Tender roasted sweet potatoes (Print version)

Tender baked sweet potatoes with caramelized edges and fluffy inside, ideal as a wholesome side or main.

# What you'll need:

→ Sweet Potatoes

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes (approximately 7 ounces each)

→ Seasonings

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or ground cinnamon
07 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or vegan alternative

# How to make it:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly under running water and pat them dry.
03 - Poke each sweet potato several times evenly with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
04 - Rub the sweet potatoes evenly with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
05 - Place the sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced apart.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork and slightly crisp on the skin.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Then, slice each sweet potato lengthwise.
08 - Fluff the interior with a fork and top with optional garnishes as desired. Serve warm.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely effortless—five minutes of prep and the oven does all the heavy lifting while you relax
  • Those caramelized edges develop a subtle sweetness that surprises you every single time
  • One dish that works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a late-night snack without apology
02 -
  • Wet potatoes steam instead of roast—this is the difference between crispy edges and soggy skin, learned through many disappointing batches
  • Pricking them with a fork is non-negotiable; I once skipped it and had a potato split open dramatically in the oven (lesson learned)
  • The size matters for even cooking; wildly different-sized potatoes won't finish at the same time, so pick ones as uniform as possible
03 -
  • Use parchment paper religiously—it prevents sticking and cleanup becomes almost meditative
  • The fork-fluffing step is where the magic happens; it transforms the interior from dense to impossibly fluffy
  • If you're batch-cooking for the week, arrange your potatoes on the baking sheet by size so they finish at exactly the same time

Go back