Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes make a great side dish. They are delicious served as is or with a little butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.
The first time I ever tasted Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes was at the Lone Star Steakhouse some years back. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business. It was love-at-first-bite! Where I came from sweet potatoes are usually boiled. While boiled ones are delicious, baked ones are sweeter and more flavorful. The caramelized juices oozing from the baked potatoes keep them moist and sweet. They become even more delicious when a tablespoon of butter is allowed to melt into each hot potato.
An Easy Side Dish
You only need two ingredients to make this super easy side dish, namely sweet potatoes and a bit of vegetable oil. Butter and cinnamon sugar are optional. You can choose to wrap the sweet potatoes in aluminum foil or line the baking tray instead. Either way works and nothing can be simpler. Sweet potatoes do weep a sticky liquid when baked and so the aluminum foil will keep you from having to scrub your baking tray afterwards.
Always choose plump, medium sized sweet potatoes of about 10 ounces (280g) each. I baked only three but you can bake as many as you like. The baking time remains the same regardless of the number of sweet potatoes you wish to bake.
Similar Products Used in Making These Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
AmazonBasics 3-Piece Baking Sheet Set
Simply Organic Ground Ceylon Cinnamon
Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 4 tsp vegetable oil
- Butter to serve
Cinnamon Sugar ( optional)
- 4 tsp sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare 4 pieces of aluminum foil.
- Scrub sweet potatoes well. Pat dry with paper towels. Prick each sweet potato evenly with a fork.
- Place each sweet potato on a foil. Drizzle with a teaspoon of vegetable oil and rub the oil all over the sweet potato.
- Wrap loosely with aluminum foil, making sure it is sealed. Place on a baking tray and into the oven. Roast for 60 minutes.
- Open the foil and continue to roast for another 30 minutes. Insert a knife or fork into the center of each sweet potato. They should feel quite soft. If not, return to oven and continue roasting until sweet potatoes are soft.
- Serve with butter and cinnamon sugar if desired.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
I am totally satisfied just eating one Baked Sweet Potato on its own for lunch. They are so soft, moist, and delicious with a dollop of butter. A sprinkling of cinnamon sugar is optional but highly recommended.
Whole Baked Sweet Potatoes are great served with steaks or roast pork. I served these with Pan Roasted Pork Loin Chops drizzled with reduced Merlot syrup from the Red Wine Poached Pears I made recently. It was a delicious meal!
Update January 22, 2014: Here is the recipe for Pan Roasted Pork Loin Chops.
Veronica says
Hi Biren, I love sweet potatoes. But I always boiled them as it’s much easier and quicker. But looking at your roasted sweet potatoes made me salivate. Thanks for sharing.
Biren says
Do try baking them for a change. They are sweeter and more fragrant.
DongXing says
I agree with you there about baked sweet potatoes – somehow, they are sweeter, more flavourful and so so more-ish. I tend to slice them into wedges and baked them with a light sprinkled of paprika to serve with baked fish – my take on “fish and chips”. My children love baked “sweet potato” chips. I tend to opt for a bake sweet potato instead of the traditional potato when I am having steak. I am looking forward to seeing your pan roasted pork loin chops with the poached pear syrup.
Biren says
The pork chops turned out really nicely. They were moist and tasty and it takes only 20 minutes to prepare.
Linda says
Have been doing this half my life. I eat one with just a little butter and salt and pepper for a quick lunch. So delicious.
Biren says
Perfect for a light lunch! So easy and tasty.
Ramona says
I love sweet potatoes… I cook with them… but never bake them like this. Looks great. 🙂