Sweet potatoes are more than just a side dish—they’re a nutritional powerhouse that can be the star of any meal. Rich in flavor and packed with vitamins, these versatile tubers are perfect for creating dishes that are both satisfying and healthy. Whether you’re searching for a quick weeknight dinner, a comforting holiday side, or even a sweet dessert, sweet potatoes can do it all.
In this ultimate collection of 30 sweet potato recipes, you’ll find a variety of dishes that showcase the endless possibilities of this humble ingredient. From crispy, golden fries and creamy soups to hearty casseroles and decadent pies, these recipes are designed to bring out the best in sweet potatoes.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just starting to explore the joys of sweet potatoes, this list will inspire you to create meals that are not only delicious but also nourishing. These recipes are tried and true, ensuring that you’ll find new favorites to add to your regular rotation. Dive in and discover why sweet potatoes deserve a permanent place in your kitchen!
Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
There are many advantages to baking sweet potatoes in an air fryer: It’s quicker than an oven (no preheating!) and the circulating hot air yields a perfectly crisp exterior and silky, creamy interior. We topped each potato simply with a pat of butter and some chopped fresh chives, but you can add any of your favorite toppings (mini marshmallows included).
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Crispy Pancetta and Sage
This recipe puts a little twist on the classic potato gnocchi using sweet potato instead. I love its natural sweetness and beautiful color. I then coat the pillowy pieces with a rich, nutty and salty brown butter. (I felt that tomato sauce might be a bit too acidic and mask the sweetness.) To top it all off: crispy nuggets of pancetta and fried sage leaves.
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are in the same family as other potatoes but cooking them requires a different approach to get the fluffy interior and sweet caramelized flavor we all love. After testing several techniques—wrapping in foil, pricking and not pricking, using a roasting pan—we found the following method delivered on all fronts, with minimal effort. Pricking with a fork allows steam to release and the potato flesh to separate from the skin, something that didn’t always happen otherwise. Baking the potatoes on a wire rack nested in a baking sheet also helped the potatoes cook more evenly (and made cleaning up much easier). Lastly, allowing the potatoes to rest in the turned-off oven for 30 minutes after baking allowed the flavors to develop even further, though you can skip this step if you are short on time.
Healthy Sweet Potato Dip with Spiced Pita Chips
Here’s a vibrantly colored and creamy dip that’s a great alternative to hummus. We included instructions for making homemade pita chips but you can skip that part and use store-bought instead.
Grilled Sweet Potato and Scallion Salad
Bobby bakes sweet potatoes until they are just soft, then grills them to finish cooking. A mustard vinaigrette brings all of the salad’s flavors together.
Sweet Potato Bisque
Think this bisque is all sweet? Garlic, ginger and chipotle peppers provide just the right amount of spice and aromatic kick.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These mashed sweet potatoes have all the elements of a classic sweet potato casserole, but they cook from start to finish in an Instant Pot. And the (optional) marshmallow swirl on top is deliciously decadent.
Sweet Potato Lasagna
Sweet potatoes sub in for lasagna noodles in this twist on the classic, while spinach adds a pop of color (and plenty of nutrition). The result is a hearty and satisfying main dish that just happens to be vegetarian and gluten-free too!
Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Rachael packs tons of flavor into this quick sweet potato side dish, mixing in bananas, orange juice, nutmeg and brown sugar.
Ba Si Di Gua
Chinese candied sweet potatoes are a popular restaurant dessert consisting of tender, fluffy fried sweet potatoes coated in golden brown caramel. As it cools, the caramel becomes a crunchy shell that shatters when you bite into it, creating a wonderful contrast of textures. Some restaurants put the just-coated potatoes into a bowl of ice water tableside to quickly set the sugar; feel free to do the same at home. If you don’t, serve the dish as quickly as possible because as it cools, the caramel will stick to the plate. We used orange sweet potatoes, but any type is fine.
Oven Sweet Potato Fries
Who doesn’t love sweet potato fries? These oven-baked versions are great on their own or dipped in ranch dressing.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
Roasted bananas are Tyler’s secret weapon for an extra-sweet (and super rich) sweet potato casserole.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon
These simple roasted sweet potatoes get an extra hint of sweetness (and caramelization) from honey.
S’mores Sweet Potato Cheesecake
This dessert combines two of our favorite desserts: a sweet potato cheesecake and a gooey, melted s’more. All the flavors and textures are there — from the crispy chocolate graham cracker crust to the toasted marshmallows and rich chocolate sauce that gets drizzled over every slice.
Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Bobby’s twist on scalloped potatoes is a no-brainer: use thinly sliced sweet potatoes for the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
The Neelys’ Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Wondering what makes these twice-baked taters so special? Their insides are a mash of cooked sweet potato, cream cheese, brown sugar, butter and fragrant fall spices.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter
Giada’s surprisingly easy homemade gnocchi is an irresistible Italian twist on the classic sweet potato side dish.
Sweet Potato Poutine
Sweet potato casserole gets a tricky makeover. What looks like a plate of poutine (french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds), is actually a familiar sweet trio: sweet potatoes, brown sugar and toasted marshmallows.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Anne takes sweet potato casserole to the next level by mixing in dried apricots, honey, cinnamon, and orange juice and zest. And, just when you thought it couldn’t get any more delicious, she sprinkles it with an oatmeal crisp topping.
Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash
With smoky bacon, spicy jalapenos and plenty of sweet potatoes, Molly’s breakfast hash offers something for everyone.
Miso Roasted Sweet Potato with Benne Seed Butter and Collard Green Furikake
Historically, sweet potatoes served as a reminder of home for many Southerns who moved north after the Civil War. They’re rich in nutrients and pair beautifully with ingredients from other cultures. For this roasted sweet potato dish, furikake and yellow miso paste bring an earthy umami to balance the potatoes’ sweetness. Japanese furikake is usually made with seaweed, but in this version you use collard greens. Benne seeds, the West African name for sesame seeds, were brought from the Caribbean in the 1700s and used by enslaved Africans to enrich dishes when meat was scarce. The seeds eventually became a Southern staple whose flavor and richness elevated sweet and savory dishes alike. Here the seeds are blended into a tahini-like butter that’s drizzled over the potatoes.
Mini Sweet Potato Muffins
Mini chocolate chips are the perfect size for these tiny sweet potato muffins.
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Guy makes sweet potatoes even sweeter by sprinkling the twice-bspuds with a sugar and pecan topping.
Slow-Cooker Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
These tender sweet potatoes, glazed with butter and spices, are just sweet enough to make them the perfect accompaniment to your favorite poultry or pork dish.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
Molly’s meat-free burritos are the perfect make-ahead meal. After rolling the burritos, tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, simply unwrap a burrito and pop it in the microwave for just a few minutes.
Melting Sweet Potatoes
This simple recipe might just become your new go-to for family dinners and special occasions. Baking sweet potatoes at a really high temperature caramelizes the outside. Finishing them in chicken broth gives them their creamy texture.
Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Alton always hated sweet potatoes — until he built an episode of Good Eats around them. Instead of smothering them in marshmallows, he lets them sing by mashing them with smoky spices.
Rum Sweet Potato Pie
“This is a rendition of my grandmother’s world-famous pie — although she didn’t have booze in hers!” says Eddie.
Whole Breakfast Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
These twice-baked breakfast potatoes contain all the elements of a brunch feast — eggs, sausage, spuds — contained in one tidy package. It’s just a bonus that they also follow the Whole30 program (a lifestyle that encourages you to choose whole food over processed, and eschews sugar, grains, dairy and legumes).
