How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
If you want to learn how to roast sweet potatoes whole, you’re in the right place! All you need are three ingredients and about an hour. Learn my favorite technique, as well as all my best tips and tricks, here!
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Some people in my household love sweet potatoes more than others… but the general consensus is that these bright orange root vegetables are good for a lot.
We have various recipes for them, including Sweet Potato Casserole, Hasselback Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg… but I wanted to go back to the basics today.
Since, you know, roasting a root vegetable is one of the best things we can do.
Why I love this recipe:
This “recipe” is simple and can be scaled to make as many sweet potatoes as your heart desires.
The end result is a beautifully baked potato with the perfect fluffy, soft interior and a crisp exterior that’s fun to eat, thanks to the oil and salt.
You can serve these by themselves or puree them for other purposes.
This is a side dish you want to know how to make for various occasions, including the upcoming holidays!
More sweet potato recipes: Sweet Potato Bisque | Sweet Potato Pancakes | Sausage Quiche with Sweet Potatoes and Collard Greens
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper or foil
- Pastry brush
- Fork
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get from the store:
- Sweet potatoes — sweet potatoes come in all shapes and sizes. I recommend purchasing similarly-sized sweet potatoes so that you can roast them for the same amount of time. If you have a large sweet potato and a super small one, you’ll need to keep one in the oven for longer.
- Avocado oil — this is used to rub the skin of the potatoes and help crisp them up. Use a brand that tastes good to you. I prefer this to extra virgin olive oil since avocado oil has a higher smoke point.
- Kosher salt — we just need a little bit of this for some bonus flavor to the skins of the potatoes. Medium grain kosher is my go-to. (Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand.)
Toppings for sweet potatoes:
While I love to eat mine by themselves, I know that toppings on a baked potato are never a bad idea.
Here are some ideas for you:
- Go sweet by adding a sprinkle of dark brown sugar (or maple syrup). Top it with caramelized pecans or even mini marshmallows to give it a sweet potato souffle look.
- Add savory ingredients, like caramelized onions, shredded cheese (or crumbled feta or goat cheese) and fresh chopped herbs, like rosemary, thyme or parsley.
- Sprinkle in some spice before serving! A few shakes of black pepper will elevate these beauties, as will a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
- Butter is an excellent addition. Try this Garlic Butter Steak, Rosemary Garlic Herb Butter, Whipped Honey Butter or Maple Butter.
How to roast sweet potatoes whole:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
It is very important to line the pan with parchment or aluminum foil so that if sugars seep out of the potatoes, they do not burn onto the pan… or worse, on the bottom of the oven.
Wash the sweet potatoes, scrubbing the skin vigorously until clean. Dry them off, too, and set them down on a plate or the prepared baking sheet.
Please note that we are leaving the potatoes whole for the roasting. If you are looking for a recipe that involves sweet potato halves, wedges or cubes, this is not it.
Use a fork to poke holes around each of the sweet potatoes.
DID YOU KNOW?
We poke a fork through the skin of the sweet potatoes a few times to prevent them from exploding in the oven.
Rub the skin of each sweet potato with olive oil, then season with salt.
Roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes or until soft. The cook time will be dependent on how thick the sweet potatoes are. The thicker they are, the longer they will need to roast.
Cook until the sweet potatoes are soft to touch, then remove, cool slightly and serve (or use in a variety of different applications.)
How to make sweet potato puree from roasted potatoes:
Let the potatoes cool completely first and foremost.
Slice them in half, and scoop out the flash from the skins into a blender or a food processor.
Blend until smooth, then enjoy.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Whole roasted sweet potatoes pair with so many dishes and are wonderfully nutrient-dense, if that’s something you look for in a meal.
If I were to make this recipe to share, here are some things I would do:
- Double or triple the recipe so each person has their own potato.
- Make a sweet potato bar and feature various toppings for people to add to their potatoes. Include things like softened butter, ground cinnamon, sour cream, chives, etc. You could even add mini marshmallows and brown sugar (or maple syrup) if your guests want to sweeten up their spuds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Those are natural sugars that have caramelized during the baking process!
Quick tips and tricks to the best roasted sweet potatoes
- Use similarly sized potatoes. This will ensure that you don’t bake one for 30 minutes and another for 60 minutes.
- Have fun with the toppings! While I can eat a sweet potato with nothing added on, there are so many things you can add.
- Make extra and save some for later. These make for easy lunches and snacks. Let them cool, the store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They might weep some liquids as they are chilled, so if you want the skins crispy, you will need to reheat them in the oven.
Here’s how you can make them at your home…
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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