How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes make for a tasty addition to any meal, providing essential nutrients like potassium and fiber as well as some plant-based protein. What’s not to love? Sweet potatoes!
Roasting sweet potatoes is the most popular cooking method, but you also have two other options: boiling or microwaving. Discover which method works best for these nutritious root vegetables!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes often go overlooked as a side dish, but they make the ideal addition to any holiday menu. Their light and buttery flavor pairs perfectly with everything from roast chicken and turkey meatloaf to cranberry orange chicken.
Boil, bake, or roast sweet potatoes and then mash them in a food processor to create an irresistibly creamy side dish. For extra richness, try adding some sour cream!
Alternatively, use a standing electric mixer with the paddle attachment to quickly whip the potatoes into a creamy texture. Be careful not to overmix, or you could end up with lumpy mash.
Roasting potatoes before mashing them is faster than boiling them, but be sure to wait until the sweet potatoes are tender before mashing as this tends to make them harder when cooked.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potatoes are a beloved southern dish that’s usually served during holidays and special events. Made with cooked and mashed sweet potatoes combined with sugar, butter, vanilla, milk, and eggs; then topped off with crunchy pecan crumble topping before baking until golden brown and delicious!
This recipe is incredibly versatile, making it suitable for any celebration! You can prepare it up to one day ahead and store in the freezer up to three months.
To prepare sweet potatoes, thoroughly peel, cube and wash them. Place the cubed sweet potatoes into a pot, saucepan or dutch oven with enough cool to lukewarm water to cover them by at least an inch.
Cooking sweet potatoes helps release their moisture, keeping the filling nice and creamy. Be sure to boil them thoroughly before mashing them.
Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork, then stir in sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt. You may need to add some milk if necessary to reach your desired consistency.
Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potatoes make an excellent filling for pies. Not only are they sweet and tender, but their flavor is enhanced when mixed with warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
To make a delicious sweet potato pie, boil chunks of sweet potatoes until tender. Drain, mash with a fork or potato masher and stir in brown sugar, evaporated milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg cinnamon and cloves.
You can serve this pie with either vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. For an extra sweet touch, sprinkle pecans or candied pecans over the top.
This soul food-style sweet potato pie recipe is easy to make from scratch and perfect for fall! Packed full of warming spices that enchant, it will become your go-to recipe in no time! Plus, its freezer friendly if you need to plan ahead: bake once, freeze it, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Roasted sweet potatoes are an easy way to bring hearty, delectable flavors to any meal. They go great with herbs and spices like cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic, and salt for extra seasoning.
When roasting sweet potatoes, it’s essential to cut them into uniform-sized cubes so they cook evenly and become perfectly caramelized. If your cubes aren’t precisely the same size, they could burn or overcook before being fork-tender.
Before roasting sweet potatoes, toss them with oil and seasonings to prevent burning and keep them crispy on the outside while staying soft inside. Also, using a spatula or tongs at least once during cooking will ensure all sides brown evenly and caramelize evenly.
Sweet potatoes are packed with essential nutrients, like vitamin C which boosts immunity and enhances iron absorption. Furthermore, sweet potatoes contain dietary fiber which may aid in maintaining regularity in the digestive tract.