BAKED SWEET POTATO RECIPE
Discover the art of baking sweet potatoes with these helpful tips and tricks! Savor them with butter, salt, and pepper, or try one of my favorite recipes for baked sweet potatoes.
As the air turns crisp in the fall, I find myself yearning for two things: a comforting bowl of soup and a large, fluffy baked sweet potato. Both options are warm, cozy, and nutritious. While preparing butternut squash soup is one of my cherished Sunday rituals, a baked sweet potato serves as my reliable weeknight meal. They are remarkably simple to prepare, as your oven handles 95% of the cooking. While they are baking, you have the freedom to engage in other activities! You can prepare the other elements of your meal, complete your work tasks for the day, or spend quality time with family or friends. Once they are done baking, remove them from the oven, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy a delicious baked sweet potato dinner!
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
For many years, I believed I did not enjoy sweet potatoes. During my childhood, I only experienced them in casserole form, drenched in marshmallows and brown sugar. However, I have discovered that I truly love sweet potatoes, provided they are prepared correctly! I prefer mine to be fluffy, with caramelized edges and a crispy skin. Here’s my method:
Begin by preheating the oven to 425°F and lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Use a fork to create holes in the sweet potatoes, then place them on the baking sheet.
Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the skin has puffed up and they can be easily pierced with a fork.
The key point to remember is that I DO NOT wrap them in foil. If you do, the flesh of the sweet potato will cook, but the skin will become excessively moist and nearly slimy. To achieve a delicious, puffed-up crispy skin and caramelization on the exterior of each baked potato, place them directly on the baking sheet without any covering!
If you find yourself pressed for time, you can roast sweet potato halves in just 30 minutes. Begin by slicing the potatoes in half lengthwise, applying olive oil, and seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook them with the cut side facing up until they are lightly browned and tender.
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Recipes
While a classic baked sweet potato topped with butter, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of chives is delightful, the possibilities for baked sweet potato recipes extend far beyond that. To create a complete meal, I enjoy stuffing the sweet potato with a savory vegetable filling and a delicious sauce. You can discover my four favorite fillings for stuffed sweet potatoes here, or simply click the image below.
When serving your oven baked sweet potatoes as a side dish, consider pairing them with your preferred protein or a vegetarian chili. For toppings, you might opt for butter, Greek yogurt, or sour cream, or experiment with a dollop of cilantro lime dressing, tzatziki, chipotle sauce, pesto, guacamole, or a drizzle of tahini sauce.
Should you have any leftover baked sweet potatoes, be sure to save the soft flesh for another culinary creation. I often blend it into the frosting of my vegan chocolate cake, convert it into a rich Alfredo sauce, use it as a binding agent in quesadillas, or incorporate it into hummus!
Do you have any cherished baked sweet potato recipes?
If you appreciate this baked sweet potato recipe…
Consider trying these four variations of stuffed sweet potatoes (as shown above), baked sweet potato fries, sweet potato tacos, twice baked sweet potatoes, or this sweet potato casserole next!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 c. mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 c. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1/3 stick butter
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. flour
Mix the above ingredients together and pour into 11 x 13 dish. Make topping of 1/3 stick butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour.
Sprinkle over first mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The baked sweet potato recipe is ready to serve...nice one !
baked-apples-and-sweet-potatoes
