In this Basics by The BakerMama I teach you how to bake a sweet potato with a delicately crisp skin and a tender, hot center. Learn simple, tried-and-true steps to getting the perfectly baked sweet potato every time!
Basics by The BakerMama
Welcome to Basics by The BakerMama! I created this how-to series to help beginner cooks hone their skills, make the most of their time in the kitchen, and create great family memories. I hope you enjoy!
A Thing of Beauty
With a hot, tender center and a delicate, crispy skin, a perfectly baked sweet potato is a thing of beauty! Let me teach you the simple steps to preparing and baking sweet potatoes so that they come out perfect every time.
A Winner for Dinner
White potatoes are great, but I definitely prefer a sweet potato. The flavor is so rich! And sweet potatoes are so full of vitamins, I feel like I’m doing my body a favor while eating comfort food. Win-win!
Quick Tip: Sweet Potatoes vs Yams
What’s the difference between a sweet potato and a yam? People often use the names interchangeably. I’ve seen them mislabeled at the grocery store, it’s had me questioning my own brain.
But yams and sweet potatoes are quite different and here’s a good way to tell the difference:
- Skin color: Sweet potato skin is reddish, while yams are brown.
- Skin texture: Sweet potato skin is smooth, while yam skin is rough like tree bark.
- Flesh color: Sweet potatoes are bright orange inside, while yams are white and starchy like regular potatoes.
Proper Preparation
Nothing beats an oven baked sweet potato. And the secret to scrumptious sweet potatoes lies in all the prep work. Don’t skip out on any of these simple steps if you want sweet potatoes at their best!
- Washing: Sweet potatoes grow in the dirt, after all. No one wants that extra grit.
- Piercing the skin: When you poke holes in the skin, it shortens the baking time and allows steam to escape and keeps your sweet potato from rupturing.
- Rubbing the skin with oil and salt: This is the secret to delicious sweet potato skins! And you do not want to skip the skins, because there are so many nutrients in them. The skin is the best part of the potato!
- Preparing the baking sheet: Use parchment paper or foil (be sure to oil the foil to prevent the potatoes from sticking). You can also use a wire baking rack sprayed with non-stick cooking oil.
My Favorite Baked Sweet Potato Recipes
Tips for Getting Great Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes cook more quickly than Russet potatoes because they have a much thinner skin.
- Don’t have an hour to kill? After piercing the skin of the washed potato, microwave for 7-8 minutes on high. Then prep with the oil and salt and finish baking in a 425°F oven until the skin crisps and potato is soft, about 15 minutes.
What Do I Need to Bake a Sweet Potato?
- Large sweet potatoes
- Olive oil or melted butter
- Kosher salt
- Baking sheet
- Parchment or aluminum foil
How to Bake a Sweet Potato
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Or line the baking sheet with foil and coat with olive oil so potatoes don’t stick.
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly with a vegetable brush and pat dry.
- Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork several times.
- Rub with olive oil (melted butter works great, too!) and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
- Place sweet potatoes on a prepared baking sheet
- Bake sweet potatoes in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes. Flip the potato about halfway through the baking time, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Quick Tip:
Baking time varies, depending on the size of the sweet potato. Always check doneness by piercing with a fork or squeezing with an oven mitt.
How to Serve and Store Baked Potatoes
To serve, split down the middle, top with a pat of butter, salt and pepper. Or use your favorite toppings like:
- Warm maple syrup and toasted pecans
- Cinnamon and brown sugar
- Mini marshmallows and crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream and chives
Store leftover baked potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Basics by The BakerMama
Looking for more Basics by The BakerMama? With this helpful series, you can also learn how to:
- Roast Brussels Sprouts: Learn how to roast Brussels sprouts so they’re crisp and slightly charred on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfectly seasoned. These veggies are heavenly!
- Cook Runny Eggs in a Mini Muffin Tin: Once you learn how to Cook Runny Eggs in a Mini Muffin Pan, breakfast will never be the same! This easy egg method makes quick work of feeding a crowd for a holiday breakfast or a weekend brunch!
- Make Homemade Whipped Cream: Let me show you how to make homemade whipped cream that will have you ditching the canned whipped cream once and for all. It’s an easy, sweet homemade touch that can’t be beat.
- Bake Crostini: Learn how to bake crostini so that they’re crisp, crunchy and ready for enjoying. Layered with your favorite toppings, scooped into a tasty dip or on their own, these baked crostini are perfect for snacking.
- Make Great Grilled Cheese: Knowing how to make great grilled cheese can turn a gray day into a great day! A warm, melty grilled cheese with a crisp butter outside and a gooey melted center is the ultimate comfort food.
I hope you find these simple basics helpful! When you make something with the help of my BakerMama’s Basics series, be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see and others can be inspired!
xoxo,
Description
How to bake a sweet potato with delicately crisp skin and a tender, hot center. Learn simple, tried-and-true steps to getting the perfectly baked sweet potato every time!
- Large sweet potatoes
- Olive oil or melted butter (about 1 tablespoon per potato)
- Kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or line the baking sheet with foil and coat with olive oil.
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly with a vegetable brush and pat dry.
- Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork several times.
- Rub with olive oil (melted butter works great, too!) and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, flipping the potato about halfway through the baking time, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The baking time depends on the size of the potato. You can check the doneness by piercing the potato with a fork or squeezing it with an oven mitt.
