Baked Sweet Potato Recipe
Sweet potatoes can be cooked in many different ways, but baking them in the oven is my favorite. A form of dry-heat cooking, baking brings out its natural flavors and sweetness without the need for any added syrups, sweeteners, marshmallows, or oils.
Should a craving call, however, this starchy root vegetable will happily conform to make your favorite sweet potato casserole or savory main dish, like this steak and sweet potato skillet.
But mostly, sweet potatoes are just really really good and super easy to cook. And with right around 180 calories per medium-sized baked sweet potato, you can enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
The mealtime opportunities thanks to a simple baked sweet potato are endless. This recipe is perfect for anyone learning the basics or just brushing up.
Love sweet potatoes? Try our healthy mashed sweet potatoes and crispy sweet potato fries.
Easy Baked Sweet Potato
A perfectly Baked Sweet Potato is easier than you think! Learn how to bake sweet potatoes quickly and easily with my foolproof method! Sweet and fluffy on the inside with a delightfully crispy skin, these baked sweet potatoes make the perfect side dish for every occasion. Go sweet OR savory your choice! Looking for more tasty side dishes? Make sure to try my famous Cranberry Sauce and Twice Baked Potato Casserole!
Then Uncover And Roast
Once the starches convert to a mix of sucrose, fructose, glucose, and maltose from the steaming process. Exposing the slices to the dry heat towards the end of cooking elevates the surface temperatures.
Any sucrose present will begin to caramelize between 320 to 350ºF and form a wonderful crust. Those caramelized sugars will slightly harden as it cools down, which makes each bite a little bit crisp.
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How Long Do You Bake A Potato At 400
The answer to this question depends on the type of potato you are baking. Some potatoes will take around 20-25 minutes to bake at 400 degrees, while others may need up to 40 minutes. For those who are not sure how long they should bake their potato, it is important to consult with a cook or microwave oven owner before beginning the process.
Which Is Better Boil Or Bake Sweet Potatoes
There are pros and cons to both methods, but boiled sweet potatoes are generally considered the better option. Boiled sweet potatoes are less processed and have a more delicate flavor, while baking them results in an harsher flavor that can be controversial. Which method you choose will depend on your preference and what type of sweet potato you want.
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Should You Poke Holes In Sweet Potatoes Before Baking
Sweet potatoes are a popular food in many cultures, and they can be used in many different ways. You can bake them, or you can eat them as is. Some people prefer to poke holes in the sweet potatoes before baking them so that they cook evenly. The downside to this method is that it might not be able to crisp up the skin very well, so its worth considering before making your decision.
Perfect Baked Sweet Potato
Perfectly Baked Sweet Potatoes have a soft, sweet, and fluffy inside with a crispy flavorful outside. One of my favorite easy side dish recipes, theyre packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Perfect for meal prep and delicious serve with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt.
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Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy
Sweet potatoes are a whole food that pack a powerful nutritional punch. In one medium potato, you get over 400 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement. They are also high in fiber and potassium and are a great source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that gives orange fruits and vegetables their vibrant color.
Secrets To The Best Sweet Potatoes In The Oven
With their natural sweetness, crispy outsides, and meltingly creamy insides, roasted sweet potatoes are quite possibly one of the easiest vegetables to adore. Discerning adults and picky eaters alike can rally around them. And theyre good for you too!
We eat roasted sweet potatoes often and were perfectly happy with them , so I didnt think my technique needed improving. Then, one night, I was in a hurry and I tried something new.
I cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks.
GAME CHANGER.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipes
Now that you know how to bake sweet potatoes in the oven, it’s time to put that knowledge to work! Cheesy Roasted Sweet Potatoes are incredibly easy, and of course, delicious with the mix of melty Fontina and satisfying Parmesan. Want something with a kick? Molasses-and-Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges will do the trick.
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How To Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and grease with oil.
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes, then cut into ¾-inch rounds.
- Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and seasonings.
- Place potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Cover potatoes with foil.
- Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Flip the potatoes and bake until golden brown on both sides.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then serve, garnish with thyme.
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Recipe For Baking Sweet Potato In The Oven
I like to use this recipe to bake sweet potatoes in the oven.
Whats The Difference Between A Sweet Potato And A Yam
Sweet potatoes and yams are both root vegetables, but theyre actually quite different. To make matters confusing, most yams sold in supermarkets in the United States are actually sweet potatoes, just marketed under the wrong name yikes.
Yams tend to have brown-ish, rougher skin and lighter flesh. Theyre also starchier and dryer when cooked.
Sweet potatoes have more tapered ends, reddish-orange skin and vibrant orange flesh though they can come in a variety of colors from white to orange to purple. Sweet potatoes are also sweeter when theyre cooked.
The take-away: if what youve bought looks like these photos, odds are its a variety of sweet potato even though it may have been called a yam in the store.
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How To Bake Sweet Potatoes In The Oven
Roasting sweet potatoes is as easy as it sounds. Because you’re leaving the skin on for added nutrition and texture, make sure to scrub them well before cutting them in half before roasting.
If you’re halving the potatoes before popping them in the oven , small sweet potatoes will take less than 25 minutes in a 425°F oven. Roasted sweet potato wedges will take about the same time if the potatoes are small to medium in size. Cubed sweet potatoes will take slightly less time since they’re cut in smaller pieces , 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the cubes. But if you’re hankering for roasted whole sweet potatoes they’ll take slightly longer, about 40 minutes.
The Best Sweet Potato Recipe
What started as a time saver turned out to be the best-kept secret to roasted sweet potatoes.
- Cut the Sweet Potatoes into Large Chunks. I found 1-inch cubes to be ideal.
- Larger sweet potato pieces meant a longer baking time in the oven.
- The insides had time to become unbelievably velvety while the outsides fully crisped, all without drying the sweet potatoes out.
- Roast at a High Temperature. 425 degrees F is spot-on. Its hot enough to crisp the outsides and allows the flavors of the sweet potatoes to caramelize and concentrate .
- Dont Crowd the Pan. You need plenty of room around the pieces for air to circulate, otherwise they will steam and you lose the crispy outsides.
- Seasoning. Even simple kosher salt will give you great results, though you can amp them up in assorted ways. See below for suggestions.
- Add a Touch of Honey. Need to lure picky eaters into eating veggies? Try making honey roasted sweet potatoes. It increases the caramelization of the sweet potatoes further too. If you do add honey, be sure to line your sheet pan to prevent sticking.
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What Temp Should A Baked Potato Be Cooked At
When cooking potatoes, it is important to keep in mind the correct temperature. Too high of a temperature can lead to bitter and tough potatoes, while too low a temperature can cause them to be soft and fluffy. Here are some tips on how to cook your potatoes at the right temp:
Do You Pierce Sweet Potatoes Before Baking
Sweet potatoes are a popular snack food and are usually eaten before baking. They have a sweet flavor and can be eaten plain or with some other dipping sauce. Some people think that it is best to pierce the sweet potatoes before baking to allow them to cook more evenly and avoid them from becoming overcooked.
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Choosing And Storing Sweet Potatoes
Picking the right sweet potato can make all the difference when you’re trying to achieve that perfect baked sweet potato. So how do you end up with the right one? Go for thinner, uniform sweet potatoes.
Although you may be tempted to pick the more meatier potato, thinner sweet potatoes will cook evenly all the way through to the center. With fatter sweet potatoes, the outsides will be done before the centers have been fully cooked. If you’ve ever encountered this problem when baking sweet potatoes, it’s probably because you’re cooking with the wrong size.
How To Pick A Good Sweet Potato
- Red and orange sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams at the grocery store which is actually inaccurate. True yams are starchier and drier than sweet potatoes with a thick and fibrous skin.
- There are lots of different varieties of sweet potatoes: Heres an article that describes some of the different varieties and characteristics.
- I recommend skipping tan or purple skinned sweet potatoes and sticking with orange or red skinned sweet potatoes. This variety are sweeter and have a creamier texture.
- My favorite sweet potatoes for roasting? Either Red Garnet or Jewel.
- When picking a sweet potato at the grocery store look for firm potatoes without growths or discolorations on their skins. Avoid soft or wet potatoes.
- For questions on freshness/how long a sweet potato lasts, check out this article.
Now that youve got some sweet potatoes, lets talk cutting.
There are a lot of different ways that you can cut sweet potatoes for roasting you can make roasted sweet potatoes wedges or crispy roasted sweet potatoes fries. You can even roast sweet potato halves! Thicker, bigger cuts will need a longer bake time, and thinner cuts will need a shorter amount of time in the oven. For this particular recipe, were making roasted sweet potato cubes, and I recommend cutting the sweet potato into ½ inch chunks.
While there isnt one single way to cut a sweet potato into cubes, Ill share my favorite way to cut them below.
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Is Baking Sweet Potatoes Healthy
There are pros and cons to both methods, but boiled sweet potatoes are generally considered the better option. Boiled sweet potatoes are less processed and have a more delicate flavor, while baking them results in an harsher flavor that can be controversial. Which method you choose will depend on your preference and what type of sweet potato you want.
Do You Need To Peel Sweet Potatoes
This is a personal question depending on what results youre after. Sweet potato skins are edible and become crispy in the oven while roasting, just like regular potatoes.
The beauty of roasted sweet potatoes is that they can be cooked either way and still be absolutely incredible. You can always adjust this recipe to suit your taste.
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How To Bake A Sweet Potato In A Conventional Oven
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F . Wash sweet potato, and pat dry. Prick several times with a fork. Bake sweet potato on a baking sheet for 45 minutes, or until done. To test for doneness, insert a knife into the center of the potato. If the knife slides in easily, the potato is done.
It takes some time to bake sweet potatoes whole, but you get the perfect texture with no puddles or tears. It only takes about five minutes to get them into the oven, allowing your hands to be free to rest while they roast. You can use the baking instructions below for sweet potatoes based on their size. They are high in fiber and vitamin A and C, in addition to being low in fat and high in minerals and antioxidants. Can sweet potatoes be frozen? Cooking them in the oven is also an option. Sweet potatoes can be baked for up to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the potato. Before serving, you should drop the sweet potato about 10 inches above the cutting board or baking dish. Sweet potatoes are lighter and fluffy when they are dropped after baking because the insides of the potatoes loosen.
Dont Preheat The Oven
The key to coaxing out more sweetness from the potatoes is to start cooking them in a cold oven. This may sound strange but it comes down to the conversion of starch to sugars.
The goal is to gradually increase the internal temperature of the flesh to allow more sugars to be created. According to Cooks Illustrated, this change occurs between 135 to 175ºF and halts past that limit.
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How To Cook Sweet Potatoes In A Convection Oven
by Ali Kirby | Oct 30, 2022 | Cooking Tips
Sweet potatoes are a delicious, nutritious, and versatile root vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways. One popular method is to cook them in a convection oven. Convection ovens use hot air that circulates around the food, cooking it evenly and quickly. So, how long do you cook sweet potatoes in a convection oven? The answer depends on the size and type of sweet potato, as well as your personal preferences. For smaller sweet potatoes, cook them for about 20-25 minutes. For larger sweet potatoes, cook them for 30-35 minutes. If you like your sweet potatoes softer, you can cook them for a shorter amount of time. If you prefer them to be more firm, cook them for a longer period of time. Once youve cooked your sweet potatoes to your liking, remove them from the oven and enjoy!
Whole baked sweet potatoes should take 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit one hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit one and 1/2 hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and one and a half hours at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can You Eat Sweet Potato Raw
If so, you may be wondering if you can. Hereâs everything you need to know about whether or not you can eat sweet potatoes raw.
First and foremost, sweet potatoes are a healthy plant-based source of dietary fiber and potassium. In addition, they are low in calories and have no harmful toxins that could impact your health. Plus, they are a great source of antioxidants which can protect your skin from aging and other harmful effects.
If you want to try eating sweet potatoes raw, do it gradually. Start by baking them for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit before enjoying them as is or use them in a dish like roasted sweet potatoes with bacon or avocado dressing. Just be sure to research the health benefits of consuming rawSweet potatoes before making this decision!
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Should The Sweet Potatoes Be Peeled
Yes! Sweet potatoes have a relatively thin outer skin which can be eaten when roasted. However, caramelization will not occur around the entire potato with the skin left on. For the best eating experience, pull out the peeler when roasting smaller pieces. I prefer to leave the skin on when making whole baked sweet potatoes.