Description
This Easy Baked Sweet Potato recipe delivers perfectly tender and flavorful sweet potatoes with a crispy skin, baked to perfection in the oven. Simple ingredients like olive oil and salt enhance the natural sweetness, making it an ideal healthy side or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes (long and thin)
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the sweet potatoes evenly.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Wash and Pierce Potatoes: Thoroughly wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Use a fork to poke about 8 holes in each potato; this allows steam to escape during baking and prevents them from bursting.
- Season Potatoes: Drizzle the sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt. Gently rub the oil and salt over each potato’s skin to coat evenly, enhancing flavor and crispiness.
- Bake Potatoes: Place the prepared sweet potatoes on the lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until a fork or knife can be easily inserted into the potatoes, indicating they are tender inside.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before splitting them open. Add your favorite toppings such as butter, cinnamon, or sour cream, if desired.
Notes
- Choose sweet potatoes that are firm without any bruises or soft spots for best results.
- For a softer skin, you can wrap each sweet potato in foil before baking, though this will reduce crispiness.
- Leftover baked sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated.
- Try topping with savory options like cheese and chives or sweet options like honey and cinnamon for variety.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baked sweet potato, easy sweet potato recipe, healthy side dish, vegetarian side, oven baked sweet potato
