Roasted Sweet Potato Chips with Whipped Goat Cheese Recipe

One of the truisms we've learned about cooking? That things don't need to be complicated to be delicious.

Take this sweet potato appetizer: it's essentially crisp sweet potato chips scattered across whipped goat cheese. It may just sound like a healthy plant-based appetizer that'll check the box for serving your vegetarian friends.

But that is seriously discounting this recipe. The smoky, crisp sweet potato combined with the ethereally light, sweet, peppery, herbed goat cheese is pure appetizer magic. It's one of those dishes you can serve as a start to Thanksgiving without filling people up or as part of a cocktail party as an unexpectedly indulgent bite.

How To Make This Recipe

The roast sweet potato recipe in and of itself is a keeper. By slicing the sweet potatoes paper-thin, you get crisp oven-baked sweet potato chips that are great on their own and even better with the goat cheese.

Then, the whipped goat cheese is so much better than just standard, right-out-of-the-refrigerator chevre. It's like the difference between heavy cream and whipped cream. The time in the food processor makes the goat cheese impossibly light and airy.

And though you must try it as we have it here. It'd be equally fabulous spread on a bagel, layered into a sandwich, paired with lox, or smeared across ripe tomatoes.

Tips To Make This Recipe

• Pull out the mandolin slicer for perfectly thin slices: This is most certainly a time to put your mandolin to use. Putting it on its about a 1/16-inch setting will give you paper-thin sweet potato slices that will crisp up nicely.
• Use store-bought chips in a pinch: Of course, if you're short on time, you can 100% use some store-bought root vegetable chips instead. Of course, they won't have the paprika goodness that the homemade ones will have but they'll work all the same.
• Use fruity olive oil: If you have a few types of olive oil on hand, we'd recommend using a fruity or buttery style here as the greener Tuscan-style olive oils that are higher in phenols may overwhelm the other flavors in the dish.
• Make it all ahead of time: This is the ultimate entertaining recipe because it can be made ahead of time. Make the whipped goat cheese up to 4 days ahead but let it come to room temperature before serving so it's nice and spreadable.

What To Serve With This Recipe

This recipe can really do double duty. It's a great option for an appetizer spread before a dinner party. But it'd be equally delicious as part of a tapas or small plates dinner. Say made into California-style mezze with, say, our pumpkin hummus, this Roasted Red Pepper Romesco Dip, and a giant green salad.

Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!