Perfect baked sweet potatoes that are fluffy, caramelized and full of flavor. This is a quick and easy recipe.
Prep 5 minutesmins
Cook 40 minutesmins
Total Time 45 minutesmins
Servings 2
Ingredients
2largesweet potatoes
1teaspoonolive oiloptional - see notes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub sweet potatoes well and pat to dry. Slice them in half lengthwise. Place them cut side down on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes, until they are completely soft, easily pierced with a fork (it should slide right through the skin) and you see juices bubbling all around each potato.
Serve warm, cut side up, and fluff with a fork if desired. Add any toppings you like.
To store for later, place potatoes in a glass dish or plate and allow to cool. Then cover them with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can scoop out the flesh and use it in a sweet potato smoothie or puree it for baked desserts. Reheat potatoes in the microwave or the oven, set at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes or until as hot as you want them to be.
Notes
I like to slice the potatoes in half because they are baked faster this way. I also like the flavor more as the cut side caramelizes and develops a deeper flavor. If you're baking more potatoes or they differ in size, adjust the baking time as needed.
You can bake the potatoes whole without cutting them in half. Pierce each potato with a fork, twice on each side, and bake as instructed. Bake them for 45-60 minutes or more for very large potatoes. Store the same way.
If you like to eat the potato skins and want them to be more flavorful, rub the potatoes with a teaspoon (or two) of oil and sprinkle them with salt prior to baking.
Baked potatoes reheat faster if sliced into smaller chunks.