How To Cook Sweet Potatoes
If I could only have five foods for the rest of my life, I’m pretty sure sweet potatoes would make the list. I love them SO much and make a big batch of them weekly, and I always get lots of questions about how I prepare them! This post includes tips on how to quickly and easily prep sweet potatoes, kitchen tools you need, how to cook sweet potatoes, plus how to season and serve them up!
Check out my video with a tutorial & tips below!
How do you clean sweet potatoes?
First, you’ll want to start by cleaning your sweet potatoes. You can do this by using a vegetable brush and scrubbing the potatoes thoroughly under running water. When they are clean, pat dry with a paper towel.
can you eat sweet potato skin?
Yes, and you should! Many of the nutrients are concentrated in the skin, including fiber, which is good for gut health, and potassium, which is beneficial for heart health.
Purple and orange sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, which can protect your body from free radical damage. In addition, orange sweet potatoes are one of the richest natural sources of beta-carotene, a plant-based compound that is converted to vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is essential for a healthy immune system. (Source)
Good news: the skin tastes delicious, too!
how to cut sweet potatoes
When you are cutting sweet potatoes (or any kinds of potatoes), it is important to have a big, sharp knife. A little steak knife isn’t going to do the trick here!
I love using Santoku knives to cut my sweet potatoes. Below I am linking a few options for you to look into! They are very affordable and can be used for all kinds of foods, including other types of tough vegetables, like carrots, as well as meat.
can you store chopped, uncooked sweet potatoes?
Yep! I do it often. I like to try to prep and chop vegetables right when I get home from the grocery store on Sundays so I can just quickly and easily season & cook them later in the week.
If I don’t plan to cook my chopped sweet potatoes immediately, I will store them in a Stasher Bag in the refrigerator up to 2 days or so. They stay fresh and they still cook up just as well! I also do this for other veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.
how to season sweet potatoes
My personal favorite way to season sweet potatoes is with a thin layer of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil and cinnamon. I’m more of a sweet fan! If you prefer a savory mix, try combining chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper (and salt, if desired).
Click here for glass Olive Oil Bottle with Pourer — I keep one of these on my counter at all times so it’s quick and easy to grab when I’m cooking! Fill with extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
With the leftovers of my cinnamon-seasoned sweet potato fries, I love to reheat them in the microwave and drizzle with creamy almond butter! (I love the Kirkland’s brand from Costco and creamy almond butter from Trader Joe’s.) This makes for a delicious side with scrambled eggs for breakfast, or as a snack!
Otherwise, you can serve them as a side dish with any type of protein and vegetables, such as grilled salmon and roasted Brussels sprouts, pictured previously.
how to cook sweet potatoes
There are so many delicious ways to prepare sweet potatoes!
Roasted, Chopped Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Fries
My personal favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes is roasting them in the oven.
Spread seasoned sweet potatoes evenly on a prepared baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Use a spatula to toss them at the 15-minute mark so they roast evenly. See my full roasted vegetables recipe here.
You can also make delicious, 3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Fries using this method.
Note: you could even do both of these in the air fryer instead! Check out this recipe from A Pinch Of Healthy for air fryer sweet potato fries.
Sweet Potato Nachos
These Sweet Potato Nachos are loaded with a variety of veggies and can act as an entree if you wish! The topping includes black beans, so you are getting some protein, but you always have the option to add some additional protein such as Chicken Taco Meat, or ground beef, etc.
Sweet Potato Casserole
I have been making Hummusapien’s Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving the past several years and it is unbelievably delicious. Why bother recreating the wheel?! Click here for her Sweet Potato Casserole recipe; honestly, I would make this all year. It’s that good.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Okay, this one isn’t homemade, but if you have never tried the Sweet Potato Gnocchi from Trader Joe’s, you must! It’s delicious. I like to cook it in the air fryer at 390 F for about 12-14 minutes!
And that is my post alllllll about how to cook sweet potatoes! I hope you found it to be helpful! Please let me know if you have any more questions in the comments below.
What is your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes? Let me know! : )
Share the love by pinning this post on Pinterest so you can easily refer back for all the tips and meal ideas!
Until next time,
Shanna
I love sweet potatoes too! Thank you for the great ideas. I normally just put one or two in the microwave for several minutes until soft. I love roasted vegetables, so I definitely see some roasted sweet potatoes in my future.
Yes, I know the microwave is a super quick and easy option, but roasting them is a game changer! Enjoy! : )
Toast the sweet potato. Drizzle almond butter and sprinkle blueberries.
Yum, sounds delish!