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These Grilled Sweet Potatoes are a hit! Slices of sweet potato are coated in a delicious blend of seasonings and grilled until soft in the middle with a slightly crispy edge, then tossed with an easy chimichurri.
Making Sweet Potatoes on the Grill
Sweet potatoes are super popular during the fall and winter, but turns out they also make a pretty darn great summer side dish! And these Grilled Sweet Potatoes are here to prove just that. I love my Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes and didn’t know if I’d love them on the grill, but they are so good!
This recipe is as simple as it gets and results in a delicious and versatile side dish. You just need a few sweet potatoes, oil, a couple of basic seasonings, and a grill. You then toss them (if you want), in a chimichurri sauce and this 15-minute side dish will truly not disappoint!
Ingredients Needed:
Scroll down for the full recipe!
- Sweet Potatoes: cut into ¼-inch thick slices.
- Oil: olive oil or avocado oil work great.
- Seasonings: we’re using a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Chimichurri: for serving!
How to Grill Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the grill: Preheat a gas grill or grill pan and grease the grates.
- Slice and season: Slice the potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch thick pieces. Place the slices into a bowl along with oil and seasonings. Toss to combine.
- Grill: Lower the heat on the grill or grill pan to medium, then add on the potatoes. Cook until soft, then season more if needed and serve.
- Make the sauce: While grilling, make the chimichurri sauce.
- Toss and enjoy!
How Do You Season Sweet Potatoes for the Grill?
To season your sweet potatoes for the grill, start with a layer of olive oil or avocado oil followed by your spice rub. The oil helps the outside of the potato slices get that delicious crispy texture and helps the seasonings stick!
In this case, we’re using a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika which makes these grilled potatoes insanely flavorful yet totally versatile.
Can You Peel the Potatoes?
Totally! I like to leave the potato peel on because the texture of the skin gets deliciously crispy on the grill. However, you can definitely peel the potatoes before you slice them if that’s what you prefer.
Do You Need to Soak Potatoes Before Grilling?
You can if you want, but I don’t find it to be necessary. Soaking the potatoes in salted water can help remove some of the starch which is what makes them mushy.
If you want to ensure that you get the crispiest potatoes, feel free to take the extra step, but I don’t do it and my potatoes come out great.
What is Chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a fresh sauce primarily made from minced herbs, olive oil and a touch of red wine vinegar. It isn’t a pureed sauce, such as Italian pesto, but instead a sauce made from finely minced ingredients. It has roots in Argentina and Uruguay and is traditionally used as an ingredient in cooking and as a condiment, much like how we are using the chimichurri in this recipe. This pungent sauce really enhances meat, and is delicious on veggies too. While we are making a green version, there is also a red version of chimichurri as well.
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Oregano
- Garlic Cloves
- Shallot
- Serrano Chili Pepper (optional)
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Salt + Pepper
Tips and Notes for Grilled Sweet Potatoes
- Slice however you like. I slice the potatoes into ¼-inch thick slices lengthwise, but you could also slice them diagonally or even widthwise into rounds.
- Slice the same width. However you cut your potatoes, be sure that they are all about the same thickness so they cook evenly.
- If you don’t want to cook the potatoes right on the grill grates, you can place them on a grill sheet or a pan.
- If you do cook right on the grill grates, be sure to grease the grates so the potatoes don’t stick.
- Too high of heat, might make them burn!
- You’ll know the potatoes are done cooking when they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these grilled sweet potatoes on their own or topped with chimichurri for some extra flavor.
They make the perfect side dish next to:
- Salmon Burgers
- Grilled Chimichurri Chicken
- Dry-Rub Grilled Wings
- Oven Baked Coffee Barbecue Pork Ribs
- Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Air Fryer Salmon
How to Store
Leftover grilled sweet potatoes will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, warm in the oven until heated through and re-crisped.
Watch The Video:
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Optional: Serve with Chimichurri
- 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves see note, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- 1 small serrano chili optional, seeds removed and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and make sure to oil the grates.
- While the grill is heating up, slice lengthwise or on a diagonal, into at least 1/4 inch-thick pieces.
- Place sliced sweet potatoes into bowl and combine with olive oil and seasonings. Toss to combine.
- Lower heat to medium and place sweet potatoes on the grill. Cook for roughly 10 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) or until soft when pierced with a fork or tongs.
- While cooking, making the chimichurri: Add parsley, oregano, garlic, shallot, serrano pepper, vinegar, salt and pepper to a small bowl stir together. Drizzle in the olive oil while stirring. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding in more salt or vinegar as desired.
- Transfer potatoes to bowl and season with more salt if desired. Toss with chimichurri, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Slice the same width. However you cut your potatoes, be sure that they are all about the same thickness so they cook evenly.
- If you don’t want to cook the potatoes right on the grill grates, you can place them on a grill sheet or a pan.
- If you do cook right on the grill grates, be sure to grease the grates so the potatoes don’t stick.
- Too high of heat, might make them burn!
- You’ll know the potatoes are done cooking when they can be easily pierced with a fork.
great idea, and I’m a sweet potato love who thought I’d seen it all, chimichurri is a sauce I never thought of using with sweet potatoes, a creative pairing, so thank you!