Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Goat Cheese is an easy side dish that’s great for the holidays! Tender, caramelized sweet potatoes are paired with creamy goat cheese, crunchy maple pecans, and dried cranberries for a sweet and savory dish that makes you want to come back for seconds.

Spoon holding cubed sweet potatoes with goat cheese.

Table of Contents

Sweet Potatoes and Goat Cheese (with Cranberries and Pecans, Oh My!)

I love a side dish that can go from a weeknight dinner to a holiday table with ease, and these Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese fit the bill.

Roasting sweet potatoes at high heat renders them crisp on the outside with soft and fluffy centers. On their own, they’re difficult to resist, but when you toss them with tangy crumbles of goat cheese and sweet/salty maple pecans? Well, this humble side dish becomes the star of the show.

Speaking of the pecans, you might want to double up on the recipe, as they disappear surprisingly quickly. I had unwittingly eaten through a quarter of them before they ever made it to the sweet potatoes.

This dish pairs beautifully with Thanksgiving classics like Oven Roasted Turkey and Balsamic Green Beans, but it’s also a great side dish for Stuffed Pork Tenderloin or Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Rice. The leftovers also make a great salad!

Save this recipe for the holiday season or for whenever you might be craving some warm, cozy flavors this winter!

Courtney

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Chopped sweet potatoes, pecans, maple syrup, goat cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper, and cranberries all in prep bowls on a wood background.

Sweet potatoes– They’re the star of the show! I prefer to peel the sweet potatoes and leave them in larger 1 inch cubes.
Olive oil– I tested these with both olive oil and coconut oil, and slightly preferred the olive oil, but either will work!
Rosemary, salt and pepper– I love the addition of fresh rosemary, but if you don’t have access to fresh herbs, you can omit this or add half the amount of dried herbs.
Pecans + Maple Syrup– This simple combo makes the perfect sweet, savory, toasty pecans. Choose raw pecans and real maple syrup for the best flavor.
Dried cranberries– This adds a pop of sweetness and tang.
Goat cheese– You can use plain, herbed, or honey goat cheese. I personally love an herbed goat cheese in this recipe!
Balsamic vinegar- A high quality finishing balsamic is the perfect way to tie this dish together. If you’ve only got cheaper balsamic (it’s very runny and acidic), you can use it to make this easy recipe for balsamic glaze, or you can omit the balsamic glaze completely.

Check the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and their amounts.

How to Make Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese

Pecans on a sheet pan, roasted with maple syrup.

Step 1: Make the maple pecans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pecans over the pan and drizzle with maple syrup, stirring to coat. Roast at 350 degrees for 6 minutes, then stir and roast another 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with salt, then cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Rosemary roasted sweet potatoes on a sheet pan.

Step 2: Roast the sweet potatoes. Increase the heat to 450 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray, then add the chopped sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn. Roast another 10-12 minutes, or until browned and fork-tender.

Step 3: Combine. In a serving bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the maple pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbles of goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Make ahead: The maple pecans can be made up to a week in advance and stored in a container or zip lock bag at room temperature.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Reheating: My favorite way to reheat sweet potatoes is in the air fryer. They get wonderfully crisp on the outside! You can also pan fry them with a little oil.

Roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese, pecans, and dried cranberries in a serving bowl.

Recipe Tips & Variations

Make it a salad: Combine the sweet potato and goat cheese mixture with a large bowl of mixed greens and toss with this Maple Balsamic Dressing.
Peel (or not!)– I do like to peel the sweet potatoes if I’m making this for a special occasion, but otherwise, the peels can stay! Just remove any rough ends or odd spots and chop!
Chop the sweet potatoes into large-ish cubes. A common mistake I see is chopping the sweet potatoes so small that they get mushy before the outside is browned. A good 3/4-1 inch cube is the ideal size!
Use plenty of oil. You don’t have to measure the olive oil for the potatoes every time. I often eyeball it, but it’s good to measure once to see how much there is. It takes more than you might think! Using enough olive oil helps with browning.
Stir only once! For the best browning, I like to toss the sweet potatoes just one time.
Make it your own: To make this more savory, omit the cranberries and maple pecans, add some garlic powder and smoked paprika to the sweet potatoes, and add roasted, salted walnuts.

More Sweet Potato Recipes To Try

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