Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes

Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes are a delicious and healthy dish. Oven roasted sweet potatoes are so easy to make, just follow the recipe so that you can add more of this nutritious vegetable into your cooking.

In this recipe, sweet potatoes are baked whole in their skin. This allows the natural sugars to caramelize, making them even more scrumptious. Roasting the potatoes in the skin also means you don’t have to peel them beforehand.

Did you know that you can eat the sweet potato skin? It’s full of nutrients and fiber. If you want to get the most out of eating sweet potatoes, eat the skin. Just make sure to scrub the outside well to get off any debris.

Sweet potatoes are so versatile, they can be used in soups, breads, added to casseroles, or as a meal all on their own. You can make them into a savory meal or sweet, like these Secret Ingredient Mashed Sweet Potatoes. They work really well for candied hassleback sweet potatoes.

Most of the time, you will find sweet potatoes on the table around the holidays, but these are perfect for everyday dinners any time of the year. We definitely make them year round.

My absolute favorite way to make sweet potatoes is topping them with a pat of butter, soft brown sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. YUM!

I also love how beautiful they are, just look at that vibrant, bright orange flesh.

What’s the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?

Sweet potatoes and yams are often used interchangeably to describe one vegetable. But, they are actually sweet potatoes and not yams at all! Years ago they were mislabeled “yams” to distinguish the white fleshed sweet potatoes from the orange fleshed sweet potatoes.

Yams actually have rough, scaly skin and white, starchy flesh (more like a potato). Usually these are found in West Africa and the Caribbean. To this day most “yams” found at any grocer in the U.S. are really sweet potatoes unless you are at a specialty store and they have them imported.

Glad we could clear up that little mix-up.

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?

Sweet potatoes aren’t just starchy, orange potatoes. They actually aren’t potatoes at all. Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable belonging to the morning glory family. They are full of beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Delicious and nutritious!

Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes: The longer thinner ones will cook more quickly. The fatter, more round ones will have more flesh, but take longer to roast.
• Olive Oil: This is optional, I didn’t use it in this recipe. If using, coat the outside of the sweet potato with a small amount.

How to Bake Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Clean your sweet potatoes. They will need to be scrubbed well and rinsed.
3. Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, this helps the steam escape so they don’t explode while cooking.
4. Place on a parchment lines baking sheet.
5. Roast sweet potatoes till tender.

Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes Recipe Tips

• Be sure to poke the holes in the sweet potatoes, this helps allow steam to escape.
• Check the doneness of your potatoes by inserting a fork into the widest part. The fork should glide in easily with little give.
• The thinner, long potatoes will cook quicker and the fatter, round potatoes will take a bit more time. Keep this in mind while baking (and buying) sweet potatoes.
• Cleanse your potatoes really well, especially if you plan on eating the skin.
• No need to wrap each sweet potato in aluminum foil. I try to limit my aluminum foil use in baking. Clean up is easy if you use parchment paper.
• Make sweet potatoes for meal prep. Bake up a big batch of sweet potatoes and eat them through the week.

Storage Instructions for Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes

• How to Refrigerate Sweet Potatoes: Let the sweet potatoes cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. They should last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
• How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes: I don’t recommend freezing whole sweet potatoes.
• How to Reheat Sweet Potatoes: Reheat cold sweet potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes at a time until desired warmth is reached.

Try these other fall recipes!

• Pretzel Bites
• Beer Cheese Dip
• Brown Sugar Carrots
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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