Baked Sweet Potatoes

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

How to make the BEST baked sweet potatoes! We’ll give you hints on how to get a crispy crust and fluffy potatoes inside. Plus the best sweet potato toppings!

Sometimes simple is the best. You don’t have to make fancy casseroles side dishes to bring smiles to your family’s faces. These sweet potatoes are easy and only take 5 minutes prep.

A close up of a Sweet potato

Baked Sweet Potatoes

I didn’t eat too many sweet potatoes when I was growing up, but we eat them on a weekly basis now. I love how they are naturally sweet…and their vibrant color is hard to pass up. They are versatile and can be used in breads and even pies. But today we’re keeping things simple and teaching you how to make THE BEST baked sweet potatoes.

Are sweet potatoes healthy for you?

Sweet potatoes tend to be known as the “healthy” potato. They are naturally sweeter than white potatoes, but are lower in calories and carbs. They a good source of fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

What is the best way to bake a sweet potato?

The technique for the best sweet potatoes is really very simple.

  1. Choose sweet potatoes that are about the same size so they bake evenly.
  2. Poke holes in the potato with a fork.
  3. Rub oil all over the outside of the potato.
  4. Rub coarse sea salt all over the outside of the potato.
  5. Bake at 425º Fahrenheit for about 45-55 minutes (depending on the size of the potato).

A close up of a baked sweet potato

Do you poke holes in potatoes before baking?

Yes!!! In all honesty, we’ve never had a potato explode, but we’ve heard the horror stories. Poking holes in the potato helps steam to escape which will hopefully prevent potatoes being splattered all over your oven. Take the time to poke holes. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Should you wrap potatoes in foil before baking?

We do not recommend wrapping potatoes in foil before baking. This will “steam” the skin and will not produce a crispy crust. Some will say the potatoes cook faster if they are wrapped in foil, but fast is not our goal here. Crispy skin and amazing flavor is our goal!

baked sweet potatoes on a pan

What temperature to bake sweet potatoes?

We bake potatoes in a 425º Fahrenheit oven. We find this helps the potatoes to cook in a reasonable amount of time, plus helps the potato skins to crisp nicely.

How long to bake sweet potatoes?

The exact amount of time it will take to bake sweet potatoes depends on the size of the sweet potato. An average sized sweet potato is about 8-10 ounces. This size potato will take about 45-55 minutes to bake at 425 degrees. Test the potato at 45 minutes. If you stick a fork in the potato, it should feel soft inside.

fork cutting open sweet potato

What can you put on a sweet potato?

Sweet potatoes are a great base for just about anything. We’ve topped them with pulled pork, taco fixings and even roast beef. If you’re looking for something a little simpler, try butter, maple syrup, brown sugar or a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Other Sweet Potato Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato with melted butter
Baked Sweet Potato with melted butter

Baked Sweet Potatoes

5 from 4 votes
How to make the BEST baked sweet potatoes! We'll give you hints on how to get a crispy crust and fluffy potatoes inside. Plus the best sweet potato toppings!
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Email Me This Recipe!
Enter your email and get the recipe sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week.

Ingredients
 

  • 4 whole sweet potatoes (washed and dried)
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Wash and dry the potatoes.
  • Pierce the potato 2-3 times with a fork.
  • Rub oil all over the potatoes.
  • Rub salt all over the potatoes.
  • Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on how large the potatoes are. The potato should be tender inside if you poke a fork into it.
  • Serve with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar or cinnamon. 

Video

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword how to serve sweet potatoes, side dish recipes, sweet potato recipes

A close up of food on a plate, with Sweet potato and butter

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

Get 5 Classic Recipes with a Deliciously Secret Twist

You might also like

Join the Discussion

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

5 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Winona Johnson
2 years ago

5 stars
Thank you for explaining why holes are needed. I have never baked any potatoes before so I appreciate the detailed instruction. Also, you and your daughters are too cute! Love the family pic.

Gymratnlovinit
3 years ago

5 stars
Awesome!!! This was just like restaurant style! Thank you so much for sharing!

Di-Di | Flat-Out Flexitarian
4 years ago

5 stars
Vet informative and helpful, and a great video Julie. I’ve included your page in a mini sweet potato recipe roundup for flexitarians.

Donna Pierce Clark
5 years ago

5 stars
Simply wonderful! My favorite potato! Thanks for the idea and the simple way to prepare these!