The secret to faster, perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes? Cut them in half! Roasting sweet potato halves instead of whole ones saves time and gives you caramelized exteriors with a soft, fluffy inside.
Turn Baked Sweet Potatoes into a meal with one of these recipes: Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes, Loaded Sweet Potato, and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Baked Sweet Potatoes In Half The Time!
I’m obsessed with sweet potatoes, so it’s about time I shared the BEST way to bake them!
This recipe only needs four ingredients: sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can add all kinds of toppings (more on that later), but the base recipe is super easy.
Quick Tip
Sweet potatoes are full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Their high fiber content makes them filling, and they taste great!
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: The best variety for baking is the orange-fleshed Garnet or Jewel sweet potato, known for its sweetness and creamy texture. Choose sweet potatoes that are firm, smooth, and free of cracks or soft spots for the best quality.
- Olive Oil: Makes the potatoes crispy and flavorful. It also helps the seasoning stick.
- Salt and Pepper: Adds flavor, and the salt helps make them crispy.
How To Make Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat Oven: Set to 400°F.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line with parchment paper.
- Clean Potatoes: Scrub 4 sweet potatoes, dry, and cut in half.
- Season Potatoes: Place on the sheet, pierce skins, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake: Bake flesh side down for 30-37 minutes, until tender.
How To Top Baked Sweet Potatoes
Here are some of my favorite easy ways to top your potatoes:
- Honey Butter: My favorite topping for a sweet finish.
- Sour Cream & Chives: For a tangy and creamy flavor.
- Cheese & Bacon: Perfect for a savory side!
- Meat: I love adding leftover chili or bolognese sauce on top.
- Black Beans & Corn: Great for a filling, Tex-Mex style potato.
FAQS
No, just pop them in the oven! It’s super easy.
Yes! The skin is safe to eat and full of fiber and potassium.
Yams are starchier and drier with rough skin, while sweet potatoes are sweeter with smoother, reddish skin. Learn more here.
They last 3-5 weeks. Baked sweet potatoes last 2-3 days in the fridge but can get soggy.
Storage
Baked sweet potatoes are best on the day they’re made and get softer over time. Let them cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. For longer storage, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad with a basil-lemon dressing
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowls my favorite vegetarian meal!
- Taco Sweet Potato Foil Packets with taco-seasoned beef
- Farro Soup with sweet potatoes
- Sweet Potato Risotto made in the Instant Pot
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 4 (10 to 13 ounces each) medium sweet potatoes, not yams, scrubbed clean and halved lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large, dark, sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. The parchment paper helps the potatoes cook evenly without the cut side getting too hard.
- Thoroughly scrub potatoes in cold water to remove all dirt and debris. Completely dry potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise.
- Place potatoes flesh-side down on sheet pan. Pierce the skin side of the potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Flip potatoes flesh-side up. Drizzle oil over potatoes and take your time to rub the oil into both sides of the potatoes so all parts are covered. Evenly sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt over potatoes (3/4 teaspoon for all potatoes, not each). Add 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the flesh sides of potatoes. Flip again so potatoes are flesh-side down. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over skins of the potatoes.
- Bake 30–37 minutes (depending on size of potatoes/personal preference for tenderness) until skin looks shriveled and potatoes are tender. A 5 to 6-ounce potato will cook in around 25–27 minutes, 6 to 8 ounce in around 30 minutes, and 9 to 11 ounce in around 33–37 minutes. Potatoes are done when a fork inserted into the biggest potato goes in easily. If not, bake 5 more minutes and repeat.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite toppings. We like a pat of butter and sprinkle of brown sugar with a little sea salt!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these last night and it was a winner!! So easy and so delicious!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Susie!
Could these be done in a toaster oven?
I haven’t tested them in a toaster oven, but I’m sure they would cook just as well if you figure out the right time.
Looks so good and easy! I can’t wait to try it. Could this recipe be done in an air fryer? Or would the best results be in the oven? Thanks!
You can try these: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/air-fryer-sweet-potatoes/
Thank you, this is a go to recipe of ours. My toddler loves it. The sweet potatoes get carmelized and custard-like. Very easy too.
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kat! 🙂
Thank you for posting this. I found the concept of roasted 1/2 sweet potatoes years ago, but your “cheat sheet” on how much time per weight helps immensely as the potato weight and cooking time can vary quiet a bit!! A great go to reference 🙂 … and they are delicious made this way!
So glad to hear this was helpful! Thanks for your comment and review Natalie 🙂
I love baked sweet potatoes and this was so easy!
These were great! Awesome idea to cut them half. Thanks!
These were delicious! Great instructions for achieving perfect results!