Roasted Sweet Potato with Chimichurri

A wickedly good snack rich in nutrients, this vegan recipe was crafted in honor of Cynthia Erivo. After watching Erivo in Wicked, I went down the rabbit hole watching and listening to anything and everything by the English actor—a vegan herself—from live performances to appearances on shows like Scott Evans' House Guest, and the Wicked film soundtrack on repeat.

Purple sweet potatoes pair with chimichurri for a plant based snack

Green as The Emerald City of Oz, chimichurri is an Argentinian condiment that traditionally accompanies grilled meat. The herbacious sauce—the h in herb is not silent here because as Erivo says, "[English people] pronounce the haych"—is made with flat leaf parsley, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. It can be used to top roasted carrots, fish, and anything really. The possibilities are, dare I say it, "unlimited."

The bright and fiery chimichurri pairs well with the savory sweetness of the sweet potato

Here we use it atop roasted sweet potatoes. Purple to be exact as a nod to Erivo's role in The Color Purple. Good and good for you, you'll get your daily dose of vitamin A from the sweet potatoes known as a superfood high in antioxidants.

Try this recipe next time you're in the mood for a snack or serve at your next Wicked-themed movie night.

Serves 1

Level of difficulty: easy

Cooking time: 45 minutes

What you need:

2 small to medium-size purple sweet potatoes

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp vinegar (red or white wine)

3 tbsp neutral flavored oil

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Roasting the Sweet Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Pierce with a fork a few times on each side

Lightly coat all surface areas with oil

Sprinkle with sea salt

Place the sweet potatoes in a pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes until it is soft inside. Cook for 10 minutes longer if needed for a larger potato.

You'll know it's done when the skin dimples as the "meat" of the potato has shrunk during the cooking process. The potato should be fork tender and easily sliced using a butter knife.

Give the sweet potato a light coating of oil and a sprinkle of salt

To make the chimichurri

Yields 3 tbsps. Suggested serving is 1 tbsp per potato

Add the ingredients into a food processor:

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and all

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsps vinegar

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Tear the parsley by hand before putting in the food processor

Parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, vinegar, and olive oil get whirred up in a food processor.

Blend the ingredients until emulsified

The olive oil emulsifies the sauce while the vinegar brightens up the flavor

Chimichurri should be bright and fiery, depending on how spicy you like your sauce. When cooked, slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise. Spoon chimichurri on top and enjoy.