A few years ago we suggested sweet potato toast as an alternative to avocado toast, beet toast, eggplant toast, hummus toast, mushroom toast and green pea toast.

We provided a recipe from Chef François Payard, who put a gourmet twist on the sweet potatoes with caramelized onions, balsamic vinaigrette and sliced roasted sweet potatoes instead of mashed.

Here’s the recipe.

Today, we take a different approach: sweet potato toast with lots of topping choices.

We like it for breakfast, lunch or a nutritious snack.

While a spread of mashed or puréed sweet potatoes on crusty sourdough toast is a simple pleasure, the fun in this recipe is the toppings.

For a brunch serving suggestion: Provide different toppings in ramekins for DIY creations.
 
 
COOKING THE SWEET POTATOES

The most time-consuming part of the recipe—preparing the sweet potatoes—can be done days in advance.

We have always baked or boiled the sweet potatoes for mashing, with some added butter for richness, a bit of maple syrup and sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spices.

But the current trend is to slice them horizontally and roast them. The slices are then placed atop the toast. (An alternative is to use thick vertical slices instead of toast.)

The sliced potatoes look nicer on the bread, but are not as neat to eat. Mashed potatoes stick to the toast; sliced potatoes don’t. The choice is yours.
 
 
RECIPE: SWEET POTATO TOAST

Ingredients Per Serving

 
Sweet Potato Toast Toppings

There are both sweet and savory toppings.

The sweet toppings are fruit with optional nuts and seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Savory options include everything from cheese and veggies to bacon and hummus. Take a look, then mix and match:

 
Preparation

Using the oven:

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

2. SLICE the sweet potatoes evenly, 1/4″ – 1/2″, using a sharp knife or a mandoline.

3. LIGHTLY oil both sides of the sweet potato slices (we toss them with our hands), and place them on a baking sheet.

4. BAKE for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. You can flip them after 15 minutes and bake another 10-12 minutes until a fork can easily pierce through the center.

5. SLICE or mash the potatoes, as you prefer.

6. TOAST the bread. Assemble the sweet potatoes and toppings on the toast, or let people choose their toppings and assemble their own.

Toaster Oven Technique:

Toasting the slices for 4-5 minutes; test for doneness.
 
 
SWEET POTATO NUTRITION

Sweet potatoes have long been ranked high in nutritional value. They are a whole, real, nutrient-dense food.

One medium sweet potato is about 100 calories and:

[1] Mashed sweet potatoes topped with mashed avocado, goat cheese and pomegranate arils (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Hello Fresh).

[2] Something sweet: mashed sweet potatoes topped with sliced apples and blueberries.

[3] Mashed sweet potatoes with sliced figs, pepitas and a honey drizzle.

[4] Sweet potatoes have a great nutritional profile (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potatoes).

[5] The next time you make mashed sweet potatoes, make extra for toast. It will keep in the fridge for a week (photo © Burpee).