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    Chef Cindy » Recipes » Sides » Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme

    Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme

    Published: Feb 23, 2022 | Modified: Feb 23, 2022 by Chef Cindy | Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Roasted sunchokes are crispy on the outside but tender, sweet, and nutty on the inside. You’ll love the zing of lemon & thyme that tantalize your tastebuds!

    Roasted sunchokes in a bowl with thyme leaves
    Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme are the perfect side dish for any meal!

    This was inspired by my Roasted Potato And Green Bean Salad which I love to make during the summer months when green beans are in season. Besides potatoes, winter brings seasonal root vegetables that like turnip, rutabaga, beets, and parsnip that also taste delicious when roasted.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme

    Ingredients

    The star of this recipe is sunchokes, a.k.a. Jerusalem artichokes. The Jerusalem Artichoke is not an artichoke but a member of the sunflower family. It looks nothing like an artichoke (more like a tiny potato or ginger) but is a dark brown, lumpy-looking tuber. It also does not originate in Jerusalem; its name comes from the Spanish and Italian word Girasole, which means sunflower! The word artichoke was used to describe these root vegetables due to their similar taste, but otherwise, the name is entirely misleading. As if this wasn’t confusing enough, the Jerusalem artichoke is often referred to as a sunchoke, at least a more appropriate term.

    raw sunchokes in a bowl
    Raw sunchokes look like tiny, nubby potatoes or ginger

    Sunchokes are root vegetables with a distinct starchy taste. They cook like potatoes, where the outer skin becomes crispy, and the insides are tender, sweet, nutty, and white like potatoes.

    They can be purchased from your local market in the winter months. When shopping, seek out sunchokes that are firm and light brown, primarily free of dark spots.

    To make Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme requires few ingredients:

    • sunchokes
    • olive oil
    • thyme
    • lemon
    • sea salt

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Making a side dish doesn’t get much easier than this. That’s why I love roasting vegetables! Start by scrubbing the sunchokes clean with a vegetable brush. They can be a bit dirty since they do grow in the dirt.

    raw sunchokes with vegetable scrubber and towel for cleaning
    Cleaning sunchokes with a vegetable scrubber are a must!

    If you notice a few dark spots on the sunchokes, you can cut them away or leave them be as long as they aren’t soft. After scrubbing clean, you can peel them, but leave the skin on for this recipe. It is edible and adds extra flavor and crispiness!

    Cut into finger size pieces, preferably length-wise. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet – drizzle with olive oil and a hint of sea salt. Roast at 375° for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown and crispy.

    Roasted sunchokes on baking sheet
    Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350° for 30 minutes

    Shift them around with a spatula during roasting to ensure they brown on all sides. Top with lemon, thyme, and sea salt mixture once finished baking.

    roasted vegetables close up in a bowl
    Golden brown, crispy, and ready to serve!

    Variations

    Sunchokes can be cooked in various ways and with different spices:

    • Spices – flavored sea salt, garlic powder, coriander, nutmeg, fennel seed
    • Herbs – parsley, rosemary, sage
    • Technique – mash, roast, air fry, grilled, peeled, or whole

    Check out my Simple Sunchokes Chips Recipe made with an air fryer!

    Equipment

    Roasted sunchokes are best when baked in an oven – toaster ovens are also great as long as the sunchokes don’t overlap and touch each other.

    Or you can roast them in an air fryer for less time and with less oil!

    Storage

    Disregard their rugged look; sunchokes require care when storing. Raw sunchokes should be stored in a plastic/reusable produce bag and wrapped in paper towels to absorb moisture. It is best to use them within seven to ten days,

    Once cooked, roasted sunchokes are best to serve fresh out of the oven when they are crispy. But trust me, they are still delicious to pick on as a cold leftover. I like to add leftover sunchokes to a salad the next day, cut up into smaller pieces.

    Print
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    roasted sunchokes with thyme sprigs

    Roasted Sunchokes with Lemon & Thyme

    • Author: Chef Cindy
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 2 – 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Roasted
    • Cuisine: Healthy
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Roasted sunchokes are crispy on the outside but tender, sweet, and nutty on the inside. You’ll love the zing of lemon & thyme that tantalize your tastebuds!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 lb sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes)
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • ½  teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 thyme sprigs
    • 1 lemon

    Instructions

    1. Scrub the sunchokes clean. Dry thoroughly. 
    2. Cut into finger size pieces, preferably lengthwise.
    3. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and a hint of sea salt. 
    4. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until light brown and crispy.
    5. While sunchokes are baking, prepare lemon & thyme topping – remove thyme leaves and chop and zest lemon using a Microplane. Mix thyme leaves, lemon zest, and sea salt in a bowl or mash using a mortar and pestle. 
    6. When sunchokes are finished cooking, top with lemon & thyme mixture and serve immediately. 

    Keywords: roasted sunchokes, Jerusalem artichokes

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    Hi, I'm Cindy! Vegan chef with a flexitarian palate and a passion for inspiring new ideas in the kitchen! 

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