7 Yummy Ways to Wake Up Sweet Potato Toast

By Colleen de Bellefonds

After Thanksgiving, you’re bound to have leftover sweet potatoes, but that’s something to be thankful for: “Sweet potatoes are a superfood packed with vitamins and nutrients, including beta carotene, the plant-based version of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber and B vitamins,” says Alex Caspero, R.D. In fact, one medium spud has more than 400 percent of your daily vitamin A, over a third of your vitamin C, and 4g of filling fiber—about as much as an apple. Plus these spuds are versatile; they’re great for thickening soups and stews, act as a creamy spread in wraps and sandwiches, and make a great dessert when laced into yogurt. 

Sweet potatoes are also delicious slathered on warm toast with a few toppings. To amp up the flavor quotient, we asked some popular healthy food bloggers for their favorite creative toppings. As the base, use 1/2 cup of your leftover spuds or try the Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup and Cayenne from Amy Kayne of 2 Gether We Cook. Move over, avocado toast—there’s a new snack in town!

Sweet Potato Toast with Black Beans and Spinach 

Into mashed sweet potatoes, add 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon seeded chopped jalapeno, 1 teaspoon cumin, and the juice from a quarter of a lime, says culinary expert and healthy living blogger Jessica Fishman Levinson, R.D., of Nutritioulicious. Spread onto bread. Brown 1 tablespoon chopped onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup black beans, 1/2 cup baby spinach and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and sauté until spinach wilts. Spoon on top of sweet potatoes, top with grated gruyere cheese and broil until cheese melts and bread toasts, about 5 minutes.

Sweet Potato Toast with Almond Butter and Sliced Apples

Spread 1 tablespoon almond butter on warm toast, then layer with mashed sweet potatoes, thin slices of Granny Smith apple and a dusting of cinnamon, suggests Lindsey Pine, R.D. of Tasty Balance Nutrition.

Sweet Potato Toast with Dark Chocolate and Pecans

Pine also loves making sweet sweet-potato toasts: Top bread with sweet potatoes, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon mini dark chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon chopped pecans and bake in the oven at 400°F until the chocolate melts and the bread is toasted, about 5 minutes.

Sweet Potato Toast with Sage, Parsley and Pine Nuts

Kayne of 2 Gether We Cook suggests making a gremolata — an herbed topping that traditionally accompanies meat — by mixing together 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped sage and parsley and 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary. Blend in lemon zest from 1/2 lemon (preferably Meyer), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper and sea salt to taste. Spread sweet potatoes onto warm toast and top with gremolata mixture. Add crunch by sprinkling on 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.

Sweet Potato Toast with Sliced Avocado And Egg 

Dust 1/2 teaspoon cumin on the spuds, top with several thin avocado slices, a dash of crushed red pepper flakes and a sunny-side-up egg, suggests Caspero.

Sweet Potato Toast with Greek Yogurt and Pomegranate

For a sweet-tart toast, Nutritioulicious’ Levinson recommends combining 1/4 cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or part-skim ricotta cheese with honey. Swirl mixture lightly with 1 tablespoon sweet potatoes but don’t blend completely. On warm toast, spread more sweet potatoes, then top with yogurt or ricotta mixture, and sprinkle on 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Sweet Potato Toast with Cranberry Sauce and Lemon Zest

Make Kayne’s Christmas-themed red and green, savory-sweet combo by blending 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce. Swirl in 1/2 cup sweet potatoes and spread on warm toast, then top with 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1/2 Meyer lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.