A whole sweet potato and another sweet potato sliced into three parts.

Sweet and nutritious tubers

Sweet potatoes are tuber vegetables that can be made either sweet or savory in recipes, are inexpensive, and easy to add to your diet. These hearty veggies are also quite nutritious. One medium sweet potato provides the entire daily recommended intake of vitamins A and C, and is also a good source of manganese, potassium, and vitamins B-5 and B-6.

Buying and storing

Look for sweet potatoes that have no bruises, soft spots, or signs of sprouting.

Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place instead of in the refrigerator; use within 2 weeks. Store cooked sweet potatoes in a tightly closed, nonmetal container in the refrigerator.

Preparing and Cooking

Wash sweet potatoes to remove any dirt from the skin. It is not necessary to peel sweet potatoes before cooking them. 

A medium sweet potato bakes in 45 minutes at 400°F. Poke with a fork 3 to 4 times before baking to allow steam to escape.

Use a small amount of water and cover the pan so vitamins are not lost when cooking. Whole potatoes cook in 30 to 40 minutes. Cut-up potatoes cook in 20 to 30 minutes. 

A medium sweet potato cooks in 5 to 7 minutes on HIGH in the microwave. Poke with a fork to prevent bursting. Turn over once for best results. 

Ways to enjoy

  • Use diced or cubed sweet potatoes in soups.
  • Use pureed sweet potatoes in baked goods, such as breads or muffins.
  • Top baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon, a little brown sugar, and nuts for a sweet treat or choose savory toppings like garlic, pepper, and cheese.
  • Mash sweet potatoes with a little milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
  • Try sweet potato quesadillas with spinach and a small amount of cheese. Top with salsa and low-fat sour cream.
  • Make sweet potato fries: Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch square strips (French fry shape). Add a small amount of olive oil, toss to coat evenly. Bake at 450°F on a parchment covered baking sheet for about

Featured Recipe

Sweet Potato and Apple Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F.Put sweet potatoes in a baking dish.Add apples.Pour 2 Tablespoons of the sweet potato liquid overthe mixture.Mix brown sugar, pecans, flour, and melted butter

together in a small bowl.Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potato/apple mix.Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is goldenbrown and bubbly.

 

 

A snapshot of the Sweet Potatoes factsheet printable PDF

Printable PDF

A printable version of our Sweet Potatoes factsheet can be viewed here.