Some baked sweet potatoes are better than others, and these are downright perfect. These baked sweet potatoes are silky-smooth all the way through. They’re sweet, creamy and delicious.
Baked sweet potatoes are always a nice side dish. They also make a great weeknight meal if you top them well. You’ll find several of my favorite flavor variations below.
In my baked sweet potato recipe testing, I was surprised to find so many parallels to baked potatoes. It’s easy to lump sweet potatoes (commonly called yams) and potatoes together, but they come from different plant families. They’re only distantly related, but I’ve realized that they do bake up similarly.
Both are best baked in the oven without foil, directly on the rack, at high heat. You’ll learn why and find the full recipe below!
Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a piece of foil on a baking sheet. Use a fork to poke holes into the sweet potatoes, set them on the baking sheet, and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until puffed up and soft inside when pierced with a fork.
Bake at high heat.
The perfect temperature for baking sweet potatoes is 450 degrees Fahrenheit. I can’t explain the science, but my sweet potatoes baked at 450 turned out far better than at 400. They’re silky smooth and creamy on the inside, plus they bake more quickly. Even the largest sweet potato (around 12 ounces) was done within an hour.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
Here are a few key tips:
The Best and Quickest Baked Sweet Potatoes
FAQ
What temperature is a baked sweet potato done?
How long to bake a sweet potato at 400 without?
When baking sweet potatoes should they be wrapped in foil?
What temperature does a baked potato need to be?
What temperature should sweet potatoes be baked at?
The best temperature for baking whole sweet potatoes is 375°F. Luckily, sweet potatoes are very forgiving, so if your oven is set anywhere from 350°F to 400°F, you can bake them. In fact, some people swear by roasting sweet potatoes low and slow.
What is the best way to cook sweet potatoes for nutritional value?
Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. However, boiling potatoes can lower their nutritional content like vitamin C and B vitamins if they are boiled without skin. Boiling them with skin can save nutrients that may lost in cooking water. Try to use minimal water like with steaming for maximum nutritional value.
How do you cook a sweet potato in the oven?
1) Always poke a few holes. Before baking, use a fork to prick each sweet potato several times. You don’t need to jab the fork in deep. We’re creating steam vents. Otherwise the pressure in the sweet potato could build up so high in the oven that it explodes—an unlikely possibility but one best avoided! 2) Bake directly on the rack.
What size sweet potatoes should I bake?
Sweet Potatoes. Look for potatoes that feel firm, with smooth and unblemished skin. You can bake potatoes of any size; I find 8- to 10-ounces is ideal for a single serving. Have more sweet potatoes you need to use? Try Sweet Potato Cornbread. Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. These enhance the overall flavor of your baked sweet potatoes.