Learn how to bake the best Baked Sweet Potatoes with these foolproof tips! Easy variations for air fryer and microwave! Perfect side or main dish!
Baked sweet potatoes are a family favorite and are so easy to make. They are delicious as a side dish with baked chicken, topped with your favorite toppings for a main dish for dinner like our classic chili, or to use in any number of other recipes.
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Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables from the morning glory family. Sweet potatoes are a delicious, filling, and nutritious carbohydrate. A medium sweet potato, about 2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long, has about 115 calories and about 4 grams of fiber. They are also an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. Sweet potatoes can be prepared in both sweet and savory dishes, making it an excellent carbohydrate choice for most people.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are naturally mildly sweet. Their sweetness is enhanced by baking which turns their fluffy, creamy, tender flesh even sweeter and so incredibly delicious. Here’s how I make them.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Medium Sweet Potatoes
- Optional Toppings: such as kosher salt, black pepper, ground cinnamon, or others listed below under How to Serve below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup if desired.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels and poke holes into the top of the potatoes with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife. Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheet, making sure that they do not touch.
- Bake the sweet potatoes until they are fragrant, the skin has puffed and shows dimples, and a fork easily pierces the center, about 50 minutes to an hour, depending on the size.
Tips for Baking Sweet Potatoes
- Select similar-sized sweet potatoes.
- Do not let them touch while cooking.
- Do not wrap them for cooking, as this will trap the steam and cause the skin to be too soft. Only wrap if using them in another dish where the skin will be discarded, such as sweet potato casserole.
- An instant-read thermometer should register between 205º F and 212º F in the thickest portion of the potato when perfectly cooked.
Quick and Easy Baked Sweet Potato Halves
For quick and easy baked sweet potatoes, slice the sweet potatoes in half. The cooking time is much faster and they are just right to serve for a smaller portion as a side dish with a cup of soup or a sandwich or to top with chili. It is also great when serving a larger group of people.
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup if you prefer. Drizzle olive oil onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels and slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
- Place the halved sweet potatoes, flesh side down, onto the foil, making sure to slide them through the olive oil to coat them. Make sure the potatoes do not touch. Cook until fragrant and a fork easily pierces the center, about 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the size.
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
You can also easily use your air fryer to prepare your sweet potatoes! I love to cook them in my air fryer if I am cooking just a couple. While the cooking time is generally the same as cooking a larger batch in the oven, I’ve noticed that the skin tends to be crispier, and the flesh can even have a roasted flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the air fryer rack with parchment paper or foil.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels and poke holes into the top of the potatoes with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife.
- Arrange the potatoes on the air fryer rack, making sure they do not touch. Bake the sweet potatoes until they are fragrant, the skin has puffed and shows dimples, and a fork easily pierces the center, about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size.
Microwave Baked Sweet Potatoes
When time is of the essence, I also turn to my microwave!
- Line microwave-safe dish with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Scrub sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels and poke holes into the top of the potatoes with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife.
- Arrange the potatoes on the microwave-safe dish, making sure they do not touch. Cook on high setting using the following as a beginning guide. They should be fragrant, the skin has puffed and shows dimples, and a fork easily pierces the center.
Approximate Microwave Cooking Times for Medium Sweet Potatoes
- 2 sweet potatoes – about 3 minutes
- 3 to 4 sweet potatoes – about 6 minutes
- 5 to 6 sweet potatoes – about 9 minutes
How to Serve Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are delicious served simply with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt. However, they also provide the perfect canvas for even more variations.
- Cinnamon Sugar – Sprinkle with a pinch ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar.
- Cinnamon Honey Butter – Top each potato with a pat of cinnamon honey butter.
- Maple Pecan Sweet Potatoes – Top each potato with a pat of butter, toasted pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Rosemary Bacon Sweet Potatoes – For a savory sweet potato recipe, top each potato with a pat of butter, crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola, and a pinch of chopped fresh rosemary.
- Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – I’ve shared this favorite previously. It is always a go-to!
- Here’s my Baked Sweet Potato Recipe. I hope you make them soon!
Storage Tips
To store. Cool the baked sweet potatoes and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or microwave to serve.
To make ahead. Bake the sweet potatoes and hold them in a warm oven (at least 140º F) for up to 30 minutes. Otherwise, cool the baked sweet potatoes and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or microwave to serve.
To freeze. Cool the baked sweet potatoes and wrap them in foil. Place into an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, remove the foil and reheat them in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may consider lining your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper rather than wrapping the sweet potatoes for baking. Here’s why. Wrapping the sweet potatoes traps in moisture which will steam the potatoes rather than baking them. The only time I would consider wrapping them is when cooking in the oven to use in other dishes such as sweet potato casserole.
No. Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable from the morning glory family (Ipomoea) while true yams are from an entirely different family (Dioscorea). Sweet potatoes have a smooth, reddish-hued skin and yams are famous for their tree bark-like exterior.
Yes. Any moisture trapped in the sweet potato will steam as they bake. Poke holes into the sweet potatoes with a fork or with the tip of a sharp knife. The holes will provide ventilation and will allow the steam to escape as the sweet potatoes bake.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Here is my Baked Sweet Potato Recipe – 4 ways! I hope you love them as much as we do!
Baked Sweet Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- sweet potato
- butter
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Scrub sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels. Prick with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife over the top of the potato to allow steam to escape as the potatoes bake.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes on baking sheet, making sure not to allow them to touch. Cook until fragrant, the skins have puffed and are dimpled, and a fork is easily inserted through the center of the sweet potatoes, about 50 to 55 minutes.
Baked Sweet Potato Halves
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Scrub sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes on baking sheet flesh side down, making sure to slide the flesh of the potato through the olive oil to coat. Do not allow them to touch. Cook until fragrant, the skins have puffed and are dimpled, and a fork is easily inserted through the center of the sweet potatoes, about 30 minutes.
Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat to 400º F. Line the air fryer pan with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Scrub sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels. Prick with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife over the top of the potato to allow steam to escape as the potatoes bake.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes on baking sheet, making sure not to allow them to touch. Cook until fragrant, the skins have puffed and are dimpled, and a fork is easily inserted through the center of the sweet potatoes, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Microwave Sweet Potatoes
- Scrub sweet potatoes until clean. Pat dry with paper towels. Prick with a fork or the tip of a sharp paring knife over the top of the potato to allow steam to escape as the potatoes bake.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe dish lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Cook on High setting until fragrant, the skins have puffed and dimpled, and a fork is easily inserted through the center of the sweet potato. A general timeframe for cooking time is included in the recipe post.
Notes
Storage Tips:
To store. Cool the baked sweet potatoes and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or microwave to serve. To make ahead. Bake the sweet potatoes and hold them in a warm oven (at least 140º F) for up to 30 minutes. Otherwise, cool the baked sweet potatoes and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or microwave to serve. To freeze. Cool the baked sweet potatoes and wrap them in foil. Place into an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, remove the foil and reheat them in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods. Thank you for all the tips and delicious recipes using them! Can’t wait to make a batch of that Sweet Potato Casserole! It’s the BEST!
Leigh, I hope these tips help. Sweet Potato Casserole is one of my favorites, too.
I always rub down my sweet potatoes with cooking oil before baking – it makes the skin pop up and really easy to peel.
Thanks for the tip, Terry!