Native to the tropical regions of the Americas, sweet potatoes are now grown around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia. They are an extremely important crop in regions where there is rampant vitamin A deficiency. Sweet potatoes and yams are two different tubers, though they often get mislabeled in stores. Sweet potatoes actually belong to the bindweed or morning glory family, and are more closely related to the flowering vines that can overtake your garden than regular potatoes. Regular potatoes are in the same family as peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.  

Besides simple starches, raw sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and beta-carotene (which the body uses to produce vitamin A). They also have moderate amounts of other micronutrients, including vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and manganese. When cooked by baking, small variable changes in micronutrient density occur to include a higher content of vitamin C. ​​Sweet potatoes can come in a variety of colors: orange flesh with brown skin, purple skin with yellow flesh, purple skin with white flesh, brown skin with purple flesh, etc.

 

Buying & Storing

When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for ones that are firm, heavy for their size, and free of soft spots, dark spots, or mold. Store sweet potatoes in a dark or dimly lit, cool, dry, well-ventilated place for up to several weeks. Do not store in plastic or refrigerate. Temperatures below 50 degrees will result in off-flavors, and excess moisture will encourage sweet potatoes to rot or sprout permanently. Do not scrub, clean, or wash them until just before preparation. Excess dirt may be removed without water prior to storing using a dry paper towel. 

 

Cooking

Hasselback Garlic Sweet Potatoes |  How to Bake Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potato Pancakes | Roasted Sweet Potato Soup (So Cozy!) | Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes With Miso, Ginger And Scallions | Sweet potato patties stuffed with cheese {Llapingachos de camote} | Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes | Chorizo Sweet Potato Skillet

Preparation – scrub the outside of the sweet potato with a stiff-bristled vegetable brush or a scouring pad (rough side of a sponge), and rinse under cold water. Remove any bad or soft spots, and peel the sweet potato if the recipe calls for it. 

Microwave – clean the potatoes and pierce the skin with a fork in several places. Place up to 4 potatoes directly on a paper towel on the rotating turntable. Cook the sweet potatoes on high until tender: 5 to 9 minutes for 2 potatoes, 10 to 13 minutes for 4 potatoes. Flip and rearrange after each set of 5 minutes, as needed. Once potatoes are cooked, leave in the microwave, cover with a towel, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Bake – place the cleaned sweet potatoes, whole or halved, (cut side down) on a rimmed baking sheet. Or, loosely wrap each one in foil and place directly on the oven rack with a pan underneath to catch caramelizing drips. Bake at 350°F  for 40 to 50 minutes until the centers are soft when a knife is inserted. Serve plain or with butter. Skins can be eaten if cleaned before baking.  

Steam – scrub, cut into quarters (or large chunks), place in a pot with a steamer basket over an inch of boiling water, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool long enough to remove peels. Serve plain or drizzled with butter and a tad of maple syrup, lime juice and salt, or a red pepper and ginger sauce.

Boil – place cleaned potatoes, whole, halved, or quartered, into a pot of boiling water, and cook, covered, until tender. The time will vary greatly depending on the size of the sweet potatoes, typically between 20-40 minutes, and be sure to check every 5 minutes after they’ve been cooking for about 15 minutes so they don’t overcook. Peel before serving (or peel before boiling). 

Roast – scrub, peel, and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes. Toss in oil, salt, and pepper (or any other seasonings you might prefer), spread out on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast in oven at 425°F for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Stir or flip the pieces every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Hint: To bring out maximum sweetness when roasting or baking, place sweet potatoes in a cold oven and then turn on the heat. This maximizes the time for the starches to be transformed into sugar before the high temperature denatures the enzymes responsible for this process.

Note: Sweet potatoes can be a great substitute for: apples, potatoes, or squash in most recipes.

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