Place the peeled, cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbs olive oil, sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.

Arrange and roast

Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving small gaps between pieces to encourage browning. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until edges are caramelized and cubes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Harissa Yogurt Sauce

Combine sauce ingredients

While the potatoes roast, whisk together 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbs harissa paste, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tsp salt in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust heat or salt — add more harissa for spice or more honey for sweetness.

Finishing & Serve

Plate

When the sweet potatoes are done, remove from the oven and let sit 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates.

Dress and garnish

Spoon or drizzle the harissa yogurt over the warm sweet potatoes (about half the sauce as a base and reserve some to dollop on top). Sprinkle chopped cilantro (2 tbs), toasted sesame seeds (or pine nuts) (1 tbs), and lemon zest (1 tsp) over the dish. Drizzle 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and, if using, dust lightly with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.

Serve

Serve warm as a side or light main. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days.