If you’ve never had a baked sweet potato done right, now’s the time boos! Scrub them, poke them, rub them with oil and salt, then bake in the oven until they’re tender and caramelized all the way through. These baked sweet potatoes come out of that oven steamin’ hot, with crispy skins and soft centers just BEGGIN’ for a pat of butter or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
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How To Make This Baked Sweet Potato
Step 1: Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes, then prick them all over with a fork. Rub with oil or spray to coat, sprinkle generously with kosher salt, and place on a wire rack set in a baking pan.
Step 2: Bake until the potatoes are tender and give easily when squeezed with mitted hands. Let them cool slightly before serving.
PRO TIP: Get sweet potatoes with firm, unwrinkled skins. Any variety works, but Beauregard, Jewel, or Garnet sweet potatoes are my faves for this baked sweet potato recipe. They all bake real good!
Baked Sweet Potato Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes medium
- 6 tsp oil
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Begin by scrubbing your sweet potatoes, getting rid of debris and dirt then pat dry.
- Next prick each potato all over with a fork making sure to pierce the inside.
- Rub down each potato with 2 teaspoons of oil or use the olive oil spray to evenly coat the potatoes.
- Sprinkle each potato liberally with salt.
- Add each potato to a wire rack inside of a baking pan then place in the oven for 50-70 minutes or until you can easily push through the surface of the potato into the flesh with no resistance. You can even squeeze it with mitted hands and if it gives easily, it’s ready to eat!
- Cool for 10 minutes then serve them up!
Notes
- Scrub ’em good. Use a soft-bristle brush under cold running water to get your sweet potatoes nice and clean.
- Add escape routes. Ever had a potato explode in your oven? It ain’t pretty! Make sure you poke your sweet potatoes all over with a fork to let the steam escape. Literally keeps them from blowing up.
- Don’t wrap those taters in foil, boo! Sure, they’ll cook, but the skin will be all moist and slimy. For that perfect, crispy skin, let them bake right on the rack.
- Line your tray. As the sweet potatoes bake, their juices will caramelize and stick to the pan. Parchment paper makes cleanup a breeze and keeps those juices from burning onto your tray.
- Fridge: You can store these baked sweet potatoes in the fridge either whole or just the scooped-out flesh. Pop them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in foil. They will stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days.
- Freezer: Let the baked sweet potatoes cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil or use a freezer-safe bag. They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Heat them up in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or give them a quick zap in the microwave for a couple of minutes until they’re nice and warm.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
- More Sides: A good knob of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top of your baked sweet potato is a MUST. But you can serve it next to other sides like balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts or a big ol’ bowl of sautéed green beans.
- Mains: A juicy steak or some honey-glazed ham is the perfect pairing for these taters. Any beef or pork-based dish is perfect, really. You can also try it with grilled chicken or a piece of salmon.
- Breakfast: Roasted sweet potatoes make a killer breakfast, boos! Top them with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey or apple butter, and a sprinkle of granola.
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Recipe Help
Yep, and you should! That skin gets nice and crispy in the oven and it’s full of nutrients too.
Nope, no need for all that.
Stick a fork in them, and if it slides in easy, they’re done. You can also check with a thermometer. 211°F is the sweet spot.
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Sweet potatoes are a family favorite. Used this simple recipe and the sweet potatoes turned out perfect.
My entire family LOVED these sweet potatoes – even the one who doesn’t normally like them! Will definitely make again.
Great how to. Great tips for telling when they are done.
Enjoyed this with diner last night and it did not disappoint! Such a sweet and savory fall recipe; my whole family loved it!
thanks for the microwave tip to get its going faster. It was really wholesome and satisfying