Wondering what to make with sweet potatoes? These healthy sweet potato recipes are the most delicious ways to eat this orange superfood.
Got sweet potatoes? This vibrant orange tuber is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, rich in vitamins, potassium and fiber. In the US it’s popular to prepare them with marshmallows as a holiday treat; but this superfood is way more versatile than that! Here are 35 healthy ways to eat sweet potatoes: fries, baked and loaded, soups and stews, quesadillas, enchiladas, and even on sweet potato pizza. Here are our best healthy sweet potato recipes.
Sweet potato varieties
Before we start, a bit of info on sweet potato varieties. There are hundreds of types of sweet potatoes ranging from white and mild to deep red and super sweet. There are even some purple sweet potato varieties! The type of sweet potato we’ve used in all of the recipes below is a sweet potato with orange flesh. Though we enjoy white-fleshed sweet potatoes, we’ve found we like the color and flavor of those with orange flesh best.
Also: what’s the difference between a yam and a sweet potato? Yams are native to Africa and Asia. Compared to sweet potatoes, they’re starchier and drier and have very tough skin. They’re carried in more grocery stores these days, but you’d probably find them in the international and specialty markets. Sometimes grocery stories in the US mislabel sweet potatoes as yams. For the recipes below, you should be fine picking up a grocery labeled sweet potato, making sure that it’s an orange flesh sweet potato. And don’t forget about farmer’s markets: they’re a great place to get sweet potatoes as well!
And now: our top healthy sweet potato recipes!
At the top in our healthy sweet potato recipes…fries: Baked, not fried! These crispy sweet potato fries require very little oil to brown in the oven. Baked sweet potato fries are notoriously soggy. Our secret? We use a little cornstarch to get a crunchy fry.
One of our fan favorite healthy sweet potato recipes to date, these sweet potatoes topped with a zesty slaw and creamy Thai-style peanut butter sauce are an irresistible plant based dinner recipe! You can use the Instant Pot method above for super moist sweet potatoes, or one of the baked versions below if you don’t have a pressure cooker.
You can make Instant Pot sweet potatoes in roughly 35 minutes and are incredibly easy to make. Making sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker is the perfect no-fuss weeknight dinners!
Here's a favorite way to make sweet potatoes as a side: roasted! These potatoes come out perfectly caramelized in a hot oven. Mix with olive oil, salt and a bit of garlic powdered, and the savory seasoning makes the sweetness pop. Use them as a side or a component of a larger dish: in tacos, grain bowls, and more!
This is one of the first sweet potato recipes we fell in love with. Start with the sweet orange flesh of a quick baked sweet potato. It's the perfect match to zesty Mexican-inspired flavors. You won’t believe the flavor in these Mexican sweet potatoes, topped with black bean salsa and our creamy cilantro sauce!
For a brunch side dish, try sweet potato hash browns! With just 5 minutes of hands on time, they’re delicious, simple, and fit a variety of diets. Ours our roasted in the oven until they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
This vegetarian sweet potato chili recipe is all star and a reader favorite! It’s a delicious healthy dinner recipe where you won’t miss the meat.
Serve with: Easy Vegan Cornbread
Ready in just 30 minutes, these healthy mashed sweet potatoes are flavored with garlic and fresh chives. They're a smooth and creamy side dish that compliments any meal. (Got an Instant Pot? Try our Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes.)
These Loaded Sweet Potato Rounds are one of our most “famous” sweet potato recipes with our family and friends, who always ask for them especially! They’re a delicious, crowd pleasing appetizer for entertaining — like bruschetta, but with a sweet potato base!
These broccoli cheese stuffed sweet potatoes are an easy, healthy weeknight dinner your whole family will love. The cheese sauce is made healthier by using pureed white beans in addition to cheese, which bring a creamy texture without adding more dairy.
One of our fan favorite sweet potato recipes, these sweet potato black bean enchiladas are always a hit at the dinner table! We’ve had friends and family who swear by this recipe for years.
Imagine: crispy sweet potato skins topped with a cheesy, gooey filling, chili-spiced pinto beans, and crunchy green onions. The perfect party appetizer!
This cozy vegan pot pie is next level: it’s filled with hearty vegetables, a gooey sauce, and a flaky, sage crust. Sweet potato brings a contrast to the savory onions and mushrooms.
Another time-tested favorite in our sweet potato recipes is this Moroccan stew with chickpeas and sweet potatoes. It’s an easy plant based dinner recipe that’s incredibly flavorful, featuring a blend of Moroccan spices.
Sweet potatoes, peanut butter and spices form the base of this vegan sweet potato soup, and it’s topped with bright red harissa. It’s hearty and full of zesty flavor!
This sweet potato dinner skillet features crispy shredded sweet potatoes, leafy greens, eggs and feta cheese, served up as a healthy vegetarian dinner.
This tasty sweet potato and kale soup features black beans and is flavored with cumin and lime; it’s vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
This loaded veggie quesadilla recipe is one the tastiest around—and it’s packed with veggies! Roasted sweet potato, cumin-scented black beans, and spinach are nestled in a bright green spinach tortilla.
Smothered in a zesty ginger tahini sauce, this Thai-style easy baked sweet potato recipe is a simple plant-based dinner that’s full of flavor.
Another showstopper in our sweet potato recipes, these sweet potatoes with goat cheese are over the top delicious! It stars tender roasted sweet potato, gooey goat cheese, and black lentils that are mixed with fresh herbs and twice baked in the oven.
This low carb burrito bowl with cauliflower rice is a delicious way to eat more vegetables! It’s Whole 30 vegetarian and customizable for all diets. It features grated sweet potato, which comes out with a crispy and tender texture. It’s a perfect foil for the chorizo eggs, which have become a fan favorite!
Kale and chickpeas make for a hearty sweet potato stew, while the coconut milk adds just the right amount of smoothness to this cozy and delicious recipe.
This healthy sweet potato hash with eggs is perfect for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. Ready in 25 minutes, it’s also an easy weeknight meal!
One of our more unique sweet potato recipes is sweet potato pizza! A simple sweet & savory combination, this sweet potato pizza combines roasted sweet potatoes, creamy brie cheese, and peppery fresh arugula.
Here's another sweet potato recipe featuring our quick baked sweet potato. This time it's topped with Moroccan-spiced lentils and a creamy lemon tahini sauce. It's filling, plant-based, and extraordinarily delicious.
These Mexican fries are insanely delicious: they’re sweet potato wedges loaded with black beans, salsa, cumin lime crema, and feta cheese. Omit the feta and it’s a vegan recipe too.
A perfect balance of textures and flavors, this sweet potato salad features shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, and Gouda cheese.
A little outside of our ordinary sweet potato recipes is this savory sweet potato pie! It’s a mouthwatering savory galette that makes for a special dinner. The filling features sweet potato, onion, and feta.
This tomato coconut cauliflower curry is delicious, nutrient packed, and ready in just over 30 minutes! It’s a crowd pleasing plant-based dinner recipe that features lots of vegetables, including tender sweet potatoes.
Roasting this orange vegetable is one of our favorite ways to eat it. This grain bowl with roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower is a hearty vegetarian dinner or lunch, featuring Moroccan spices and a tangy lemon drizzle.
Another in our roasted sweet potato recipes is this superfood salad. It’s full of delicious superfoods: greens, beets, sweet potato, avocado, and wild rice. It’s a perfect healthy reset!
This easy vegan black bean burger is bursting with flavor and features mashed sweet potato as the binder that keeps it all together! The patties are also gluten free and topped with spicy mayo & sprouts.
This vegan Buddha bowl features a variety of fresh and roasted vegetables, including–of course–sweet potatoes! And the best feature: a tangy lemon tahini sauce.
This main dish healthy potato salad features roasted sweet potatoes and red potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and a tasty honey mustard vinaigrette.
And finally, to round out our list of sweet potato recipes: this Southwest Salad! It’s a main dish salad recipe featuring a mix of sweet potatoes, veggies, and rice drizzled with a green chile vinaigrette.
Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These crispy sweet potato fries require very little oil to brown in the oven. Our secret? We use a little cornstarch to get a perfectly crunchy fry.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Cut the potatoes into fries (watch the video below): Wash the sweet potatoes, leaving on the skin. Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice the potato in half lengthwise. Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 1/4-inch slice, then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long strips. Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries. The pieces can be uneven, but aim for as uniform of thickness as possible. See the video below!
- Place the fries in a large bowl; drizzle with the olive oil, then add the garlic powder, kosher salt (less if using table salt), chili powder, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible.
- Bake 15 minutes on one side, then flip the fries and bake 10 to 15 additional minutes until the fries are dry and slightly browned; watch them carefully as the cooking time can depend on the thickness and the heat of your oven. (If the majority of the fries seem soft, continue to cook.)
- Cool for about 5 minutes, then serve immediately. Some fries may be slightly soft, but the outside of the majority of the fries will be crispy. (Note: Fries are best right out of the oven; they become softer as they sit.)
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Sweet potato recipes, Healthy sweet potato recipes
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
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