Making perfect oven baked sweet potatoes is easy with this recipe! They turn out fluffy every time then enjoy as a side dish, for meal prep or to build a delicious dinner.
Looking for more sweet potato recipes? This sweet potato soup, sweet potato fries and for roasted sweet potatoes are all favorites!
Table of Contents
Perfect Baked Sweet Potato
My mom never made sweet potatoes growing up, so I thought I didn’t like them. Then one day I tried these scalloped sweet potatoes and I was hooked. Next came, sweet potato casserole and then candied yams!
I love a classic baked potato, but baked sweet potatoes in the oven are soft and tender on the inside with perfectly crispy, caramelized skin. They make great stuffed sweet potatoes or top them simply with butter, salt and pepper! They really are so versatile.
How to Make Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes
One of my biggest tips when making sweet potatoes in the oven is to use a vegetable brush to clean them really well. Next, I like to use Fit fruit and vegetable cleaner then rinse them in warm water for about 30 seconds. Dry completely.
Once your potatoes have dried from washing/scrubbing, pierce each potato with a fork about 6-8 times.
Lay them on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush the skin with olive oil. Then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Bake in oven at 400°F for about 1 hour, or until they are soft and fork tender.
Tips and Storage
- Choose sweet potatoes that are a little longer than a regular baked potato and choose potatoes similar in size. Avoid potatoes with soft spots, bruises or cracks.
- Make sure to use a fork to pierce them before baking. You don’t need to go super deep, just about a 1/2″.
- Lightly rub the potatoes with olive oil. This will help ensure the outside of the potato doesn’t get dried out. If you don’t want to oil them, simply wrap them in foil.
- Line your baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. They tend to let out a little juice when they bake and it can be a nightmare to get off the pans once it’s caramelized.
- If you are short on time, you can microwave the potatoes for a few minutes ahead of time. You can also cook one potato in the microwave in about 5-10 minutes.
- If you’d like the outside a little more crisp, cook at 425°F for 45 minutes.
- Cool completely then store sweet potatoes that are baked in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Favorite Toppings
If serving as a baked sweet potatoes on the side, keep it simple by just adding a little butter, salt and pepper. Or pile on a few more hearty toppings and serve as a main dish.
- Classic: Butter, salt and pepper
- Sweet: Butter, cinnamon sugar and toasted pecans
- Southwest: Taco meat, cheese, black beans, salsa, guacamole
- Buffalo: Buffalo chicken, mozzarella, red onion, cilantro
- BBQ: BBQ chicken, red onion, cilantro
Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Air fryer sweet potato cubes, buffalo chicken sweet potato and for something sweet try southern sweet potato pie!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
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Baked Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes (yams)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Line baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
- Wash potatoes. Give 6 sweet potatoes a good scrub and then dry them completely with a paper towel. Pierce potatoes with a fork about 6-8 times.
- Brush with olive oil. Lay on a foil-lined baking sheet, then brush all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until they are soft.
Notes
- If you’re short on time, you can microwave the potatoes for a few minutes ahead of time. You can also fully cook one potato in the microwave in about 5-10 minutes.
- Cook at 425°F for 45 minutes for an even crispier outside.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Gluten-Free, Potatoes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I looove sweet potatoes and these baked sweet potatoes are so good! Perfect with a little cinnamon and butter on top!
These baked sweet potatoes turned out perfect! The whole family loved them.
These come out perfect every time!
Yummy! This baked sweet potato recipe is super easy to make! And you can always bake extra for sweet potato pie! haha :)
these are the best!
I am going to make these! Thanks for the reminder of the benefits of sweet potatoes! Great tips to on size and prep with foil. They are a bit messy! laura