Baked Yam Fries with Kale Pesto and Garlic Parmesan Aioli
Baked Yam Fries with Kale Pesto and Garlic Parmesan Aioli
Are you team classic french fries or yam fries? I personally love both! It really depends what I’m in the mood for. Lately, I’ve been wanting to make yam fries and I recently came up with the BEST combination! These are not just yam fries… these are oven-baked yam fries with homemade kale pesto and creamy garlic parmesan aioli! And let me tell you, the flavour combination is absolutely unreal! The yam fries are sweet while the kale pesto adds a nice bitterness and the creamy garlic Parmesan aioli balances it all out with a little salt and savoury. You have to try it!
The ingredients are all pretty basic. Of course, if you are making the pesto and the aioli you will need a little more than just yams, but its so worth it! If you have a food processor, the pesto is insanely easy to make. Everything gets tossed into there and is blended into saucy, green goodness within minutes. The aioli is easy to make as well; just whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl and you’re done!
For the fries:
Yams - You can use yams or sweet potatoes for this recipe, but I personally love the vibrant orange colour of yams!
Avocado oil - We are tossing the fries in avocado oil before transferring the to the oven. You can also use olive oil.
Spices - We’re keeping it really simple with just salt and pepper on the fries!
For the kale pesto:
Kale - We are using green kale for this recipe to get that beautiful, vibrant green colour for the pesto! It is less sweet than basil and will therefore result in a more bitter pesto, which works beautifully on the yams! Make sure you buy organic kale as leafy greens are one of the most sprayed types of produce!
Parmesan cheese - Parmesan cheese is a common ingredient in traditional pestos, so we are definitely adding it here! It has a unique flavour, saltiness and texture that is going to make the pesto how we like it!
Pine nuts - Pine nuts are also traditionally used to make pesto. It gives it that sort of gritty texture. You can use other nuts, like walnuts, but I prefer pine nuts.
Lemon - The acid in lemon juice is an important addition to help balance out all of the flavours of the pesto.
Garlic - Yes! We love our garlic and when it comes to pesto, it’s no different! Just one clove of garlic adds beautiful flavour to the pesto. I recommend using fresh, minced garlic as opposed to marinated garlic.
For the garlic parmesan aioli:
Mayonnasie - Mayonnaise is the base for the aioli, so we want to use a really good quality mayonnaise. Using real mayonnaise will make all of the difference!
Garlic - The garlic is a key ingredient! It makes the flavour of this aioli so delicious. Be sure to use fresh garlic for this recipe!
Parmesan - I absolutely love the addition of parmesan cheese to the aioli. It adds flavour but also texture. I recommend using fresh grated Parmesan (not powdered parmesan) for this recipe.
Lemon juice - The lemon juice is the only element of acid in the aioli, so it is also an important ingredient in balancing the flavours of all of the other ingredients.
You could totally show off to your friends with this recipe on your next game night or movie night! You can prep the fries, pesto and aioli a day ahead too, which I love! Just store the fries in a container with water in the fridge and the next day, spread them out on a towel and let them dry for an hour before oiling and baking. The pesto and aioli can be stored in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Baked Yam Fries with Kale Pesto and Garlic Parmesan Aioli
Baked Yam Fries with Kale Pesto and Garlic Parmesan Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 1/2lbs yams, cut into 1/2" thick fries
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups packed green kale, washed
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the yam fries on the prepared pan, drizzle with oil and salt and pepper and toss them to coat. Spread them out again in an even layer and bake them in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
- Make the pesto: in a food processor, add the kale, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt and mix until a coarse crumb forms. Drizzle in the olive oil and blend on high until all of the ingredients are broken down and you have a beautiful green pesto, about 2-4 minutes.
- Make the aioli: in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper until combined.
- When the fries are done, drizzle them with kale pesto, top with a little shredded parmesan cheese and serve with a side of garlic parmesan aioli. Enjoy!