Perfect Baked Sweet Potato Recipe
Perfectly Baked Sweet Potatoes have a soft, sweet, and fluffy inside with a crispy flavorful outside. One of my favorite easy side dish recipes, they’re packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Perfect for meal prep and delicious serve with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt.
Servings: 1 sweet potato
Instructions
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes in the Oven
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy cleanup).
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Wash and scrub each sweet potato and dry thoroughly. Use a fork to poke each sweet potato at least 7-8 times (this will vary depending on the size of your potato). Transfer the potatoes to your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees to ensure even cooking and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until its natural sugars start to caramelize and a fork or knife is easily inserted into the thickest part of the potato.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and allow potatoes to rest for 5 minutes before seasoning with salt, pepper, butter, or maple syrup if desired.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes in Foil
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (optional) or you may place potatoes directly on the oven racks.
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Wash and scrub each sweet potato and dry thoroughly (this prevents the sweet potatoes from steaming rather than baking). Use a fork to poke each sweet potato at least 7-8 times (this will vary depending on the size of your potato).
- Wrap in foil. Wrap each sweet potato individually in aluminum foil.
- Bake. Transfer potatoes to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Rotate the sweet potatoes 180 degrees to ensure even cooking and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until a fork or knife is easily inserted into the thickest part of the potato.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and allow potatoes to rest for 5 minutes before seasoning with salt, pepper, butter, or maple syrup if desired.
Notes
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
- Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 medium potato. See full post for a more detailed calculation of calories and nutrition.
- The best sweet potatoes for baking are the longer, thinner sweet potatoes. They cook faster and more evenly than the big, fat round ones.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container or wrap tightly with foil and transfer to the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You may also freeze for up to 3 months.
- Wash and scrub each sweet potato and dry thoroughly. Use a knife or a fork to stab each sweet potato at least 6-7 times (this will vary depending on the size of your potato).
- Transfer potato or potatoes to a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 5 minutes (for 1 sweet potato) plus an additional 2 minutes for each additional sweet potato (for example, 3 sweet potatoes will take approx. 9 minutes depending on size and shape). Rotate halfway through cooking.
- Your potatoes are cooked when easily pierced with a fork.
Nutrition
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
