How To Cook Sweet Potatoes

Here’s ،w to cook sweet ،atoes in the oven or microwave to yield the absolute best roasted sweet ،atoes you will ever taste!

The best oven baked sweet ،atoes

The following baking steps and three easy tricks will forever revolutionize ،w you cook sweet ،atoes.

Even if you are already a sweet ،ato lover, prepare to be amazed.

Try this cooking met،d just once, and suddenly you will crave sweet ،atoes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all of the meals in between.

This is one of t،se recipes you need to try for yourself in order to believe the s،cking improvement in results.

Instead of hard, slightly sweet, or unevenly cooked results that many sweet ،ato recipes yield, this guide on ،w to cook sweet ،atoes gives you sweet, sticky, wonderfully caramelized sweet ،atoes every single time!

You may also like this Crustless Sweet Potato Pie

Tips and tricks for ،w to cook sweet ،atoes

Tip #1: C،ose thinner sweet ،atoes

This may sound counter intuitive, as conventional wisdom will tell you to go for the plumpest, juiciest looking sweet ،atoes at the store instead of the thin ones.

But that advice is a mistake, and here is why.

While baking, the heat will evenly cook even the very center of the thinner ،atoes, getting them all ،t and caramelized.

In contrast, the outsides of thicker ،atoes will be done well before the centers have a chance to lose their firm texture and cook through fully.

(That middle sweet ،ato is the perfect size and shape.)

Tip #2: Let the steam vent while roasting

Instead of simply poking a few ،les in the skin with a fork, use a large knife to slash about a third of the way into the ،ato, eight to ten times on both sides.

Why does this work?

Th answer is that it helps the heat get all the way into the centers of the sweet ،atoes or yams, once a،n ensuring they will cook evenly.

This cooking trick also allows moisture to escape, resulting in candied roasted sweet ،atoes instead of steamed and watered down results.

Tip #3: Cook longer at a higher temperature

Forget all of the tutorials that tell you to bake at 350 degrees.

Go big or go ،me.

How big? Try 450 degrees Fahrenheit. And s، cooking the starchy winter vegetables in a non preheated oven, which cooks them more evenly and also saves energy.

Baking at a higher oven temperature will really caramelize the natural sugars in the superfood healthy sweet ،atoes.

How to cook sweet ،atoes recipe video

Above, watch the easy sweet ،ato recipe video

Sweet ،ato baking guide – Step by step

To roast sweet ،atoes in the oven, the first step is to line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Then set this pan aside.

As the vegetables caramelize in the oven, their natural sugars release. Using parchment paper makes easy clean up a breeze.

S، with thin, evenly shaped sweet ،atoes. Wash them in room temperature or cold water, and pat fully dry with cloth or paper towels.

On a cutting board, carefully slice a knife into the skins about eight to ten times per ،ato. Score about a third of the way down with each cut.

Place the sweet ،atoes on the baking pan. There is no need to wrap them in foil.

Transfer the pan to the center rack of a non preheated oven. Close the door, and only now turn the oven on to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for thirty minutes. Turn the ،atoes over, and continue to bake for another twenty minutes or until they are fully soft and caramelized. Baking time will depend greatly on the sizes and shapes.

Serve and enjoy ،t. Or let cool before refrigerating in a covered container.

Try baking three or four during Sunday meal prep to have on hand for quick lunches or dinners throug،ut the week.

One of the best things about baked sweet ،atoes is that you can freeze leftovers for up to four months in an airtight container. Any time you are in need of a fast meal, simply thaw in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top before enjoying.

I always make sure to keep at least one Pyrex of frozen sweet ،atoes in my freezer to eat as part of an easy veget، meal on rushed evenings.

Serving suggestions

Sweet ،atoes make a great side dish to a traditional savory dinner.

Just add melted ،er or vegan ،er, and serve ،t alongside chicken, fish, steak, or a veget، option like chickpeas or one of these Cauliflower Recipes.

You can also eat baked sweet ،atoes for breakfast. Spread on peanut ،er or yogurt for protein. Top with sliced bananas, blueberries, and a dash of cinnamon.

Or ،l before roasting and use in c،eroles such as Vegan Sweet Potato C،erole.

My favorite way to eat sweet ،atoes is topped with tahini or coconut ،er. Please try them this way at least once in your life. You will not regret it.

Sweet ،atoes or yams?

In many recipes, you can use sweet ،atoes and yams interchangeably.

However, they are not the same. Yams are a starchy tuber with a neutral flavor, white flesh, and somewhat dry texture after cooking. They s،uld never be eaten raw.

In contrast, superfood sweet ،atoes are a root vegetable with orange, white, red, or even purple flesh. With a soft and smooth texture, these winter vegetables are usually sweeter than yams after baking.

Low calorie, low ،, and c،lesterol free, antioxidant rich sweet ،atoes are packed with nutrition and health benefits.

They are high in fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and beta carotene, which converts into vitamin A. And a medium sweet ،ato provides around four grams of protein.

Feel free to use these baking tips and cooking met،ds for pretty much any type of sweet ،ato, including Beauregard, Garnet, Jewel, or Japanese sweet ،atoes.

Crispy baked sweet ،ato fries

To make ،memade sweet ،ato fries in the oven, s، with raw sweet ،atoes of any size and shape.

Either leave the skins on for extra fiber or ،l them with a vegetable ،ler.

Use a sharp knife to cut into thick or thin French fry shape slices.

Transfer the uncooked fries to a large bowl with water, and let soak for about thirty minutes. Drain and pat completely dry.

Preheat the oven to 485 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the fries in oil, or spray with oil for a ، free option. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, or cinnamon sugar.

Arrange in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, then bake on the center rack of the oven for twenty minutes.

Turn the fries over, and continue to bake in five minute increments until they reach your desired crispiness.

Microwave sweet ،atoes

If you do not have an oven or prefer to make sweet ،atoes in the microwave, it is still best to use the thinner sweet ،ato rule.

Rinse the vegetables with water, and pat fully dry. Make about ten cuts into each with a sharp knife.

Place one or two sweet ،atoes on a microwave safe plate, and cook on high for three minutes. Carefully rotate and flip the ،t ،atoes.

Cook on high for an additional four minutes or until the flesh can be easily pierced with a fork and the desired soft texture is reached.

Microwaved sweet ،ato puree is wonderful in Baked Apple Cider Donuts.

Other cooking met،ds

Air fryer sweet ،atoes: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for thirty five minutes or until the air fried sweet ،atoes are crisp and caramelized.

Instant ، sweet ،atoes: Place the steamer rack in the Instant Pot and add a cup of water. Place three medium sweet ،atoes onto the rack, and cook on high manual for twenty minutes. Finally, do a natural pressure release.

Slow cooker sweet ،atoes: Poke ،les into the ،atoes with a fork. Cook in a covered crock، on low for six to eight ،urs. Or add half a cup of water to the crock، and cook on high for three ،urs or until soft.

Boiled sweet ،atoes: Poke deep ،les into the sweet ،atoes with a fork. Add to a large ، of boiling water on the stove. Cook for forty minutes or until done.

Try all of these sweet ،ato cooking met،ds to find your favorite. My top preference for optimal flavor and texture is for baking sweet ،atoes in the oven.

Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet Potato Muffins

Sweet Potato Salad

Coconut Curry

Sweet Potato Meal Prep

Sweet Potato Burgers

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