How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
How to cook sweet potatoes two ways: roasting and puréeing.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Peeler
- Large pot
- Strainer
- Potato masher or immersion blender
- Spatula
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
For Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch dried rosemary
For Pureed Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds whole sweet potatoes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup + 1 tsp butter
Instructions
For Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- Wash the potatoes well under running water. Use a scrub brush to remove any stubborn bits of dirt (remember, these came from underground, so a little dirt is normal). If you like, you can peel the vegetables now.
- Slice the potato. You can choose fries, wedges, half-moons, rounds, or cubes. The only thing that really matters when slicing sweet potatoes for roasting is that the pieces are all of similar sizes. Otherwise, the potato won't cook evenly and you'll end up with some overcooked and other undercooked pieces.
- Place the cut sweet potatoes on your prepared baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil and your seasonings. Toss the potatoes well to coat them fully in the oil and seasonings. Spread them out into a single layer on the baking sheet, giving the potatoes as much room as possible to help them crisp up in the oven.
- Roast the potatoes for 30 minutes, tossing them halfway through. The potatoes are done when they're golden brown and soft all the way through.
- Serve your roasted sweet potatoes hot out of the oven.
For Pureed Sweet Potatoes
- First, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into cubes.
- Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add a big pinch of salt and bring the water to a simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 9 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are very fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to blend or purée the potatoes until fluffy and smooth.
- Stir in the cream, milk, and butter until melted and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve your sweet potato puree hot!
