frying pan
  • Fork

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • olive oil
  • flakey salt
  • Sichuan peppercorns
  • 50g tahini
  • 2 tbsp chilli crisp
  • 1 lime
  • salt to taste
  • water (to loosen)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 x 400g can cannellini beans
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp chilli crisp
  • sesame seeds

Method

1

Prepare the sweet potatoes

  • Use a fork to pierce the sweet potatoes
  • Drizzle a little olive oil over the sweet potatoes and rub it into the skins, rub a little salt around the sweet potatoes
  • Put the sweet potatoes in the roasting tin an roast for 40-45 minutes until soft and tender
2

Prepare the Creamy Chilli Crisp

  • Halve the lime and squeeze the juice into a small bowl
  • Add the tahini, chilli crisp, a little salt and stir to combine
  • Add a little water to reach a viscous pouring consistency
3

Prepare the Spinach Cannellini

  • Peel and finely slice the garlic
  • Drain, rinse and pat dry the cannellini beans
  • Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the garlic and fry until aromatic and golden
  • Add the cannellini beans and stir for 2-3 minutes to cook through
  • Add the spinach to the pan and stir for 1 minute until quite wilted
  • Pour over the chill crisp and stir to combine
4

Finish and serve

  • Lay the sweet potatoes out equally on serving plates and split them down the middle with a sharp knife
  • Drizzle a little olive, sprinkle a little salt and a tiny pinch of sichuan pepper over the steaming flesh of the roasted sweet potatoes
  • Use a fork to fluff up the flesh of the potatoes before pressing down on the potatoes with the back of the fork to spread the potatoes out
  • Spoon the Spinach Cannellini over the sweet potato, drizzle the Creamy Chilli Crisp over spinach cannellini, garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get the smash right: We find it works best to smash the potatoes firmly but not completely flat. You want lots of rough, jagged edges because those are the bits that go properly crispy in the oven.
  • Adjust the heat: Chilli crisp varies a lot in spice level depending on the brand. Start with a little less than you think you need, taste the dressing, and build it up from there. Ian usually goes heavy on it but it's your call.
  • Make it a meal: These are great as a side but if you want to bulk them out into a proper dinner, we love piling on some dressed greens, a handful of chickpeas or even a fried egg on top.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the sweet potatoes properly soft before you smash them, so they crisp up on the outside while staying fluffy and tender in the middle. What really makes this sing is the creamy chilli crisp dressing. The tahini gives it that rich, nutty backbone and the lime juice keeps everything feeling fresh and bright rather than heavy. It's that contrast of hot, creamy, crispy and soft all at once that makes every bite genuinely exciting.