Roasted Sweet Potatoes

These 1½" chunks will look cozy on the sheet pan at first—that’s intentional. Nestling them together traps enough steam to help the interiors soften before the potatoes shrink slightly, giving them room to brown. A 450° oven does the rest.

Toss the sweet potatoes occasionally so they color on multiple sides, and skip the parchment: Direct contact with the hot sheet pan encourages better browning. Leave the skins on if you like, or peel them for a more uniformly creamy texture.

Salt and pepper are all you need, but consider this roasted sweet potato recipe a blank slate. See the variations below for spiced, cinnamon-sugar, herby Parmesan, or glazed sweet potatoes.

Serve them as a side dish, pile them into grain bowls and salads, or tuck them into tacos with refried black beans. Want to roast sweet potatoes whole, in wedges, or in halves?

See our guide to roasting sweet potatoes.

Roasted sweet potato FAQ

Do you need to peel sweet potatoes before roasting? No.

Sweet potato skins are edible and can crisp nicely in the oven. Leave them on for more texture or peel them, as this recipe directs, for creamier pieces throughout.

How do you know when roasted sweet potatoes are done? Look for deeply browned edges and tender, creamy centers.

A knife or fork should easily pierce the thickest pieces. If the potatoes are tender but still pale, give them a little more time to brown.

Why aren’t my roasted sweet potatoes crispy? Roasted sweet potatoes won’t get uniformly crisp like fried potatoes—the goal here is browned edges and creamy centers.

Let them roast directly against the sheet pan and toss them occasionally so multiple sides get a chance to brown.

Recipe information

• Total Time 50 minutes
• Yield 4–6 Servings

Ingredients

3

¼ 2

½ Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Toss 3 lb. sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled, cut into 1½" pieces, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned, 35–45 minutes. Do Ahead: Sweet potatoes can be roasted 3 days ahead. Let cool; transfer to an airtight container and chill. VARIATIONS:
• For spiced sweet potatoes: Toss 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika with sweet potatoes, oil, and salt, and pepper on baking sheet before roasting.
• For cinnamon-sugar sweet potatoes: Toss ¼ cup (packed; 50 g) dark brown sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon with sweet potatoes, oil, and salt, and pepper on baking sheet before roasting.
• For herby Parmesan sweet potatoes: Sprinkle roasted sweet potatoes with finely grated Parmesan and chopped tender herbs (such as dill or parsley).
• For glazed sweet potatoes: Drizzle roasted sweet potatoes with pure maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, or pomegranate molasses.

Head this way for more of our favorite vegetable sides for Thanksgiving →