Perfect Baked Sweet Potato Recipe

5 from 13 votes
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Try a sweet, delicious, and nutritious take on a classic with these whole baked sweet potatoes – perfect for a filling lunch or yummy side dish.

Baked sweet potatoes with one of them open and topped with thyme

Crisp and a little chewy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside – is there anything a sweet potato can’t do? Packed full of goodness, baked sweet potatoes might be the easiest way to enjoy these delightful orange spuds. The method is straightforward and you only need one ingredient. Serve it on its own with butter and fresh herbs or mix your favorite baked potato topping for a meal that’s low-effort but high impact – especially on flavor. And all you need is a sweet potato!

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How to bake a sweet potato

Preheat the oven: For the best, crispiest oven baked sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 240ºC/475ºF.

Prepare and poke: Scrub the sweet potato well to remove any leftover dirt. Be careful – you don’t want to remove any of the skin. Then, dry them well. Excess moisture on the skin will affect the overall crispiness of a sweet potato in the oven.

Then, using a fork, poke holes in the sweet potato. This allows steam to escape as the potato cooks and ensures a fluffy, tender inside. It’s also going to stop your sweet potatoes from exploding in the oven!

Bake: Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. For easy cleanup, you can put down a piece of parchment paper. For an even more elevated baked sweet potato recipe, rub a little olive oil or coconut oil on the outside of the potato – this is going to give it wonderfully crispy skin but is completely optional.

Bake in the oven for 40-60 minutes, until tender. The size of your sweet potato will determine how long to cook it.

Check for doneness: When your sweet potatoes are cooked through, they’ll start releasing caramelized juices, have slightly wrinkled skin, and can be easily pierced by a knife or fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing open and enjoying.

How to store and reheat baked sweet potatoes

Baked sweet potatoes are best enjoyed when they’re fresh. But if you’ve got leftovers, you can refrigerate or freeze them.

Once your potatoes have cooled, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or, freeze for up to four months in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag. You can keep them whole or scoop out the insides and store.

To reheat, place them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or the oven for 10-15 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC.

Top tips

  • Scrub Thoroughly: Getting rid of excess dirt – especially if they’re fresh potatoes – will ensure an even cook and taste a lot better later.
  • Skip The Foil: While foil can help cook a baked potato, it won’t give you crispy skin – and isn’t going to reduce your cooking time. Skip the foil for these baked sweet potatoes and let the oven do all the work.
  • Don’t Skip The Poking Step: With the heat of the oven, potatoes are liable to explode if you don’t give them somewhere to release their steam.
  • Bake On High: The high heat will give you a fluffy inside and a super crispy outside – a lower heat will make the outside soft.
  • Use Same Size Potatoes: This will ensure your baked sweet potatoes cook at the same time and prevent overcooking.
Baked sweet potato with some butter and thyme

Optional topping

You can customize your baked sweet potatoes your way – that might be the best thing about them! These are some of my favorites:

  • A pat of butter with salt and herbs (e.g. fresh thyme, green onion, parsley, chives, rosemary, etc.).
  • Butter, cinnamon, and sugar to add to the potatoes’ natural sweetness.
  • Spoonfuls of thick sour cream and sprinkled with fresh chopped chives.
  • Sprinkled with cheese that’s perfect for melting – think cheddar, mozzarella or a vegan alternative cheese.
  • Guacamole or salsa.
  • Serve beneath leftover chili – whether classic or vegan.
  • Substitute for tortillas and sprinkle with taco filings.

Ways to use leftover baked sweet potatoes

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!

Perfect Baked Sweet Potato Recipe

5 from 13 votes
By: Samira
Try a sweet, delicious, and nutritious take on a classic with these whole baked sweet potatoes – perfect for a filling lunch or yummy side dish.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients  

  • 3 sweet potatoes medium

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 240ºC/475ºF.
  • Scrub the sweet potato well to remove any leftover dirt. Be careful – you don't want to remove any of the skin. Dry them well. Too much moisture on the skin will affect the overall crispiness of a sweet potato in the oven.
  • Using a fork, poke holes in the sweet potato. This allows steam to escape as the potato cooks and ensures a fluffy, tender inside. It will also stop your sweet potatoes from exploding in the oven!
  • Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray. Optionally, rub a little olive or coconut oil on the outside of the potato – this will give it wonderfully crispy skin.
  • Bake in the oven for 40-60 minutes, until tender. The size of your sweet potato will determine how long to cook it.
    When the sweet potatoes are cooked through, they'll start releasing caramelized juices, have slightly wrinkled skin, and can be easily pierced by a knife or fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing open and enjoying.

How to store

  • In The Fridge: Once your potatoes have cooled, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
    In The Freezer: Freeze for up to four months in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag. You can keep them whole or scoop out the insides and store.
    To Reheat: Place your baked sweet potatoes in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or the oven for 10-15 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC.

Video

Notes

  • Scrub Thoroughly: Getting rid of excess dirt – especially if they’re fresh potatoes – will ensure an even cook and taste a lot better later.
  • Skip The Foil: While foil can help cook a baked potato, it won’t give you crispy skin – and isn’t going to reduce your cooking time. 
  • Don’t Skip The Poking Step: With the heat of the oven, potatoes are liable to explode if you don’t give them somewhere to release their steam.
  • Bake On High: The high heat will give you a fluffy inside and a super crispy outside – a lower heat will make the outside soft.
  • Use Same Size Potatoes: This will ensure your baked sweet potatoes cook at the same time and prevent overcooking.
Check the blog post for ways to use leftover baked sweet potatoes.
Course: Main, Side
Cuisine: American
Freezer friendly: 4 Months
Shelf life: 3-4 Days

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 194kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 762mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 32063IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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