Bobby Flay knows how essential it is to prep ahead for Thanksgiving.
In this roasted sweet potatoes recipe, which was adapted from his new cookbook Sundays With Sophie, Flay tops the spuds with a dollop of creamy date-lime butter.
"You can make the date-lime butter days ahead of time, giving you less work on the big day, and just slather it on the potatoes when they're roasted and piping hot," he tells PEOPLE.
Flay shares family-favorite dishes like this in Sundays With Sophie, which he wrote with his daughter. (The father-daughter duo also recently teamed up on their Food Network series Bobby and Sophie on the Coast.)
"Sweet potatoes should be on every holiday table—they're certainly always on mine," he says.
Bobby Flay's Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Date-Lime Butter
2 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), scrubbed, unpeeled
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
½ tsp. black pepper, divided, plus more for serving
½ cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. date syrup or molasses
1 tsp. finely grated lime zest, plus
2 tsp. fresh juice (from 1 lime), divided
1 tsp. toasted white sesame seeds
1. Preheat oven to 425°, and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rub potatoes with olive oil, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place potatoes on baking sheet; roast in oven until tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 45 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Beat together butter, date syrup, lime juice, ½ teaspoon lime zest, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and place on a platter. Dollop each with ½ tablespoon date butter; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Top with sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon lime zest. Serve immediately with extra date butter on the side.
Serves: 8
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
