Crispy Accordion Sweet Potato Wedges with Brown Butter Sage Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Uniform wedges are the difference between a good pan and a great one. Take a minute to match thickness as you cut, and rotate the baking sheet halfway through roasting so the wedges closest to the oven's hot spots do not over-char.

If your knife skills are still building confidence, practice the accordion slicing on the widest wedge first — the chopsticks make it nearly foolproof, and the rhythm comes quickly.

The brown butter is worth doing properly even on a busy weeknight. Use a light-colored saucepan so you can see the milk solids turn hazelnut, and swirl rather than stir to keep them suspended.

Save any butter left in the pan; spooned over roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts or a baked potato the next day, it delivers most of this dish's flavor for almost no extra work.

Variations

• Maple-harissa wedges: Whisk 1 tbsp harissa paste into the olive oil and maple syrup before brushing. The slits catch the spicy paste in every ridge, and the goat cheese on top cools the heat in each bite.
• Brown butter chestnut finish: Swap the pecans for an equal weight of roasted chestnuts, roughly chopped. They toast more gently than pecans and give the baste a sweeter, softer crunch that suits the sage.
• Ricotta-topped wedges: Replace the goat cheese with a swoosh of whole-milk ricotta under the wedges on the platter. The ridges press into the creamy base and pick it up with every pull.
• Smoked paprika butter: Stir 1/2 tsp smoked paprika into the butter just before the baste. It deepens the charred edges and pairs especially well with the maple brushed on before roasting.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; keep goat cheese separate if possible.

Freezer

Freeze roasted, unbuttered wedges up to 2 months; add the brown butter baste fresh after reheating.

Reheat

Reheat on a sheet at 425°F for 6–8 minutes until the ridges crackle again; skip the microwave, which softens them.

Leftover wedges keep surprisingly well if you let them cool no more than 2 hours, then transfer them to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Store the goat cheese topping separately if you expect extras, adding it only at reheating so it stays distinct. The sage leaves soften in the fridge; a quick flash in the hot oven restores most of the crispness of the ridges even if the leaves stay tender.

The accordion slicing is the only labor-intensive step, and it can be done up to a day ahead. Keep the cut wedges submerged in cold water in the refrigerator, then drain and pat them thoroughly dry before oiling — dry surfaces are essential for crisping.

The brown butter itself can be made up to 3 days ahead and gently reheated; fry the sage and pecans fresh at serving time so the leaves stay crisp. The full baste and topping come together in under 5 minutes once the wedges are roasted.

Serving ideas

Serve these straight from the cast-iron skillet with nothing more than a sprig of fresh sage on top for color. They work beautifully as a side for roast chicken or a simple steak, but they are substantial enough — butter, nuts and cheese piled on thick wedges — to anchor a vegetarian spread alongside a bitter green salad with a sharp vinaigrette.

For a party, transfer the wedges to a warm platter, spoon every last bit of butter, sage and pecan over the top, and let guests pull wedges apart along the ridges. A cold, crisp drink cuts through the richness better than anything sweet, and a spoonful of the leftover brown butter over whatever else is on the table never hurts.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Crispy Accordion Sweet Potato Wedges with Brown Butter Sage

Prep 20 minCook 40 minTotal 1 hServes 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb), scrubbed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (50 g)
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1/3 cup pecans (40 g), roughly chopped
• Flaky sea salt, to taste, for finishing
• 2 oz fresh chevre, crumbled

Instructions

1. Scrub the sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Trim the ends, halve each potato crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 8 thick wedges so you have about 8 sturdy wedges per potato. Aim for wedges of even thickness so they roast at the same rate.
2. Lay a wedge flat side down on the board and rest two chopsticks snugly against its long sides. Slice crosswise into the curved back every 3 mm; the chopsticks stop the knife before it cuts all the way through. Repeat with every wedge, working slowly and calmly.
3. Whisk the olive oil with the maple syrup and 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt. Brush the mixture generously over every wedge, working it down into the slits so each ridge is coated. Arrange the wedges slit side up on a rimmed baking sheet, spaced well apart.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roast the wedges on the middle rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through. The slits fan open as the ridges caramelize, and the tips deepen to a deep orange-brown with lightly charred edges.
5. While the wedges roast, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl often as it foams; after 3 to 4 minutes the milk solids turn hazelnut brown and smell nutty. Drop in the sage leaves and pecans and cook 1 minute more until the leaves crisp.
6. Transfer the hot wedges to a cast-iron skillet or straight back onto the sheet. Spoon the foaming brown butter over them, letting the sage leaves, pecans and browned solids land on and between the ridges. Toss gently so every wedge catches some of the butter.
7. Scatter the crumbled chevre over the hot wedges so it softens slightly from the residual heat. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt, letting a few flakes fall into the slits. Serve straight from the skillet while the ridges are still crisp.
8. Bring the skillet to the table and let everyone take a wedge whole. The contrast is the point: a shattering, caramelized outside, a molten sweet interior, and buttery, salty, tangy toppings in every bite. Have napkins ready and expect the pan to empty fast.

Contains: milk, tree nuts

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

340

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

33 g

Fat

21 g

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.