Easy and delicious, seasoned roasted sweet potatoes are a welcome addition to any meal. With a few simple ingredients, these sweet potatoes can be on the table in just under an hour. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get these to turn out perfectly every time.
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite ingredients. They’re so versatile – perfect in a hearty chili, in the classic sweet potato casserole that we all love at Thanksgiving, or even in a rich, fudgy brownie recipe.
This is my favorite way to enjoy them – perfectly seasoned and roasted. This is a simple recipe – olive oil and spices make these anything but boring.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Roasting these tasty veggies are a good way to get your kids to try them – they’re irresistible!
Seasoned roasted sweet potatoes are easy to make, and liven up any lunch or dinner. You can make them ahead of time and add them to your breakfast burrito or lunchtime salad, too.
How do you tell the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
Sweet potatoes are what you typically see in the grocery store. They have a light red skin on the outside, and the inside is orange. Lots of people refer to these as yams, but they are not yams!
Actual yams are not easily found in the United States, and they have a dark, rough outside, and a dry, white, starchy inside. If you want to learn more about the differences between these two varieties, you can read more here.
Selecting Sweet Potatoes
For the best flavor and texture, choose medium sized sweet potatoes with smooth skin and firm flesh.
Medium size is best, because the larger ones can be a bit too starchy. You don’t want them to be too dry.
Try not to pick out potatoes that are bruised or have blemishes.
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Preparing Sweet Potatoes for Roasting
The only difficult thing about making roasted sweet potatoes is cutting them. Sweet potatoes are super hard, and you do need to be careful when you cut them.
I recommend avoiding the extra huge, oddly shaped sweet potatoes if you can. Sometimes you have a choice at the market of longer ones, or rounder ones. If I am going to be slicing sweet potatoes, I do not pick out the really large ones.
I like to use a palm peeler to peel potatoes – I feel like it protects my fingers a bit better. Make sure to use a good knife when slicing sweet potatoes – don’t use a knife that is too dull or too small.
How to cut sweet potatoes
- Peel the sweet potatoes.
- Slice them into rounds that are a half-inch thick.
- Cut each round in half, and then each half into three pieces. You should have cubes that are about ¾ of an inch.
Can I roast these with the peels on?
I don’t recommend keeping the peels on – they can be a bit tough, and you won’t get the same golden brown, crispy edges on each piece if you leave the peels on.
Which oil to use
I like to use olive oil. If you don’t want to use olive oil, you could try refined coconut oil or avocado oil.
What to serve with roasted sweet potatoes:
Other seasonings to try
You can be creative with the seasoning here. I use cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, but you could use other spices if you like. Try paprika, chili powder, or white pepper
If you’d like a sweeter version (I’m thinking ahead to the holiday season), you could try a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. That would be a delicious side dish to serve with roast turkey or the holiday ham. A drizzle of melted vegan buttery spread and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top would be the finishing touch!
Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make these!
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How to Make Perfect Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are anything but boring when they're perfectly seasoned and roasted until tender and crisp.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized sweet potatoes about 1.5 pounds (for about 4 cups diced sweet potatoes)
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Peel the sweet potatoes and carefully slice them into rounds that are about ½ inch thick. Then slice each round in half, and each half into three pieces. You should have about 4 cups of diced sweet potatoes.
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Place the diced sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet, and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the spices on, and use your hands to coat the potatoes with oil and spices.
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Bake at 425 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned and caramelized, and tender when pierced with a fork. Stir the potatoes 2-3 times during baking to make sure all sides get roasted evenly.
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Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Recipe Notes
These are best eaten fresh out of the oven, but you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make a big batch and eat with your breakfast or lunch throughout the week.
Serving size is about ¾ cup of roasted sweet potatoes.
This post was originally published in February 2020. It has been updated.
Katie
Delicious recipe!