From scrumptious sweet potatoes to yummy yuca, the world of root vegetables is vast, delicious, and perfect for autumn heritage recipes.
Root vegetables – which are edible plants or parts of plants that grow underground and can fall into multiple categories – have a place in any heritage-based eating pattern: parsnips in the Mediterranean Diet, cassava in the African Heritage Diet, yams in the Latin American Heritage Diet, and ginger in the Asian Heritage Diet. In fact, many root vegetables are commonly found in more than one heritage diet, showing just how much overlap there is between these healthy ways of eating.
As colder weather rolls around, root vegetables bring an earthy warmth to recipes that is sure to add that extra level of coziness. As with other vegetables, they are also packed with a variety of micronutrients and some remarkably unique flavors, meaning there’s so much room to play around.
Although some root vegetables, like onions and garlic, are used in many recipes without a second thought, here are some heritage diet recipes we’ve been loving that make deliberate use of the wide world of root vegetables:
Mediterranean
Kale with Roasted Beets, Wheat Berries, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts: Beets bring a slightly sweet earthiness to this dish, pairing beautifully with the tangy goat cheese and nutty wheat berries. Just be sure to massage the kale before adding to the salad so that it can soften.
Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Leeks: Harissa is a hot Tunisian chili paste that is perfectly balanced out by starchy sweet potatoes. Along with chicken and leeks, this meal is a lovely balance of everything you should want on your dinner plate!
Smashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Olive Oil and Garlic: It’s easy to get caught up in the same recipes year after year. They’re classics for a reason – but that doesn’t mean they can’t be toyed with. Try adding a twist to traditional mashed potatoes by adding yet another root vegetable (parsnips!) as well as extra virgin olive oil and plenty of garlic.
African
African Peanut Soup: Packed with protein, this traditional West African soup uses peanut butter for flavor, incorporating plenty of root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and ginger. It’s delicious and filling, and perfectly finished off with a garnish of roasted crushed peanuts and sliced scallions.
Moroccan Tagine with Prunes: This recipe is for a traditional meat tagine, which requires marinating the meat in a variety of spices overnight. Despite a little extra work, this dish is worth every second, with warm and comforting flavors from the spice medley and heartiness from root vegetables like onions, potatoes and carrots.
Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup: Sweet potatoes have a less common look in this dish, in which we use white instead of orange. Paired with pumpkin, ginger, rosemary and a hint of nutmeg, this vegan soup is full of warming flavors that are perfect for fall.
Latin American
Caldo Verde: This delicious soup makes use of flavors that you may have never experienced in tandem before. With fennel, saffron, black kale or collard greens, jalapeños, and potatoes for added creaminess, it can be made vegetarian or with chorizo sausage.
Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers: These stuffed bell peppers are as pleasing to your tastebuds as they are pretty on the plate. Packed with whole grain goodness, carrots, onions and plenty of herbs and spices, this dish is wonderful as a meatless main or a savory side.
Southwest Potato Corn Chowder: This warm and filling soup makes great use of gold potatoes, one of the easiest root vegetables to access and thus to incorporate into fall meals. Top with chopped avocado, lime juice and cilantro for a flavorful accent.
Asian
Chana with Sweet Potatoes: One of India’s most popular dishes — Chana Masala — features chickpeas simmered with tomatoes. Here, we’ve added sweet potatoes and greens to make the dish even more interesting and satisfying.
Whole Wheat Peanut Noodles with Turmeric and Tofu: Root vegetables come in all shapes and sizes, and this noodle dish incorporates a whole array of them. Carrots, radishes, turmeric and ginger all meld to make a wonderfully comforting dish.
Thai Peanut Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes and peanuts are a delicious combination enjoyed across the globe, especially in African and Asian cuisines, and the ginger, garlic and hearty chickpeas take these to the next level.
Most of these root vegetables are easy to find in grocery stores, but that’s just the beginning! Once you have a rotation of favorite veggies, try seeking out less common ones like cassava, jicama or lotus root. No matter the season, and no matter the heritage diet, root vegetables will always have a place at the table!
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