Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing

This is hands down one of my favourite all-year-round dishes 🙌. Creamy Baked Sweet Potatoes, crispy Roasted Chickpeas and a cooling delicious yoghurt dressing that won’t mess with my Acid Reflux! Growing up in Italy I never really saw Sweet Potatoes as a savoury ingredient. Our Sweet Potatoes are very different from the orange, and red tuberus that you find in the UK and US. They’re grey, less fibrous and sweeter, so all I knew them for was as nutritious desserts!
But in the UK, I’ve seen red sweet potatoes being used in all sorts of savoury dishes and I loved them. Thus, the Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing were born!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may get a commission if you click on the link and decide to purchase something. Using those links doesn’t add any extra cost for you and It helps me sustain and run The Cheeky Green Bean. Thank you ❤️

A Journey Through Time: Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas

If you’ve been following me for a minute, you’ll know that I love digging into the history of all ingredients. So here’s a bit of Sweet potatoes and Chickpeas lore!

The Humble Sweet Potato: Believe it or not, sweet potatoes have been a comforting staple food for over 7,000 years! Originating in Central and South America, Aztecs and Incas cherished them long before Columbus ever set sail. These versatile root vegetables weren’t just delicious, they were a valuable source of nutrition that fueled ancient civilizations. Eventually, sweet potatoes were introduced to Europe and Asia, becoming a prized possession for explorers and traders seeking a compact and nourishing food source on their long journeys. Today, sweet potatoes continue to be a beloved ingredient around the world, offering a touch of sweetness and a burst of vitamins and minerals to our plates.

The Mighty Chickpea: Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, boast a history just as impressive as the sweet potato. Cultivated in the Middle East as early as 7,500 BC, they were a cornerstone of ancient diets in the Mediterranean and Indian subcontinent. Prized for their high protein content and long shelf life, chickpeas were the perfect travel companion for these early civilizations. Their compact size and ability to withstand long journeys made them ideal for trade routes. Helping to spread the popularity of this mighty legume across the globe. Chickpeas weren’t just a source of sustenance; they were also valued for their versatility, easily incorporated into stews, soups, and even sweet dishes. Today, chickpeas continue to be a global favourite, offering a delicious and nutritious plant-based protein source for modern kitchens.

Nutritional Powerhouses: Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas and Yoghurt

I always try to make meals that are nutritious, filling and enjoyable for everybody. This Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing definitely hits all my requirements! Let’s have a look at its nourishing properties.

Sweet Potato Power: Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They are particularly rich in beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A, crucial for healthy vision and immunity. Sweet potatoes also contain good amounts of vitamins C and B6, potassium, and manganese, making them a well-rounded nutritional package.

Chickpea Champions: Chickpeas are a vegetarian’s dream – packed with protein and fibre, they provide sustained energy and promote gut health. They are also a good source of iron, folate, and phosphorus, which are important for maintaining overall well-being.

A Soothing Solution: Yogurt Dip for Gut Health

And I have not forgotten. One of the staple elements of this dish is the yoghurt dressing. I was inspired by the classic Greek tzatziki, a delicious sauce with yoghurt, raw garlic, lemon juice and aromatic spices and herbs. As you may have noticed, it contains two of the main acid reflux triggers so I made my own GERD-friedly version!
I wanted this dip in the Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas dish, not only because it adds a cooling and refreshing element to the dish. But also because Yoghurt, especially plain Greek yoghurt, contains the ever-useful probiotics, which are very beneficial bacteria that aid digestion!

So here’s more magic – Sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and yoghurt are all considered low-acid foods, making them a great choice for those managing GERD.

Sources: National Library of Medicine, Harvard Health Publishing, Mayo Clinic, Un Data

A Taste of the Mediterranean: A Fusion of Flavors

This Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing recipe is a delightful example of culinary fusion. Sweet potatoes, a staple in the Americas, join roasted chickpeas, a beloved ingredient in the Mediterranean. The yoghurt dip adds a touch of Greek influence, creating a harmonious blend of flavours and textures.

So, the next time you’re looking for a healthy, delicious, and gut-friendly meal, look no further than the Cheeky Green Bean’s Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing. It’s a dish steeped in history, brimming with nutrition, and bursting with flavour – a true testament to the magic of food.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing nicely presented with lettuce leaves on a white ceramic plate

Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas with Yogurt Dressing

Bean

Craving comfort food? This healthy dish combines creamy baked sweet potatoes & crispy roasted chickpeas with a refreshing, gut-friendly yoghurt dressing. A perfect nutritious all-year-round meal that's ready in under an hour!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, European, South American

Servings 2 People

Equipment

1 Oven tray with baking paper
1 Knife and cutting board
1 Tablespoon
1 Small bowl to mix the dressing in

Ingredients

400 gr Chickpeas this is usually a full tin, you can buy them pre-cooked or cook them fresh!
2 Large sweet potatoes

Yoghurt Dip

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt any type of greek yoghurt, even vegetable ones, works
¼ Cucumber
2 tsp salt
pinch Fresh dill
pinch Mint optional
splash Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 200℃ or 392℉ on static mode. If you only have a fan oven, you can lower the temperature to 180℃/356℉.
Thoroughly clean your sweet potatoes, scrubbing the skin with a mushroom brush to make sure that all dirt is removed. Prickle them with a knife or a fork and place them on a baking tray lined with foil. And into the oven they go!
Bake for 45 minutes, flip over the potatoes at 20 minutes in.
When you have about 15 minutes left on your timer. Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven – at this point, you should see caramelisation happening on the skin – add the chickpeas and return the tray to the oven for the final stage of roasting.

Dressing

While we wait for the sweet potatoes to finish baking and the chickpeas to crisp up, we make the dressing!
Finely dice the cucumber. In a small bowl add the yoghurt, fresh dill, salt and oil and the freshly cut cucumber. You can sprinkle a bit of minced mint – beware that if you suffer from acid reflux it might make your symptoms worse! Mix well and that's it. Your dressing is done 🙂
Once the chickpeas start browning, your sweet potatoes should also be ready. Prickle with a fork to make sure they are soft and creamy.
Assemble your dish as you like – I usually make a dip cut in the centre of the sweet potatoes, fill it with the chickpeas and drizzle the dressing on top. Garnish with a nice and refreshing salad such as lettuce, spinach or pea shoots.
Your Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas with yoghurt dressing are ready!
Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.