Easy Baked Sweet Potato Recipe

For sweet potatoes that are soft and fluffy inside and crispy outside, try this baked sweet potato recipe with dinner tonight. This easy side dish is ready in 30 minutes and makes a warm and cozy addition to your meal. Enjoy with Almond Crusted Chicken and Sauteed Green Beans.

Sometimes I wish making dinner was easier.

I mean, I enjoy EATING a meal with a main dish and a few sides, but I don’t always enjoy MAKING all of those different components.

So sometimes, I make Cheeseburger Soup or Enchilada Casserole or Creamy Mushroom Pasta and don’t worry about having a bunch of different parts to my meal.

But occasionally, I do want a few different things to round out my plate.

That’s when I need easy side dishes. And that’s when I turn to this baked sweet potato recipe.

WHY MAKE SWEET POTATOES

These baked sweet potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes, because they’re so easy to make, and after just a couple minutes of prep work, they’re hands-off while they bake, so I can move on to making another yummy side dish! They’re also:

PERFECT BAKED SWEET POTATO RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• Sweet potatoes: look for medium-sized sweet potatoes without spots or bruises
• Coconut oil: this helps the sweet potatoes bake up nice and crispy on the outside and gives just a hint of sweetness. If you’re not a fan of coconut oil, though, you could also use olive oil, avocado oil, melted butter, or leftover bacon grease.
• Salt: a sprinkling of salt really enhances the flavor, and it’s the only seasoning you need for this baked sweet potato recipe

Psst…Did you know that many salts contain MICROPLASTICS? It’s a sneaky toxin that may be in your everyday salt, and thus your everyday food (um, gross). I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because their salt is FREE of microplastics, and it tastes delicious! (PLUS, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt – just pay shipping and handling!)

HOW TO BAKE SWEET POTATOES

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Cut each potato in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl.

Step 3: Measure oil over the potatoes and, using your hands, rub the oil over the entire surface of each potato.

Step 4: Place the potatoes on the lined baking sheet cut side down. Sprinkle half the salt over the potatoes. Flip the potatoes over and sprinkle the remaining salt over the potatoes.

Step 5: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.

SWEET POTATOES RECIPE TIPS

• Cooking the sweet potatoes skin-side-down helps them not stick to the baking sheet. If you decide to peel the sweet potato skin before baking, line your baking sheet with parchment paper so they don’t stick and for easy clean up!
• If all you can find are really large sweet potatoes, cut them into quarters (or even eighths!) before coating them with oil and baking them. Larger pieces will take longer to cook.
• You can also make sweet potato fries. Simply chop your sweet potatoes into sticks before coating them with oil. You won’t need to bake them as long either – start with 20 minutes and check to see if they’re cooked through and crisped to your liking.
• Some people love to top their sweet potatoes with brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup. I’m quite happy with just a pat of butter!
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Baked sweet potatoes are a yummy side dish that pairs well with all sorts of dinners! Try one of these combos, along with baked sweet potatoes, on this week’s menu plan:

You can even make a few extra sweet potatoes and serve them with eggs for breakfast the next day!

RECIPES – SWEET POTATOES FAQS

MORE EASY SWEET POTATO RECIPES