Tender, slightly caramelized Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a wholesome and versatile side dish. Roast a sheet pan full for an easy, delicious meal.
Roasting brings out the best flavor in sweet potatoes and a variety of other vegetables. More delicious choices include my Honey Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts and Lemon and Garlic Roasted Potatoes.
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Best Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe
I’ve tried a variety of methods, oven temperatures, and seasonings when roasting sweet potatoes (for more years than I’d like to admit) and this is the recipe that is on repeat on my menus.
Warm and savory cumin and granulated garlic are a heavenly combination when combined with a drizzle of honey to sweeten the situation the tiniest bit. I add just enough cayenne pepper for a kick, but not a ton of heat.
The result is a sheet pan full of caramelized chunks of sweet potatoes that will rock your world.
Ingredient Notes
- Red-skinned sweet potatoes – You may see these crimson babies sold as yams at the grocery store but in fact, they are sweet potatoes through and through. They have a bright orange flesh and deep red skin and they’re loaded with flavor, fiber, and vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A and potassium. I prefer these darker skinned sweet potatoes over the light tan skinned sweet potatoes that have a much lighter flesh.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Seasoning – Cumin, granulated garlic or garlic powder, fine ground sea salt. A small amount of cayenne pepper gives them a bit of a kick but you can increase the amount if you’d like a little heat.
- Honey – A drizzle of honey does not make this recipe super sweet. It’s just enough to combine with the olive oil to help lightly caramelize the surface of the sweet potatoes as they roast.
How to Make Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Place them on a rimmed sheet pan that you’ve coated with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle them with olive oil and toss with a spatula or your hands. Be sure all the sweet potatoes are well coated with oil.
- Sprinkle the seasonings over the top, drizzle evenly with the honey, and toss again.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 15 minutes. Toss the sweet potatoes with a spatula and continue to roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Toss once or twice during the remaining roasting time and cook until fork tender and browned.
FAQ
No. This is absolutely not necessary and in fact, I believe boiling or soaking them in advance affects the texture in a negative way. As long as you use the correct ingredients and oven temperature, you’ll end up with perfectly roasted sweet potatoes.
I have found that 400 degrees F is the optimal temperature to ensure the sweet potatoes will have enough time to roast to tender perfection without burning the exterior. You don’t want to roast sweet potatoes at a higher temperature when using honey or maple syrup or the sugars will likely burn.
In most cases, this is due to using the incorrect oven temperature or ingredients. Be sure your chunks sweet potatoes are coated with olive oil and that your baking sheet is coated with nonstick spray. This ensures you will be able to toss them throughout the cooking process for even roasting without them sticking to the baking sheet. A little honey also goes a long way in helping caramelize the surface.
Variations
- Maple roasted sweet potatoes: Substitute pure maple syrup for the honey for some warm, fall flavor.
- Assorted potatoes: Replace half of the sweet potatoes with unpeeled Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut to the same size.
- Seasoning: Change up the seasoning to suit your taste. Roasted Sweet Potatoes are delicious with a little chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, dried rosemary or thyme. If you’re feeling adventurous, try tossing them with garam masala like I do with my Sweet Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash for a real treat!
Serving Suggestions
Roasted Sweet Potatoes are super versatile. They are delicious as a stand alone side dish and also make a flavorful addition to burrito or grain bowls. Here are some of my favorite recipes and ideas for using sweet potatoes.
- Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Salmon with Maple Glaze
- Apple Cider Chicken
- Toss them into burrito bowls with Instant Pot Barbacoa or Mexican Shredded Beef. Piled it all on Cilantro Lime Rice with my Chipotle copycat Easy Corn Salsa.
- Create a healthy grain bowl with cooked brown rice, quinoa, or farro. Add Roasted Sweet Potatoes, black beans, chunks of avocado, and any other toppings you love. Drizzle it all with a little salad dressing or vinaigrette.
- Served with rice and Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Gratin
- Maple Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup
- Sweet Potato Rolls
- Sweet Potato Pie
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Peel the sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and toss with a spatula or your hands until all the sweet potatoes are well coated with oil. Sprinkle the cumin, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), salt, and cayenne over the top and drizzle evenly with the honey. Toss again to distribute the seasoning and honey.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Toss the sweet potatoes with a spatula and continue to roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until tender and browned.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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