Baked Sweet Potato - Spend With Pennies

Baked sweet potatoes are an easy, hands-off side dish with crisp skins and soft, fluffy centers. Simply bake them until tender, then serve with your favorite toppings. They’re cozy, versatile, and effortless to prepare.

Flavor: Sweet, buttery centers with savory, seasoned skins.
Why Make It: Minimal prep and zero extra dishes, just a sheet pan, a fork, and perfectly baked sweet potatoes every time.
Technique: Poke, oil, season, bake until tender, then rest briefly.
Skill Level: An easy recipe that requires minimal effort.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes: Pick medium sweet potatoes that are all about the same size for even baking, and go for orange-fleshed varieties because they turn extra fluffy. Note the difference between sweet potatoes (potato-shaped but with tapered ends) versus yams (long and narrow), because many supermarkets often mislabel them.
Seasonings: Rubbing the skins with a little olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter helps them brown and taste perfectly roasted.

Sweet Potato Toppings

Once oven-baked sweet potatoes are fully cooked, top them with anything you like!

Uncooked Sweet Potatoes on a baking sheet with seasoning

How to Bake Sweet Potatoes

Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Poke with holes.
Rub with oil and season the skins (full recipe below).
Bake on a pan. Rest, split, and serve.

Cooking Temperature and Times

Bake at 350°F for 60 to 75 minutes
Bake at 375°F for 50 to 60 minutes
Bake at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes

Keep in mind sweet potatoes can vary in size which can change the cooking time slightly. You’ll want to make sure they’re soft when poked with a fork.

Baked Sweet Potato with sour cream on baking sheet

For even cooking: Bake potatoes that are similar in size.
For the perfect roast: Dry the potatoes well before oiling so the skins roast instead of steaming.
To prevent splitting: Poke enough holes (3 to 4 per side) so steam can escape.
For drier roasted skin: Skip the foil.
The best cooking time: Start checking at 50 minutes, but plan for up to 60 if they are large.
For extra fluffy centers: Slice open right after baking and gently fluff with a fork to release steam.
Meal prep tip: Bake a batch, then use leftovers for breakfast bowls, quick mashed sweet potatoes, or to stir into chili.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To freeze, scoop the cooked flesh, cool, then freeze in airtight bags for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave until hot or warm in a 375°F oven until heated through

Using Leftover Sweet Potatoes

Did you make these Baked Sweet Potatoes? Leave a rating and comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Cool Time 5 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Poke about 3-4 times on each side.
Rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting open.

Leftover sweet potatoes can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

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