Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Crispy & Easy!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

I have plenty of potato substitutes here on Wholesome Yum, frommashed cauliflowertojicama fries, and of course roasted potatoes are always an easy side dish loved by all. But when you want the comfort factor of real potatoes with a bit more nutrition, this oven roasted sweet potatoes recipe (or my baked sweet potatoes) are the way to go! Roasting sweet potatoes requires only a few ingredients and my kids absolutely love them — your family will, too.

Why You’ll Love This Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe

• Crispy and caramelized on the outside
• Perfect fork tender texture on the inside
• Sweet and savory seasonings to amp up the flavor
• Basic ingredients
• 10-minute prep
• Easy alternative to french fries or regular potatoes
• Versatile side for a variety of healthy main dishes for dinner

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasting sweet potatoes, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Sweet Potatoes:

Some considerations when choosing and preparing sweet potatoes to roast:

• Variety– Garnet or jewel varieties, with their reddish skin and orange flesh, work best for roasting and you can find them at most grocery stores. You can also substitute yams, which are similar to sweet potatoes, but less sweet.
• Skin – It’s up to you if you want to peel them or leave the skin on. Keep in mind that the skin is packed with nutrients, including potassium, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber.
• Chopping – I cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks, but you can do sweet potato wedges if you prefer.

Seasonings:

• Olive Oil– Helps the potatoes hold onto the seasonings, keeps them from sticking to the baking dish, and allows them caramelize. You can substitute any neutral oil you prefer.
• Brown Sugar– This is optional, if you like more sweetness. I typically avoid refined sugar, so I useBesti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend instead, but you can also omit altogether. You could also substitute honey or maple syrup if you like.
• Garlic – Mince fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor. If you are in a hurry, you can use jarred minced garlic instead, or a teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Cinnamon – Adds a sweet and woody flavor with a slight citrusy note to sweet potato cubes. For even deeper flavor, try swapping it with homemade pumpkin pie spice or savory spices like cumin and paprika.
• Sea Salt – I recommend sea salt instead of kosher salt for better flavor, but either works. The salt also helps them crisp up.
• Black Pepper

Optional Toppings:

• Butter – Gives the potatoes a richer flavor and adds a little moisture to them after roasting.
• Fresh Herbs– Parsley or thyme add a burst of fresh flavor and aroma to the finished dish.

How To Roast Sweet Potatoes In The Oven

This section shows how to make roasted sweet potatoes, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a9×13 baking dishwith olive oil.
2. Season. Cut and arrange sweet potato cubes in the baking dish. (Don’t crowd the pan too much — ideally no more than 2 layers of cubes.) Drizzle with oil, and add the brown sugar or Besti Brown (if using), minced garlic, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat.

3. Bake. Roast sweet potatoes in the oven, stirring halfway through, until fork tender.
4. Top. If using optional toppings: Place pats of butter over the potatoes while they are still hot and let it melt. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and thyme. Stir to coat.

How Long To Roast Sweet Potatoes?

Roasting sweet potatoes in the oven will take about 35-40 minutes.

What Temp To Roast Sweet Potatoes?

The higher the temperature, the sweeter your potato will be. For a sweeter potato, 425 degrees F is the ideal temperature. But, if you want less sweet fork tender, crispy skinned, roasted sweet potatoes, 400 degrees F is the ideal temperature to use.

See Also

30 Sweet Potato RecipesSpiral Sweet Potato BakeEasy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Or use them to make a breakfast sweet potato hash.
• Meal prep: Cut up potato cubes, then keep them submerged in a bowl of water in the fridge. This prevents browning, and will also help make your potatoes crispy when you cook them. Drain and pat dry before roasting.
• Reheat:Warm this roasted sweet potato recipe in a skillet on high heat, or in the oven at 350 degrees F, to crisp them up. Alternatively, you can put them in the microwave, but they won’t be crispy that way.

Can You Freeze Roasted Sweet Potatoes?

Yes, you can freeze leftover sweet potatoes for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the potato texture may change.

What To Serve With Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

These potatoes can truly go with everything!

• Poultry – Share crispy roasted sweet potatoes withchicken recipessuch as pan-fried chicken thighs,air fryer chicken wings, orchicken leg quarters. Or, serve them for the holidays with Thanksgiving turkey or slow cooker turkey breast on Thanksgiving day!
• Beef– This recipe pairs beautifully with a juicysirloin steak, New York strip, or afilet mignon.
• Seafood– Try these roasted sweet potato cubes withbaked salmon(shown above with some toppings!) orlemon codfor simple fish options, or for a special meal,pair them with a sea bass recipeorcrab legs. Or, for an explosion of complementary flavors, pair this side with jerk salmon.
• Breakfast – Instead of roasted potatoes, serve these sweet potato cubes with eggs benedict casserole,cloud eggs, baked eggs, or anomelette.
• Simple Salads– Add sweet potatoes to aspinach bacon salad, kale crunch salad, or swap for squash in butternut squash salad.
• Bowl Meals – Serve sweet potato cubes with farro, rice, or quinoa and toppings like tahini sauce to make an easy grain bowl. I love serving these over cauliflower rice as well.

More Healthy Roasted Vegetable Recipes

Roasted vegetables make healthy sides for almost any main course. Once you master how to roast a sweet potato, try some of my other healthy roasted vegetable recipes: