Can I make them in advance?

You can prepare the different elements ahead of time, then just assemble them when you're ready to serve. They'll be fine at room temperature once assembled for a good few hours if you really want to get ahead too. The sweet potato slices, whipped avocado and crispy chorizo will be fine for about 5 days if stored in the fridge. Bring the sweet potato and avocado to room temperature if possible before serving, for the best flavour. I like to pop the chorizo in the microwave for 15 seconds to heat it slightly before assembling the bites.

What could I use instead of chorizo?

Try streaky bacon, or cubes of halloumi for a vegetarian version. You could also mix a quick salsa with cherry tomatoes, black beans, a little lime juice, salt and chopped scallions and pile that on top.

With the avocado stay green?

The lime juice helps with this, but over time it will start to discolour a little, as it's exposed to the air. If you're making the whipped avocado ahead of time, press a piece of cling film directly onto the avocado in a container, then cover with the lid. This will help it stay bright green for longer, as it limits oxygen exposure.

Sweet Potato Bites with Whipped Avocado

Description

These colourful sweet potato bites are a fab lower-carb, gluten-free option if you’re looking to switch up your party food spread. Dolloped with zesty whipped avocado, crispy chorizo and pickles, they’re an easy, crowd-pleasing snack that will disappear quickly.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 scallions (spring onions)
100g/3.5oz chorizo, casing removed and diced
1 large ripe avocado
1 tablespoon lime juice
A handful of mint leaves
1/4 cup pickled onion, diced

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Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes. Heat your oven to 200C/400F fan. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Slice your sweet potatoes into thin rounds (roughly 1/4″ thick), then toss with olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Lay out the sweet potato rounds onto your prepared tray, on a single layer (you may need two trays). Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until charred around the edges and cooked through (pierce the middle of one with a knife to check if you like). Check on them about halfway through and rotate the tray if one end if cooking faster than the other.
Make the curly scallions. While the sweet potato cooks, thinly slice one of the scallions lengthways, into long strips. Pop the strips into a glass of water. This will make them curl up and create a lovely little garnish for the bites.
Make the crispy chorizo. Add the diced chorizo to a dry pan and set it over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the chorizo is super crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside. PRO TIP: Don’t discard the leftover oil in the pan from the chorizo – this adds lovely flavour and colour to the bites.
Make the whipped avocado. Add the avocado, mint leaves, one chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon of salt and the lime juice to a small food processor or chopper. Blitz into a smooth puree, taste, then season with more salt and lime juice if needed. You can also do this by hand: just chop the mint and scallion finely, then mash them up with the avocado, lime and salt in a bowl with a fork.
Assemble the bites. Smooth a heaped teaspoon of the whipped avocado onto each sweet potato bite, then top with a couple of pieces of the crispy chorizo, drizzling a little chorizo oil on top as well. Finish with the chopped pickled onions and top with a little curl of the thinly cut scallion ribbons. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: The elements can all be made ahead of time, and then you can assemble the bites when you’re ready. The sweet potatoes, chorizo and whipped avocado will keep for at least 5 days in the fridge. To keep the bright green colour of the avocado, press a piece of clingfilm directly onto the avocado in the container you store it in, then pop the lid on. This is going to reduce its exposure to the air, helping to stop any discolouration. I like to pop the chorizo into the microwave for about 15 seconds before assembling too.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Any leftovers will be fine in the fridge for 5 days – I like to add them to salads or pile them into tacos.

INGREDIENT NOTES: You want to make sure you use sweet potatoes that are long and thin, and relatively uniform in size, so you get even discs.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap the mint for flat-leaf parsley, cilantro (coriander) or basil, or you could use streaky bacon instead of chorizo. To make it vegetarian, pan-fry diced halloumi cheese, or mix a quick salsa of cherry tomatoes, black beans, lime juice and salt to pile on top of the avocado.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Category: snacks
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 bites
Calories: 132
Sugar: 2.4g
Sodium: 137mg
Fat: 9.2g
Saturated Fat: 2.5g
Carbohydrates: 9.8g
Fiber: 2.8g
Protein: 3.6g
Cholesterol: 9mg