Sunchokes are a knobby root vegetable that can be prepared in more ways than you can imagine! In this recipe, you’ll learn how to roast them with olive oil, garlic, and thyme. It’s an easy side dish you can pair with anything.
Have you noticed sunchokes popping up on menus, at farmer’s markets, or even at your everyday grocery store lately? The starchy root vegetable is growing in popularity because it not only tastes great but is as versatile as a potato. Add them to your grocery list if you haven’t already!
Sunchoke beginners will quickly fall in love with this roasted sunchokes recipe. The thin slices cook quickly in the oven and are seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and fresh thyme. Every bite is buttery and elegant. It’s the best side dish to serve next to Marinated Lamb Chops for special occasions or Air Fryer Chicken Breasts during busy weeknights.
Did you know that roasting is not the only way to prepare them?
Even though they’re a part of the sunflower plant family, just think of sunchokes as a substitute for carrots and potatoes. They can be mashed with butter, fried into chips, blended into a soup, and so much more!
You’ll be falling for this versatile root vegetable in no time.
What are sunchokes?
These knobby, earthy root vegetables are part of the sunflower plant family. Also known as “Jerusalem artichokes” (despite not having roots in Jerusalem or being related to artichokes), they look like ginger roots on the outside but are closer in comparison to potatoes on the inside.
They grow underground, are in season from fall through spring, and can be prepared in almost any way you can imagine.
What do sunchokes taste like?
Sunchokes taste earthy, starchy, and sweet on their own. You could easily compare the flavor to jicama, potatoes, or hazelnuts. Once cooked, they have the same creamy texture as roasted potatoes.
How to find the best sunchokes
Look for large and firm sunchokes without any blemishes on the skin when you’re out shopping. The skin should be a shade of light brown or closer to red or pink. Make sure to leave the ones with black spots behind.
The bigger the sunchoke, the better it will be for roasting. However, feel free to pick up a variety of sizes if you plan on using them in more than one recipe.
Preparing sunchokes for roasting
- Wash them under cold water and scrub them well to remove dirt and debris from the skin.
- Sunchokes can be cooked with or without their skin. It’s up to you if you want to peel them!
- Slice them into thin rounds to prepare them for roasting.
How do you cook sunchokes?
You can treat sunchokes just as you would any other root vegetable. They can be roasted, boiled, mashed, pickled, fried, grilled, or even eaten raw.
Roasting sunchokes is a great place to start for beginners. The sliced rounds are seasoned with simple herbs and aromatics to highlight their creamy, buttery flavor. Here’s how it’s done:
- Place the slices on a baking sheet and drizzle oil over top. Arrange them in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven and add the sliced garlic cloves halfway through the cooking time. They’re ready when they’re golden brown and crispy.
- Toss the roasted sunchokes in the remaining oil. Season with thyme (or, try one of these thyme substitutes), salt, and pepper, then enjoy!
Storing tips
- Storing raw sunchokes: Wrap in paper towels and store them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container in the fridge. They should stay fresh for up to 10 days.
- Storing cooked sunchokes: This can depend on how you prepare them, but roasted sunchokes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Sunchokes FAQs
Sunchokes can be cooked with or without their skin. It’s up to you if you want to peel them!
Yes, they taste similar. Sunchokes are earthy and starchy like potatoes. And, once cooked, they have the same creamy texture as roasted potatoes.
More ways to use sunchokes
Just like carrots and potatoes, sunchokes can be cooked and served in almost any way you can imagine. These ideas should provide you with plenty of inspiration:
- Puree them into a soup, like this Healthy Potato Leek Soup.
- Dip the roasted slices into harissa hummus or baba ganoush.
- Enjoy the roasted sunchokes on the side of roasted chicken or turkey.
- Mash them with butter.
- Make my Buffalo Potatoes recipe, but with sunchokes instead of potatoes.
- Use raw sliced sunchokes as a crispy topping on a fresh green salad, like this Fennel Salad with Chickpeas.
- Dice and fry them for a breakfast hash.
- Make fried sunchoke chips and dip them in chipotle crema sauce.
More easy side dishes
- The Best Glazed Carrots Recipe
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Instant Pot Artichokes
- Creamy Polenta with Parmesan
Did you try this sunchoke recipe?
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Sunchokes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes rinsed and scrubbed well, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 sprigs thyme (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the sunchoke slices on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 15 minutes. Then add the garlic and toss. Bake 10-15 minutes longer, until golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and immediately toss with remaining 1 TBSP olive oil and thyme. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
This how to cook sunchokes guide was originally published in 2022. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The sunchoke recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Beautiful recipe!
Do you keep sunchokes in the garden or do you buy them? If yes, how do you keep them in the winter, do you leave them in the ground or you dig them up and store someplace else?
Hi Mariama – I buy them at the store. My green thumb does not exist unfortunately 😉
How thick or thin do you cut the sun chokes? 1/4 of an inch? etc.
NVM I see it in the recipe. Sorry.
“Use raw sliced sunchokes as a crispy topping on a fresh green salad.”
I was under the impression from a few online health articles that because of the inulin in the vegetables eating them raw can cause excess gas.
What is your opinion Erin?
HI LaLa – Both cooked and raw sunchokes can bother some stomachs. I would go slow with them! Even though they’re delicious, they can cause bloating and gas unfortunately!
Used this recipe to cook sunchokes for the first time — delicious! So easy to prepare.