Garlic and Kale Sweet Potato Noodles
Few things scream Fall more than the combination of warm and fragrant garlic, Tuscan kale and sweet potatoes, and this recipe brings both together in a delicious dish. While definitely not traditional, these sweet potato noodles are a great alternative to regular noodles, especially if you're trying to cut back on carbs or gluten. This recipe is tasty enough that you'll want to eat leftovers for lunch the next day!
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Fall is the perfect time of year to cozy up with a bowl of sweet potatoes and kale. This recipe uses a spiralizer, which is just a fancy name for "a tool that makes noodles out of vegetables." While definitely not traditional, these sweet potato noodles are a great alternative to regular noodles, especially if you're trying to cut back on carbs or gluten. This recipe is tasty enough that you'll want to eat leftovers for lunch the next day! Sweet potatoes do make for delicious noodles! Are sweet potato noodles healthy? What are sweet potato noodles made of?
Few things scream fall more than the combination of kale and sweet potatoes, and this recipe brings both together in a delicious dish.
Few things scream fall more than the combination of kale and sweet potatoes, and this recipe brings both together in a delicious dish.
It’s full of flavor and vitamins without being too heavy—perfect for those who don’t want to feel weighed down after a meal. This dish is also ideal for vegans or people with gluten allergies (just make sure you use gluten-free soy sauce). Finally, this recipe is super easy to make! All you need to do is cook the noodles on the stovetop before tossing everything together.
While definitely not traditional, these sweet potato noodles are a great alternative to regular noodles, especially if you're trying to cut back on carbs or gluten.
These garlic and kale sweet potato noodles are a great alternative to regular noodles, especially if you're trying to cut back on carbs or gluten. They're low in calories, contain virtually no fat and are naturally gluten-free!
They also happen to be high in fiber and nutrients: one cup of sweet potato has about 3 grams of fiber (which is about half your daily recommended intake), as well as more than 300 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A and more than 700 percent of your potassium needs.
This recipe is tasty enough that you'll want to eat leftovers for lunch the next day!
Good news: this recipe is easy to make and delicious. The sweet potatoes are hearty and filling, so you'll likely be satisfied with just one serving (or two if you're not too hungry). The kale adds some freshness, and the garlic adds an irresistible kick of flavor. It's also healthy, so you won't feel guilty indulging in seconds or thirds!
If you have any leftover kale after making this dish, consider using it in another recipe that calls for cooked greens like Sweet Potato Garbanzo Bake, Fall Veggie Bake Pumpkin Sweet Potato Brussel Sprout, and Tandoori Spiced Chicken with Brown Rice and Sweet Potato.
Sweet potatoes do make for delicious noodles!
Sweet potatoes are a delicious alternative to regular pasta, and they're also a great source of fiber and vitamin A. You can make sweet potato noodles in a variety of ways: you can use the spiralizer attachment on your mixer, or you can simply slice them very thinly with a sharp knife or mandoline. Once you have your noodles ready, just toss them into any dish that calls for regular pasta—pasta bolognese, cold sesame noodles, spaghetti carbonara—the possibilities are endless!
Sweet potato noodles are especially good for fall because they pair well with hearty flavors like kale and garlic. This recipe combines all three ingredients in one bowlful: kale is sautéed until crisp-tender; sweet potatoes are roasted until caramelized; then garlic cloves get smashed before being thrown into the mix with some lemon juice and red pepper flakes to add some heat.
Are sweet potatoes noodles healthy?
Sweet potatoes contain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A (which helps keep eyes healthy) and vitamin C (which helps strengthen immune function). They’re also high in fiber, helping to fill you up without adding many calories.
The nutrients found in sweet potatoes may help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation and even fight against certain cancers. But they don’t just contain nutrients—they also provide antioxidants that boost your overall health.
What are sweet potato noodles made of?
Sweet potato noodles are pretty easy to make. You can make them with a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler and slice thin ribbons with the peeler. If you want to keep things simple, this method best suits you!
When making sweet potato noodles with a vegetable peeler or mandoline, it's important to remember that these tools are designed for thin slices rather than ribbons. Therefore, we recommend using a spiralizer if you want your sweet potato noodles to resemble pasta more closely (instead of just being thicker versions of sliced potatoes).
How do you make sweet potato noodles?
Sweet potatoes are a wildly versatile vegetable that can be eaten in many ways. Sweet potatoes are especially good for making noodles, as they have a naturally sweet flavor and creamy texture that's perfect for noodle-based dishes.
The most common way to make sweet potato noodles is using a spiralizer. Spiralizers create long strands of vegetables like squash and zucchini, but they also work well with sweet potatoes! If you don't have one or don't want to buy one just yet (they're not cheap), use a vegetable peeler instead. It'll take you longer but still yields noodle-like results!
You may also want to consider using other kitchen tools: Some recipes call for mandolins or julienne peelers so you can get thin strands of sweet potato noodles that will cook quickly without falling apart too easily in soups and salads. However, if all else fails, there's always your standard kitchen knife--and it'll work just fine too!
What You'll Need
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup roasted corn
1 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
5-ounce chopped Tuscan kale
What You'll Need To Know
1. Boil a large pot of water over high heat.
2. Using a spiral vegetable slicer or julienne vegetable peeler, cut sweet potatoes lengthwise into long, thin strands. You should have about 12 cups of "noodles."
3. Cook the sweet potatoes in the boiling water, gently stirring once or twice, until just starting to soften but not completely tender, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain. Return the noodles to the pot, off the heat.
5. Combine sweet potato noodles, corn, red pepper, pumpkin seeds and salt and the reserved water in a bowl and pour over the noodles and gently toss with tongs until evenly coated.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add kale and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add sweet potato noodle mix and season with paprika and cumin.
7. Serve and top with a fresh pepper!
Recipe makes 5-6 ervings.
Conclusion
Sweet potatoes are a great alternative to regular noodles, especially if you're trying to cut back on carbs or gluten. They're much more nutritious than traditional noodles too! Sweet potato noodles can be used in just about any recipe that calls for regular pasta, so they're perfect for your next meal.
This article was first published November 2016 and updated by our editors October 2022.