How Cutting Sweet Potatoes Into 'Accordions' Turns Them Into A Restaurant-Level Side Dish

Surely, you've heard of hasselback-style sweet potatoes, those spuds that are cut into thin wedges and fanned out so their tops get all nice and crispy. But have you ever heard of accordion-style? While quite similar, this technique makes it almost impossible not to want to play with your food. By carving into thin slices instead of the entire potato, each piece becomes flexible and springs back and forth with a gentle tug, making them perfect for dipping or enjoying as-is. This, along with their elegant look, makes this technique an excellent way to turn your plain old sweet potatoes into a restaurant-worthy side dish.

To make accordion sweet potatoes, you'll need a good knife, a vegetable peeler, and chopsticks or wooden skewers. Peel your sweet potatoes, and then slice them lengthwise. You'll want each piece to be about half an inch thick. To cut your potatoes, place your potato between two chopsticks; they will help you to avoid cutting through the entire potato, which would ruin the accordion effect. 

On the first side, make thin horizontal slices. Then, flip the potato over and make diagonal slices in the same way, keeping the wooden chopsticks there to help you cut precisely. You'll be able to see why they're called "accordion-style" almost immediately. The precision is what makes the accordion shape so unique — and it's also what makes the texture so much fun to bite into — so take your time with this step. 

Sweet potatoes taste wonderful with just a bit of oil, salt, and pepper. However, if you want to make your accordion-style potatoes truly stand out, there are plenty of ways to do so. Getting creative with the herbs and seasonings is just half of the fun of this recipe. If you plan to season them even just a little bit, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, brush your potatoes with your oil of choice. If you plan to keep the flavor simple, stick to just oil, but for added flavor, mix the oil with your favorite spices. Paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder all go great with sweet potatoes on their own or blended altogether. You could also use your favorite Trader Joe's seasoning blend to keep things simple.

Once you've seasoned your potatoes, throw them into an oven set to 425 degrees Fahrenheit until they're golden brown and nice and crispy, but be sure to flip them halfway through so they bake evenly. Once they're done, feel free to add even more seasonings. Fresh herbs bring a lovely pop of color to the dish, and sweet potatoes pair nicely with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley.

These sweet potatoes are a show-stopper on their own, but they're really meant to be more of a side dish. They pair well with a wide range of proteins from steak to chicken to salmon, so serve them with your favorite savory entrees for a totally delectable, restaurant-style meal.