Anyone else craving some wholesome breakfast options now that the New Year has kicked off? I love all the delicious holiday treats, but I’m ready for some nourishing meals right about now! And this sweetpotato granola might be my new favorite obsession this month.
We’re talking about a traditional oat and pecan granola that’s flavored with cozy sweetpotato puree, aromatic spices, and honey. It bakes into a crunchy breakfast treat that’s perfect for topping yogurt (my favorite is some Greek yogurt mixed with a berry chia jam and this granola). You can also snack on it by the handful or enjoy it as a cereal with milk.
Disclosure: This recipe was developed in a paid partnership with the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission.
Ingredients
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Sweetpotato: This power-packed veggie adds natural sweetness to the granola, along with extra fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. You can make puree the day you plan to cook the granola, or use leftover puree from another recipe.
- Egg white: This is my secret to getting crisp clusters of granola! While you can make it without this, I highly recommend using it to achieve the best texture.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This offers additional complexity to the flavor of the granola, but if you don’t have it on hand, just double up on the cinnamon.
- Pecans: Nuts add healthy satiating fats and additional fiber to granola. Feel free to substitute with whole raw walnuts if you prefer.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
If you already have sweetpotato puree on hand, you’re good to get started. If not, make the puree first: Peel and chop a medium-large sweetpotato and place it in a small pot. Cover the sweetpotato pieces with water and turn the heat on high. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, or until the sweetpotato is tender. Drain, then place the cooked sweetpotato in a mini food processor bowl or blender cup and process until smooth. (Alternatively, you can mash well if you don’t have these tools available).
Measure out a half cup of the puree and add it to a bowl. Whisk together with the honey, olive oil, and egg white.
In another large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pecans, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and salt.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until everything is well coated and combined.
Pour the granola mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-35 minutes total on the center rack. Stir around the 15-minute mark.
Note that granola can quickly go from “yummy and toasty” to “burnt and acrid”. Keep a close eye on it. You’ll notice it starting to get slightly golden brown around the edges (particularly with the nuts). That is a perfect time to pull it from the oven.
Now let that sit for at least 30 minutes undisturbed on the pan. This is key, as it will crisp up as it cools! Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to dig in for a yummy breakfast.
Tips and Modifications
Here are some helpful tips and dietary modifications for you when making this recipe:
- Storage: Once completely cooled, store the granola at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.
- Texture: After cooling, the granola should be crisp and dry. If you pull it too early from the oven, it may be a bit softer and still contain some moisture after cooling. This is fine to eat, but it should be stored in the fridge or freezer instead of at room temperature.
- To Make Gluten Free: Use certified gluten free oats; all other ingredients are naturally gluten free.
- To Make Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey and skip the egg white. (Note that the granola may be slightly less crunchy when skipping the egg white.)
Nutrition Benefits
As a dietitian, one of the reasons I love this recipe is because it’s not just delicious – it’s nutritious as well. This recipe contains healthy carbohydrates that help fuel your fitness goals, providing energy to complete your workouts. It’s a good source of Vitamin A (thanks to that sweetpotato) and magnesium, two nutrients that are important to good health. And it provides fiber for digestive health.
Because granola is naturally a bit lower in protein, it’s good to combine this with a source of protein at breakfast – like using it to top Greek yogurt or enjoying it as a cereal with some ultrafiltered milk.
More Sweetpotato Breakfast Recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious and nutritious recipes that use sweetpotatoes at breakfast, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Sweetpotato, ground chicken, and ricotta breakfast bowls
- Mediterranean breakfast burritos
- Breakfast hash with sweetpotatoes, plantains, and brussels sprouts
- Sweetpotato overnight oat parfaits
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Sweetpotato Granola
Ingredients
- ½ cup sweetpotato puree (about 1 medium-large North Carolina sweetpotato; see notes)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large egg white
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup whole raw pecans
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetpotato puree, honey, olive oil, and egg white.
- In another large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pecans, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined and coated.
- Pour the mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-35 minutes total on the center rack, stirring at the 15-minute mark. Keep a close eye on the granola towards the end of the cooking time as you don’t want it to burn (if it starts to get too dark around the edges, pull it from the oven).
- Let cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes; it will crisp up as it cools. Enjoy!
Notes
- To prepare the sweetpotato puree: Peel and chop a medium-large sweetpotato and place in a small pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Drain, then process until smooth in a mini food processor bowl or blender cup. Measure out ½ cup for this recipe.
- Store granola in an airtight container or ziptop bag at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks, as long as it is sufficiently dry. If you pull it from the oven too early and it retains moisture, it can still be eaten but should be stored in the fridge for up to a week instead.
- Optionally, feel free to add additional ingredients like shredded coconut, dark chocolate, or dried fruit after cooking.
- This recipe makes approximately 5 cups of granola, equivalent to ten servings of ½ cup each.
Nutrition
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