31 Sweet Potato Recipes to Make for Every Meal (Including Dessert) (2024)

There’s so much more to sweet potatoes than that much-loved casserole found on many a Thanksgiving table. Try them baked, as home fries, mashed with other root vegetables, or made into crispy pancakes. Beyond the side dish, they feature in soup, stew, chili, and curry—ones with meat and ones without. And then there is the "sweet" side of sweet potatoes, playing a starring role in pies, puddings, and cakes.

Though sweet potatoes are available year round, they are at their sweetest in fall and winter. They aresometimes mislabeled as yams, which are actually not widely available in North America (but are also delicious).

When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for ones that are very firm, with no areas of softening, sprouting, or wrinkling, all of which are signs of age. To store sweet potatoes, keep them in a cool, dark place for up to one month.They should never be kept in the refrigerator, as their natural sugars will convert to starch, making them less sweet.

A Rainbow of Sweet Potato Varieties That Everyone Should Try

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Smashed Salt-and-Vinegar Sweet Potatoes

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Steamed till fork tender, then drizzled with olive oil and roasted until they are crispy and golden, these smashed sweet potatoes are irresistible. Serve them with a drizzle of a light vinegar, like Champagne vinegar, and watch them disappear fast.

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02of 31

Spiced Sweet-Potato Cake with Meringue Frosting

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This spectacular single layer cake pairs sweet potatoes with pumpkin pie spice—and it’s a great combination. On top is an Italian meringue frosting that’s toasted under the broiler (or using your kitchen torch).

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03of 31

Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

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A bowl of this creamy, soothing sweet potato soup is comfort indeed. The sweetness of the tubers is balanced by a subtle spice from canned chipotles in adobo. The creamy consistency is all down to the sweet potatoes since this soup is made without dairy (sour cream is optional for serving).

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04of 31

Sweet-Potato Biscuits

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Amp up the color and nutrition of your breakfast baked goods by making these sweet potato biscuits. They bring everything you love about homemade biscuits and then some to the table.

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05of 31

Baked Sweet-Potato Chips

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Crispy, tasty, and good for you, these homemade sweet potato chips make the best snack—and are also a great accompaniment to a sandwich lunch.

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Cauliflower-Sweet Potato Curry

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A satisfying vegan main that appeals on so many levels; hunks of sweet potato and cauliflower soak up a coconut milk and red curry sauce. Baby spinach, edamame, and zucchini bring plenty of green appeal. This might be the most colorful—and delicious—dinner of the week.

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07of 31

Sweet Potato Pancakes

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These sweet potato pancakes are too good to save for Hannukah. They’re a tasty riff on latkes that you’ll want to make all through the fall and winter.

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08of 31

Sweet-Potato Pudding

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Wake up to this nourishing vegan pudding for breakfast. Roast a sweet potato the night before to shorten prep time in the morning. This recipe serves two but feels free to double or triple it in order to treat your entire family to a warming breakfast.

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09of 31

Tzimmes

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Served as a side dish for Passover, this traditional stew combines sweet potatoes and carrots with prunes and dried apricots, cooking them in orange juice and honey. It pairs well with robust meat dishes like brisket.

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10of 31

Black-Bean and Sweet-Potato Stew

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In under one hour, you can prepare this hearty vegan stew. Chopped sweet potatoes are cooked with a combination of whole and puréed black beans, quinoa, minced chipotle in adobo, and chopped poblano peppers.

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Slow-Baked Sweet Potatoes

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There's no way to rush when making this easy, healthy side dish—medium sweet potatoes are wrapped in parchment and foil and roasted for an hour and a half until they're super tender and their sweet flavor shines. The cook time might be lengthy, but very little of it is hands-on.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

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Here's a Thanksgiving classic: Mashed sweet potatoes are placed in a baking dish, topped with marshmallows, and baked until bubbling and golden brown. Who could resist this sweet side?

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Brown-Butter Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Seeds

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Upgrade basic gnocchi by using sweet potatoes in place of the usual russet in this colorful, better-for-you pasta recipe. They're garnished with pepitas, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and a butter-sage sauce.

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14of 31

Taco Salad with Sweet-Potatoes

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Roasted sweet potatoes are the base of this Southwestern-inspired salad bowl. They're topped with black beans, sliced radishes, crushed tortilla chips, and crumbled goat cheese (which you can leave off for a vegan meal).

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15of 31

Sweet-Potato Toast Four Ways

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Instead of sandwich bread, substitute thin slices of roasted sweet potatoes as the base for a gluten-free breakfast or lunch toast. Top with sliced hard-boiled eggs and spinach; sliced avocado and co*cktail tomatoes; nut butter and berries; or hummus, sliced cucumbers, and radishes.

16of 31

Rutabaga-Sweet Potato Mash with Garlic and Sage

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Take a break from the usual mashed potatoes and serve your family this innovative root vegetable side dish instead. Rutabaga and sweet potatoes are mashed with minced garlic, fresh sage, and heavy cream for a flavorful autumnal recipe.

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Sweet-Potato Custard Pie

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Yes, you can serve sweet potatoes for dessert! Roasted sweet potatoes are puréed in a food processor and mixed with eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then topped with mouthwateringly sweet large marshmallows.

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18of 31

Roasted Sea Bass with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, and Salsa Rustica

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Sheet-pan suppers are big on taste and short on cleanup. Sliced sweet potatoes roast alongside fresh spinach and sea bass fillets. This recipe comes together in under an hour and will surely be a hit with the whole family.

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19of 31

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

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This vegan chili recipe doesn't lack flavor—tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper add plenty of heat.

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20of 31

Sweet Potato Home Fries

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Upgrade bacon and eggs with these breakfast potatoes. Diced sweet potatoes are roasted on a sheet pan, then tossed with chopped onion, green bell pepper, jalapeño peppers, and plenty of unsalted butter.

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21of 31

Sweet-Potato-and-Cauliflower Mash

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Here's a totally creative way to make use of cauliflower: boil it with sweet potatoes and then mash with milk, butter, freshly grated nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. It's a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving—or any night of the week.

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22of 31

Soba and Sweet Potatoes in Miso-Lime Broth

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Nourishing, healthy, and hearty, this warm noodle bowl is packed with shiitake mushrooms, diced sweet potatoes, sliced baby bok choy, plus aromatics like scallions, garlic, sweet white miso, and fresh lime juice.

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23of 31

Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Loaded sweet potatoes get a healthy upgrade with this better-for-you recipe featuring trimmed broccoli rabe, cannellini beans for protein, and sliced pepperoncini.

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West African Peanut Stew

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This flavorful, family-friendly stew comes together in under one hour. It's loaded with collard greens and sweet potatoes, which float in a combination of chicken broth and creamy peanut butter.

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25of 31

Pork Tenderloin with Kale Salad

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This simple dinner will transport you to Tuscany. Diced sweet potatoes are roasted with chopped kale for a colorful, plentiful salad that's topped with dried currants and lots of freshly grated pecorino. It's served alongside pork tenderloin and steamed quinoa.

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Sweet Potato Parmesan Fries

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A healthy take on French fries, we keep the skin on for these sweet potato fries. The potatoes are tossed with olive oil, coarse salt, and Parmesan cheese for a rich, sweet flavor and a slightly caramelized texture.

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Sweet Potato-Sausage Soup

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Twenty minutes of prep time yields a hearty pot of soup with Italian sausage aplenty, pasta shells, sweet potato, and nutritious winter greens.

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Sweet Potatoes and Buttermilk

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Simply roasted wedges of sweet potatoes take on an almost candied flavor. Pair them with an easy, tangy buttermilk-mayo for dipping.

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Sweet Potato and Sage-Butter Casserole

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Sage adds a savory note to sweet-potato casserole topped with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs. Best of all: It can be made two days ahead of time.

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Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

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Bourbon and brown sugar have a natural affinity for sweet potatoes. This simple side dish can be roasted in the oven along with the main dish such as turkey, ham, or pork loin.

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Boneless Pork Chops and Roasted Yam Fries

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Pork loin medallions are dredged in breadcrumbs that are with seasoned with oregano. The earthy, fatty flavors pair well with sweet yams tossed in dark brown sugar.

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31 Sweet Potato Recipes to Make for Every Meal (Including Dessert) (2024)

FAQs

How many cups can you get out of a sweet potato? ›

We decided to use a medium sweet potato for our measurements. We found that it took 1.25 medium sweet potatoes to obtain 1 cup of sliced potato. When cubing, we needed 1.3 sweet potatoes to reach the 1 cup mark. However, when measuring for 1 cup of mashed, 2 whole sweet potatoes did the trick.

How many sweet potatoes do I need for 19 people? ›

“A general guideline to estimating how many sweet potatoes you need when hosting friends or family for a meal is one medium sweet potato per person,” Burgess says, as if she's done this many times before.

What can I do with too many sweet potatoes? ›

33 Of The Most Delicious Things You Can Do To Sweet Potatoes
  1. Smoky Sweet Potato Burgers with Roasted Garlic Cream Cheese and Avocado. ...
  2. Loaded Sweet Potato Skins. ...
  3. Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting. ...
  4. Spiced Sweet Potato Hummus. ...
  5. Sweet Potato "Nachos" with Cheddar and Black Beans.
Oct 18, 2014

Can I eat sweet potato with every meal? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

What brings out the flavor of sweet potatoes? ›

Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness.

What does 1 serving of sweet potato look like? ›

Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1 medium (4.6 oz / 130 g) Calories 100 Calories from Fat 0 *Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of vitamin A; a medium one contains more than 100 percent of the daily recommended intake, according to the USDA.

Is eating 2 sweet potatoes too much? ›

The only side effect of eating too many sweet potatoes at once would be discolored yellow skin. But we have a feeling you'll likely eat the right portion of sweet potatoes at a time. A cup of cubed sweet potatoes, or one medium-sized sweet potato, usually is about one serving for a person.

Can I eat sweet potato 3 times a day? ›

Sweet potatoes are a healthy food source that can provide you with several benefits. Because of their higher sugar levels and high vitamin A content, you can likely enjoy them in moderation about two or three times per week.

How many sweet potatoes to feed 30 people? ›

Use 1 medium sweet potato per person.

How many sweet potatoes is 3 cups? ›

One pound raw fresh sweet potatoes = 3 cups shredded, cubed or sliced = 1 3/4 cups cooked, mashed.

Can you prepare sweet potatoes in advance? ›

Preparing sweet potatoes in advance for the week is a convenient way to ensure you have a nutritious and delicious meal ready in your fridge. With busy work and household schedules, it can be challenging to plan fresh meals regularly.

When should you not eat sweet potatoes? ›

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Is it OK to eat one whole sweet potato? ›

Just one sweet potato gives you 102% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.

When should you not cook sweet potatoes? ›

Use your senses to determine if your sweet potato is past its prime. First, give it a squeeze. It'll be firm if it's fresh, and mushy if it's not. Other signs to check for are discoloration, shriveled skin, black or brown spots, and suspicious odors.

What to eat with sweet potato fries sauce? ›

What goes with fries besides ketchup? Sweet potato fries pair well with just about flavor which leaves the dipping possibilities endless. A creamy yogurt-based sauce like a cinnamon yogurt is always a hit as well as something spicy like a chipotle aioli.

Is sweet potato good with milk? ›

Just like you'd pour some milk over the top of your oatmeal, you can add it to your sweet potato to make it feel like a nice, warm breakfast cereal. I like coconut milk best, and nut milk is my second choice. But, you can definitely add dairy milk as well. Stir in a drizzle and swirl it in as much as you desire.

What do you fertilize sweet potatoes with? ›

Choose the Right Fertilizer: Select a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

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