Roasted Sweet Potatoes (2024)

Tender, sweet, savory, and ready to pair with just about any main, Roasted Sweet Potatoes are like crispy outside, creamy-inside pillows of side dish gold! Cooking sweet potatoes in the oven enhances their natural sweetness in a big way, making them a crowd-pleaser!

Why You’ll Love This Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe

• Most Loved Veggie. Thanks to their natural sweetness, roasted sweet potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to love, especially if you have picky eaters. If you (or your family members) are suspicious of green vegetables like Roasted Broccoli, start with roasted sweet potatoes instead.
• Best Sweet Potatoes Ever. My trick to perfect roasted sweet potatoes is to cut the potatoes into large chunks. When they’re cut larger, the insides have time to become unbelievably velvety while the outsides fully crisp.
• Nutritious and Versatile. Enjoy these crispy roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish to any main protein, or add other vegetables to the pan with them, like this Roasted Root Vegetables recipe.
• Incredibly Easy. We’re talking minimal effort, maximal reward! You need just 3 basic ingredients and a few minutes of prep time to get these sweet potatoes in the oven.

How to Make Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes. Red or orange sweet potatoes will give you the sweetest results with that signature velvety interior. White and purple varieties are also sweet, but they’re more starchy and fluffy inside. Look for sweet potatoes with smooth skin and no mushy or soft spots.
• Honey or Pure Maple Syrup. Optional, but great if you want to lean into the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes and caramelize them further.
• Kosher Salt. Plan on about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of sweet potatoes.
• Seasoning of Choice. Keep it simple with ground black pepper only or add warmth with chili powder, cinnamon, and/or chipotle chili powder.

The Directions

1. Prepare. Scrub the sweet potato and peel if desired (you can leave the skin on the sweet potatoes if you like).

2. Slice into Rounds. Trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes. Cut the sweet potato cubes into 1-inch thick rounds. Depending upon the shape of the sweet potato, you will have some rounds that are very wide in diameter (large) and some that are narrower.

3. Cut the Rounds into Chunks. Lay the cut side of each round down on your cutting board so that it rests flat. Cut each round so that you have pieces that are roughly 1-inch in size. Very large rounds I cut into fourths or even sixths. Smaller rounds I cut in half.

4. Season. Toss the sweet potatoes with the oil and seasoning and arrange them on the pan.

5. Roast. Bake the sweet potatoes for 20 minutes, flip, and continue baking for 10 to 20 minutes more. Season to taste and ENJOY!

More Ways to Season Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• Spicy. Add a 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to kick things up a notch.
• Herb. Add 1 teaspoon dried thyme, basil, or Italian seasoning.
• Parmesan. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over the top of your roasted sweet potatoes for a delicious finish.
• Ground Cumin. Add 1/2 teaspoon for a rich, earthy flavor with a hint of citrus.
• Garlic Powder. A 1/2 teaspoon will taste slightly sweeter and less assertive than fresh garlic.
• Brown Sugar or Honey Roasted. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey for a sweet, caramelized flavor; line your sheet pan with foil to make it easy to clean.

What to Serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• Chicken. Whether you opt for simple Grilled Chicken Breast or a more composed dish like Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast, sweet potatoes pair nicely.
• Mexican and Tex-Mex. Try oven roasted sweet potatoes with spiced foods like Beef Fajitas, Chicken Quesadillas, or Vegetarian Enchiladas.
• Fish. Both mild fish like Pan-Fried Cod and more robust fish like Honey Garlic Salmon work well with roasted sweet potatoes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Peeled vs. Unpeeled. Whether or not you peel the potato is completely personal preference; we leave ours on as I enjoy the texture. If you are serving children or sensitive eaters, consider peeling the sweet potatoes before roasting.
• Cut Uniform-ish Pieces. To make sure the sweet potatoes cook evenly, try to cut them all roughly the same size.
• Don’t Crowd the Pan. You need plenty of room around the pieces for air to circulate, otherwise they will steam and you lose the crispy outsides.