24 Best Sweet Potato Recipes
When searching for a dish to satisfy a craving and please even the pickiest of palates, reach for the humble sweet potato. This tuber is all about versatility, as it can go savory or sweet and boasts textures ranging from cravably creamy to caramelized and crunchy.
Often confused with yams (orange-toned sweet potatoes), these root veggies come in different varieties ranging in hue from white to red-orange, allowing for a colorful presentation on the plate. Sweet potatoes can be prepared in many ways and often steal the show, whether featured as a side dish or entrée.
While your palate will be the first to enjoy a delicious sweet potato dish, the root vegetable also hosts a myriad of health benefits. According to Medical News Today, it's a nutrient powerhouse, boasting loads of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, and potassium.
In addition to the impressive nutritional content, sweet potatoes have an equally desirable flavor and texture that is mildly sweet and satisfyingly starchy. Check out Tasting Table's best sweet potato recipes and discover all the delicious ways to taste this tuber.
1. Sweet Potato Casserole With Bacon
Don't let the name of the potato fool you — this casserole is all about savory flavors. After being boiled and mashed with rich cream, butter, and a bit of brown sugar, the sweet potato base gets topped with oven-roasted bacon and shredded Gruyére cheese, then it's popped in the oven to achieve melty goodness.
The subtle sweetness of the potatoes enhances the savory taste of the bacon and balances the pungent nature of the cheese, creating a dish that really satisfies salty cravings.
2. Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This bowl of edible gems tastes even more impressive than it looks and makes for a stunning side dish. Bite-sized pieces of peeled sweet potatoes are coated in a honey-olive oil dressing spiced with rich cinnamon and balanced with a citrusy pop of lemon juice before being roasted to lacquered perfection in the oven or air fryer.
The refreshingly rich flavors and appealing presentation make this an ideal holiday dish, but it tastes so good that it might become a staple on your weekly menu.
Recipe: Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
3. Simple Sweet Potato Pie
No need to wait for a holiday to roll around when you can enjoy a slice of velvety sweet potato pie anytime the craving hits with this easy and delicious dessert recipe. Pureed sweet potato (fresh or canned) spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger is sweetened with a caramel kiss of coconut sugar before blending with rich butter, eggs, and milk to make the decadent pie filling.
A store-bought pie crust saves you time with this easy pie that you can prep in just 10 minutes. The hardest part is waiting for the pie to cool before digging in.
Recipe: Simple Sweet Potato Pie
4. Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries might become your new go-to after biting into this subtly sweet and perfectly crisped take on the favored side dish. These nutrient-rich potatoes are tossed in olive oil and simply seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder before baking in a hot oven to create a crunchy fry with a tender interior.
Make it yours by playing with the seasoning blend and enjoy serving with a variety of cuisines and dipping sauces.
Recipe: Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
5. Parmesan Sweet Potato Stacks
If you're tired of the same old sides, refresh mundane menus with these savory sweet potato stacks. Thin-sliced sweet potatoes are liberally coated with rich butter and nutty Parmesan cheese seasoned with thyme and nutmeg before being easily stacked into a muffin tin. The result is a mini tower of savory flavors with a tender interior surrounded by crisped edges that diners will be excited to try.
These sweet potato stacks pair with the protein of your choice but can easily become the main event paired with a side salad.
Recipe: Parmesan Sweet Potato Stacks
6. Grilled Sweet Potato Salad
Update your side dish game with this flavorful take on classic potato salad. A hot grill caramelizes the sugar in the tubers while infusing them with a smoky essence that balances the flavor profile. The hint of char is cooled off with a creamy and tangy yogurt-mayonnaise dressing punched up with turmeric, zesty lime, and an herbal hit of Thai basil.
Recipe: Grilled Sweet Potato Salad
7. Candied Yam Casserole
This decadent crowd-pleaser starts with a creamy mashed sweet potato base that gets topped with a graham cracker-pecan crumble before being baked until crispy and lightly golden brown on top. Top that with marshmallows for the essential finish in the oven, yielding the classic casserole that boasts intense sweetness enhanced by creamy and crunchy texture layers.
Serve as a side dish to a savory main, or save this sweet casserole for dessert.
Recipe: Candied Yam Casserole
8. Vegan Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun
Hailing from South Asia, Gulab Jamun is a unique dessert that's essentially a sweet potato donut hole soaked in tangy cardamon-lemon syrup. Delicate mashed sweet potato dough is formed into a ball and fried to a rich golden brown before being bathed in a tangy-sweet lemon syrup spiced with saffron and chopped cardamom seeds.
Serve warm and garnish with a sweet syrup drizzle and a sprinkle of slivered almonds or chopped pistachios.
Recipe: Vegan Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun
9. Sweet Potato Chowder
If you're craving a nourishing soup that's chock full of sweet veggies and unique flavors, get ready to tuck into this chowder. Sweet onions, carrots, and potatoes seasoned with sage are sauteed in salty bacon to create the nutrient and flavor-rich soup base that simmers to perfection in savory chicken broth. Finish the chowder with essential heavy cream and an earthy hit of chopped spinach to round out the flavor profile.
Garnish with chopped bacon and roasted pepitas and serve with a hunk of artisan bread for a palate-pleasing chowder that's sweet potato forward.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Chowder
10. Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
Baking a potato takes hours when done right, but these sweet potatoes will hit the table in 50 minutes thanks to the handy air fryer. Avocado oil-rubbed sweet potatoes bake up with a crispy exterior surrounding a fork-tender center to create an easily customizable side dish or entree.
Get fresh by adding creamy avocado and tangy chopped tomatoes to your baked sweet potato, or go for classic baked potato toppings like bacon bits and sour cream.
Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
11. Spiced Sweet Potato Bread
This easy quick bread is pulling double duty as a breakfast bread or after-dinner treat that satisfies. The subtly sweet taste of grated sweet potato spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom is enhanced by molasses, brown sugar, and applesauce that come together to make a tender bread that isn't too sugary.
Add to the flavor profile by topping with chopped pecans or bits of crystalized ginger and enjoy on your coffee break or as a dessert with a dollop of whipped cream.
Recipe: Spiced Sweet Potato Bread
12. Crispy Chicken Quesadilla
Boost the flavors, nutrients, and textures in your quesadilla by adding sweet potato to the mix. Mashed sweet potato creates a creamy base with a mild sweetness that enriches the flavors of savory chicken and earthy black beans as they all meld together under a melty blend of Mexican cheeses.
Garnish with pico de gallo for a pop of acidic, fresh flavors that cut through the rich textures and bold taste of this elevated quesadilla.
Recipe: Crispy Chicken Quesadilla
13. Sweet Potato Curry Soup
The mildly sweet taste of sweet potato plays well with the bold flavors of cumin, curry powder, and garam masala in this aromatic and hearty soup. This dish boasts sweet and savory flavors from a rich coconut milk and chicken stock broth made thick and creamy when blended with seasoned sweet potatoes cooked in onion and garlic.
Go heavy on the toasted chickpea garnish that brings an essential crunch and nutty flavor to this soul-warming sweet potato soup.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Curry Soup
14. Fresh Yam Casserole
Yam lovers who prefer their casseroles on the sweet side will surely be satisfied with the warm flavors featured in this dish. Cooked sweet potatoes spiced with cinnamon and cloves are mashed with milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and rich butter to create a creamy puree with sweet caramel notes. Extra butter and brown sugar join chopped pecans atop the mashed sweet potatoes to create a candy-sweet topping that takes this casserole over the top.
Recipe: Fresh Yam Casserole
15. Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Cilantro Pesto
Big flavors come together in this herb-forward veggie dish that can be served as a side dish or entree. Cilantro lovers will love the pesto that combines the peppery citrus herb with spicy jalapeño, savory cumin, and pistachio with a zing of lime juice to create a bright sauce that infuses the roasted sweet potatoes with bold flavor.
It's an aromatic palate-pleaser that's easy on the eyes and can be enjoyed with a garnish of rough-chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
16. Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Lemon Ricotta
Swap out white potatoes with sweet potatoes to create a more flavorful, fork-tender gnocchi for a special dinner or a weeknight win. Roasted sweet potatoes create a delicate gnocchi dough that cooks up into delicate pillows of potato goodness. Coating the gnocchi in butter browned with sage adds deep notes of herby caramel richness that enriches the mild potato pasta. Rich flavors are perfectly balanced by the light lemon ricotta cream sauce that finishes the dish.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi
17. Sweet Potatoes Aligot
Combining the unctuous richness of fondue with creamy mashed sweet potatoes gives you the flavorful and textural wonder that is pommes aligot. It's a deliciously decadent potato dish hailing from the South of France that hosts two pounds of buttery Tomme d'Auvergne cheese. It's made richer when classic white potatoes are subbed with sweet potatoes. Spiced with a hint of flavor-boosting nutmeg, this cheesy puree makes a rich base for savory proteins and hearty vegetables.
Feel free to substitute Tomme d'Auvergne cheese with Gruyére and mozzarella for an equally delicious puree.
Recipe: Sweet Potatoes Aligot
18. Sweet Potato Smoothie
Smoothies don't have to be all fruit, especially when sweet potatoes are just as healthy, flavorful, and filling. Frozen sweet potatoes spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove are blended with almond butter, creamy bananas, almond milk, sweet Medjool dates, and tangy Greek yogurt to create a richly flavored smoothie that boasts loads of antioxidants, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
This fulfilling smoothie has rich textures and hearty ingredients that will satisfy your appetite and keep you feeling full for hours.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Smoothie
19. Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Thanks to the concentrated convection action of the handy air fryer, we can enjoy crispy fries in half the time with less oil and mess. Peeled sweet potatoes cut into spears are tossed in olive oil and simply seasoned with garlic powder, salt, paprika, chili powder, and arrowroot before being laid out to crisp up in the air fryer. The arrowroot forms a coating around the potatoes, creating the cravable crunch that was once only achieved through frying.
Serve these flavorful fries with classic ketchup or a creamy garlic dip as a tasty snack or healthy side dish.
Recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
20. Sweet Carrot Casserole
The natural sweetness of carrots and sweet potatoes come together in this vibrant and aromatic casserole that can be enjoyed anytime. A sweet glaze made with melted butter, golden raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg is heated with fresh squeezed orange juice before enveloping gently cooked sweet potatoes and carrots. The syrupy veggies are topped with buttery pecans before finishing in the oven, resulting in a sweet side that accompanies a savory entree.
Recipe: Sweet Carrot Casserole
21. Vegan Sweet Potato Dal
Dal is a beloved Indian lentil dish featuring plant-based protein that really satisfies. This recipe kicks traditional dal flavors up a notch with the addition of creamy sweet potatoes, pungent jalapeño, and fresh ginger melded together in rich vegetable stock. The heat of the jalapeño and boldness of the curry seasoning are balanced by coconut milk and refreshed with a citrusy lime squeeze that rounds out strong flavors.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or the herb of your choice and enjoy with warm flatbread.
Recipe: Vegan Sweet Potato Dal
22. Easy Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Sometimes something as simple as a knife cut can make all the difference in a dish. Such is the case with Hasselback potatoes, as the buttery, red pepper-maple syrup glaze brushed over the sliced sweet potatoes is allowed to seep into every bite of baked spud. After baking into a tasty accordion, the roasted sweet potatoes get a second basting with the savory sweet glaze and are topped with fresh chopped sage for a subtly herbal finish.
Recipe: Easy Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
23. Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry
Subtly sweet potatoes are a welcome addition to this savory stir fry featuring umami-forward mushrooms and tender chicken kissed with soy sauce. In addition to those notable flavors, this vegetable-heavy dish features the tastes and textures of celery, cabbage, carrots, fresno pepper, and fresh ginger cooked in tangy rice wine vinegar sweetened with mandarin orange juice.
Serve over a bed of fluffy brown rice and top with chopped cilantro and scallions to create a satisfyingly full-flavored meal.
Recipe: Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry
24. Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet potatoes take center stage in this flavorful soup that is delicate enough to excite the appetite as a first course but hearty enough to be served as the main dish. After being seasoned with the bold flavors of chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, the sweet potatoes are roasted to tender perfection in the oven.
Then, they're added to fragrant sautéed onions and garlic and deglazed with red wine. The mixture is set to simmer and then blended until rich and velvety, its texture amplified with a touch of heavy cream or non-dairy creamer.
Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning and enjoy the rich flavors with the fruity notes of a Malbec wine.
Recipe: Spicy Sweet Potato Soup