These roasted sweet potatoes are so easy to make and perfect for batch cooking or meal prep. Try using this method to roast a big sheet pan of sweet potatoes at the start of each week for a quick and easy side dish that can be added to lunch or dinner!
Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potatoes
I think sweet potatoes are naturally delicious all on their own, but dicing and roasting them with a few extra spices really takes them over the top.
How to Peel Sweet Potatoes
The first step in getting perfectly roasted sweet potatoes is to peel them. Technically, you can leave the peel on, but I’ve found that it’s still tough and chewy even after cooking which I don’t enjoy.
I start by peeling my sweet potatoes using a vegetable peeler which makes the process incredibly easy. Then, I dice them into roughly 1 inch chunks with a sharp knife.
The Best Kind of Cooking Fat to Use When Roasting Sweet Potatoes
The next step is to toss them with a little cooking fat. When it comes to choosing the cooking fat for sweet potatoes, my personal favorites are either ghee or coconut oil.
You could also use avocado or olive oil, but I find that the ghee and coconut oil bring out the natural sweetness of the potatoes. If I had to pick coconut oil or ghee, I would go with ghee. The rich buttery flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet potatoes.
The Best Spices to Use for Roasted Sweet Potatoes
After you’ve tossed the sweet potatoes in the cooking fat, give them a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, chili powder, and salt. I don’t have an exact measurement here, but a nice shake of cinnamon and chili powder, paired with a good sprinkle of sea salt, should do the trick.
Cinnamon pairs perfectly with sweet potatoes and the chili powder gives them this delicious smoky flavor. If you’ve never tried a little chili powder on your roasted sweet potatoes I can understand why you might be hesitant, but just trust me on this one.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
The next, and final, step is to put the potatoes on a sheet pan to roast. I roast my sweet potatoes at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
The end result should be tender on the inside and slightly caramelized and browned on the outside. The trick here is to make sure that the potatoes are in a single layer on the pan when they go into the oven.
You don’t want potatoes lying on top of each other. They’ll take longer to cook and you won’t get that golden brown caramelized look that you’re going for.
If you follow all of those steps you should end up with perfectly roasted sweet potatoes every time. Of course, remember that cooking is all about trial and error. So if you add a little too much cinnamon or over-salt the first batch just tweak things the next time. Practice, and patience, makes perfect.
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Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These roasted sweet potatoes are so easy to make and perfect for batch cooking or meal prep. Try using this method to roast a big sheet pan of sweet potatoes at the start of each week for a quick and easy side dish that can be added to lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
- 1–2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp cooking fat like avocado oil, coconut oil, or melted ghee
- cinnamon
- chili powder
- salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
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Peel and dice your sweet potatoes into roughly 1 inch chunks. Toss the potatoes in the cooking fat of your choice and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, chili powder, and salt.
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Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes until tender.
