Grilled Sweet Potato Sliders are a fantastic vegetarian BBQ recipe and make a wonderful appetizer for any cookout. Glazed with lime & herbs, paired with avocado and leafy greens this starter is healthy but also incredibly flavorful.
Early this summer as we were enjoying our first BBQs outside, I realized that we are quite predictable with our grilling recipes. Sure, we do a variety of grilled meats, from burgers and sausages to pork ribs, and of course chicken!
But the only non-meat things we throw on the BBQ (and that's very rarely) are foil potatoes and corn on the cob. I took this realization as a challenge for myself, to think more creatively about ways to cook on the BBQ.
My first thought went to all-vegetable steak burgers. I thought I could grill a thick round of sweet potato and use it instead of a burger patty on a bun.
Well, it turns out this only works when you pre-boil the sweet potato and then use the BBQ only for finishing them. That seemed like a few too many steps for me.
Instead, I sliced the sweet potato rounds thinner to be able to cook them entirely on the grill. You could use the grilled sweet potato as a side dish, but I used them as to create any easy slider recipe as appetizer.
I placed two grilled sweet potato slices on a slider bun (not a full sized burger bun) with avocado and some green leaves. Spicy sriracha mayo pairs really well with the grilled sweet potato.
How to Prepare Sweet Potatoes for Grilling
For this recipe medium-sized sweet potatoes that are long but not too thick work the best. You want them to have a similar diameter to the slider buns you are using.
Start the process by preheating your BBQ grill to medium-high heat. In the meantime peel the sweet potato.
Then cut it into rounds of about ¼-inch thickness. Toss the sweet potato slices with olive oil and salt & pepper.
Then place them on the preheated BBQ and grill for about 4-5 minutes. Then flip the sweet potato rounds with tongs and grill them for another 4-5 minutes.
You definitely want some nice grill marks, but watch out not to burn or char the sweet potatoes too much.
Glaze after grilling
While the sweet potatoes are on the BBQ, prepare the glaze to brush them with afterwards. Combine olive oil, lime juice, Italian seasoning, paprika and salt in a bowl.
Brush the seasoned lime glaze over the finished sweet potato rounds after grilling. You can also try tossing everything together in a large bowl, but I found that I got better and more even coverage by using a brush.
Assembling Sweet Potato Sliders
The grilled sweet potato rounds can be used as a simple BBQ side dish. Or you can turn them into an easy slider appetizer.
To make sweet sliders start by spreading some (spicy chipotle) mayo on each half of the slider bun. Use gluten free or whole wheat buns according to needs and preferences.
Onto the bottom bun half layer some leafy greens (like spinach), sliced avocado, and 2-3 grilled sweet potato slices. Top with the other bun half and enjoy these easy veggie sliders while still hot.
More delicious Sweet Potato Recipes
Recipe
Grilled Sweet Potato Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato choose a long and not too thick one, about the diameter of the slider buns
- sea salt & black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- a few shakes Italian seasoning mix
- paprika & sea salt
Sliders:
- small slider buns use gluten free, whole grain to preference
- avocado slices
- tender spinach or lettuce
- (chipotle) mayo
Instructions
- Preheat your BBQ to a medium-high temperature.
- In the meantime, peel the sweet potato and cut it into ¼ inch thick slices. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
- Prepare the glaze by combining olive oil, lime juice, Italian seasoning, paprika and salt.
- Place the sweet potato slices on the BBQ and grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side. They should have nice grill marks, but watch out not to burn them.
- Brush the glaze over the grilled sweet potato slices. You can also toss everything, but I found I got better 'coverage' with brushing.
- If you are using the grilled sweet potato in sliders, spread a little spicy mayo on both of sides of the slider bun.
- Layer greens, avocado and 2-3 grilled sweet potato slices on each slider. Enjoy while hot!
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Random Questions
You can top sweet potatoes with healthy options like herbs, spices, Greek yogurt, or a drizzle of olive oil for added flavor without excessive calories.
The white liquid that sometimes oozes from sweet potatoes when peeled is a natural sap containing proteins and sugars. It is safe to consume and does not affect the taste or quality of the sweet potato.
Both roasting and boiling sweet potatoes have their benefits. Roasting can enhance their natural sweetness and create a crispy texture, while boiling may help retain more of their nutrients. Choose the method based on your preferences.
Peeling sweet potatoes is a matter of personal preference. While leaving the skin on can add extra texture and nutrients, peeling them can create a smoother and more uniform texture in your dishes.
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