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Do you want to try healthy sweet potato recipes? This article gives you sweet potato recipes made at home, with various ingredients and delicious flavours.
What are Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are root plants cooked as vegetables in whole and mashed form, typically in America, the Pacific, Russia, and Asia.
The theory of its origin goes back to prehistoric times – from Polynesia to variations of Spanish and Portuguese, introduced in South and Central America. Click here to know more.
Typically made in tropical climates, Sweet potatoes are versatile – their varieties can be served through all seasons and eaten as both a vegetable and dessert.
Let’s check out some of the delicious and healthy sweet potato recipes.
6 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
From savoury to sweet flavour, healthy sweet potato recipes can be grilled, roasted, mashed, and seared, according to the season and meal. Here are some ways of making it:
1. Baked Sweet Potato Recipe
This one is perfect for the fall season among the healthy sweet potato recipes, served with the delicious soup of your choice. All you need are some sweet potatoes and an oven to make it work.
Ingredients
1) Sweet potatoes
Toppings of your choice:
2) Butter
3) Sea salt
4) Chives
5) Greek yoghurt (1 dollop)
6) Guacamole (1 scoop)
7) Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing (1 drizzle)
Instructions
The preparation time for this recipe is 5 minutes, and the cooking time is 40 minutes.
1) Preheat oven to 425°F.
2) Place the foil on a baking sheet, then take a fork and make holes into the sweet potatoes, after which set them on the sheet.
3) Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or till they appear puffed outside and soft inside.
Note: A baked sweet potato need not be wrapped in foil, like regular ones, as the formation of caramelization1 gives the recipe more.
Tip: the leftover sweet potatoes can be used for other recipes like sauces, hummus, chocolate cake, and so on.
2. Healthy Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
For a healthy and tasty variant with basic toppings, try this out – one of the healthy sweet potato recipes
Ingredients
1) Olive oil (2 tbsp)
2) Sweet potatoes (3 – large ones)
3) Dried oregano (2 pinches)
4) Salt (2 pinches)
5) Ground black pepper (2 pinches)
Instructions
The preparation time for this recipe is 10 minutes, and the cooking time is 1 hour and 5 minutes. It serves four plates.
1) Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
2) Take a non-stick baking dish or glass and coat its bottom with olive oil.
3) Prepare the sweet potatoes (wash and peel them), then cut them into pieces (medium-sized).
4) Place the sweet potato pieces in the baking dish, and turn them over to properly coat the olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and oregano to taste.
5) Bake for 60 minutes or till they are soft.
Your delicious and healthy sweet potato recipe is ready to be eaten.
3. Baked Sweet Potato Side Dish
This aesthetically styled spiral and one of the healthy sweet potato recipes is a must-try side dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
1) Sweet potatoes (4-5 or 1.25/2.5 lb – finely slices )
2) Unsalted butter (2 tbsp/30 gms)
3) Garlic cloves (2 – finely minced)
4) Olive oil (2 tbsp)
5) Kosher/Cooking Salt (3/4 tsp)
6) Black pepper (/4 tsp)
7) Rosemary leaves (1 tbsp – finely chopped) – for garnish or serving
Instructions
The preparation time is 15 minutes, and the cooking time is 50 minutes.
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F, and brush the skillet base with olive oil.
2) Slice the sweet potatoes (approximately 3-4 mm thick)
3) Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Pour the butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Toss them well, so all the slices are coated well with oil.
4) Layer the potatoes in a circular pattern on the skillet, overlapping them carefully.
5) Cover the potatoes with foil, and bake for around 30 minutes or till the sweet potato is soft.
6) Once done, remove them from the oven, and turn up the temperature to 220°C or 430°F. Take off the foil, and brush the potatoes with oil (1 tbsp).
7) Now, bake uncovered for 20 minutes or till the tops seem golden and crispy. You can also check with a knife if they are cooked through.
Sprinkle the rosemary leaves and sea salt flakes as per your tastes, and serve your warm sweet potatoes.
How to Store?
These are best when eaten right out of the oven with tasty, crispy edges. You can also leave the leftovers in the fridge overnight, but they turn soft, even though the taste remains.
You can pan-fry the sweet potatoes to freshen them till they turn golden or lightly browned and crispy again.
Healthy tip: This baked and one of the healthy sweet potato recipes has 3g of saturated fat and proteins.
4. Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This roasted recipe will match your taste buds if you love sweet potatoes served with honey and cinnamon.
Ingredients
1) Sweet potatoes (4 – peeled and cut)
2) Extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup and more for drizzling after the potatoes are cooked)
3) Honey (1/4 cup)
4) Ground cinnamon (2 tsp)
5) Freshly ground black pepper and salt
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 375°F.
2) Take a roasting tray – lay the sweet potatoes in a single layer, drizzle oil, cinnamon, honey, salt, and pepper over the potatoes.
3) Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or till they are tender.
4) Take out the roasted sweet potatoes, and transfer them to a serving tray.
Your roasted sweet potatoes are ready to be served.
5. Glazed Sweet Potato Recipe
Who doesn’t like a little bit of personalization in their healthy sweet potato recipes? This one falls under this category.
Ingredients
1) Sweet potato (2 pounds or two cans – drained)
2) Cubed Butter (1/4 cup)
3) Maple syrup (1/4 cup)
4) Packed brown sugar (1/4 cup)
5) Ground cinnamon (1/4 tsp)
Instructions
The preparation and baking time for this recipe is 60 minutes, and it serves five plates.
1) Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan or a Dutch oven, and cover it with water. Once it’s boiled, reduce the heat.
2) Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks. Cover and cook the sweet potatoes for about 25 to 40 minutes or till it is tender.
3) Drain the water, let it cool down, and then peel.
4) Preheat the oven to 350°, and place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish.
5) In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Boil it, and keep constantly stirring.
6) Pour this over the sweet potatoes, then bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes or until it’s heated well.
Fun facts: You can also replace the sweet potato with butternut squash if you don’t have the former in your healthy sweet potato recipes.
Tip: The glazed sweet potato recipe can be made ahead of time. They will taste fresh. You can store the leftovers for up to 5 days when kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
6. Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe
Who doesn’t like good stuffing in their healthy sweet potato recipes? This Greek-inspired sweet potato recipe2 is a must-try.
To make the stuffed fillings, you need to bake the potato dish first. Here are some steps to make them:
1) Preheat oven to 425°F, then line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2) Poke holes in the sweet potato dish and set them on the sheet.
3) Roast for about 40-50 minutes, or till they appear soft and puffed up.
Now, for the Greek stuffing with a lemony edge:
Ingredients
1) Cooked quinoa (1/2 cup)
2) Finely chopped spinach (1/2 cup)
3) Crumbled Feta (2 tbsp)
4) Chopped red onion (2 tbsp)
5) Oil (Extra virgin olive – 1/2 tsp)
6) Fresh lemon juice (1 tsp)
7) Minced Fresh garlic (1/4 clove)
8) Sea salt (1/4 tsp)
9) Freshly ground black pepper
10) Dollop of Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
This recipe serves two fillings of sweet potato recipes.
1) Take a small or medium bowl – mix the quinoa, feta, spinach, red onion, oil, juice, salt, pepper, and garlic.
You can add seasonings according to your taste. Let it chill till you are ready to use it.
2) Take the sweet potato tray out of the oven and let it cool down. Slice a potato wedge in half lengthwise, and remove it to add the filling.
Your tasty stuffed potato is ready to serve; add some scoops of tzatziki to make it extra yummy.
Other Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
If you did not find your preferred form of eating sweet potato in the above list, don’t worry, more recommendations might suit your tastes.
1. Healthy Sweet potato recipes (Roasted)
Vanilla Roasted Sweet potato recipe
Try out this recipe with a vanilla flavour and add maple syrup for an easy-to-make and tasty roasted sweet potato recipe. It will make a good side dish during fall.
Pear and Red Onion Roasted sweet potatoes
With roasted pears in this sweet potato recipe, you get a sweet and savoury twist. Try it out here.
Roasted sweet potato recipe with chicken salad
Ever thought of pairing the leftover sweet potato with a delicious food plate? Then, this is the protein-packed recipe for you with a rich chicken salad.
2. Healthy Sweet potato recipes (Grilled)
Grilled Sweet potato fries with pork
A perfect summer sweet potato BBQ dish would be a yummy plate of grilled pork, spicy sauce, and sweet potato fries that can be made for dinner within 30 minutes. Try it out here.
Grilled Sweet potato recipe with Lemon and Herb Sauce
What happens when you pair up winter and summer foods? This grilled sweet potato side or as the main recipe would work great for a summer spread with a flavorful sauce. Check it out here.
3. Healthy sweet potato recipes (Mashed)
Sweet potato Mash with Rosemary Pecan
If you have sweet cravings, this recipe for mashed potatoes with parmesan, cheese, maple syrup, and fresh rosemary is perfectly served with the added nutty flavour of pecans. Click here to see the full recipe.
Sweet potato Mash with Bacon and Chicken Cutlets
With big flavours like chicken and pork, this recipe can be easily thrown together during winter with a microwave. Check it out.
Sweet potato Mash with a Veggies Trio
Paired with healthy vegetables like kale, pinto beans, and sweet peppers – this sweet potato mash can be served with sunflower seeds. Try it out for yourself.
Savoury mashed sweet potato
With fresh parsley, green onions, and sour cream – this recipe naturally balances out the sweet flavour of sweet potato. Try it out here.
4. Healthy Sweet potato recipes (Desserts)
Caramel Pecan Topping with Sweet potato spoon bread
Want a rich holiday meal? Try out this sweet potato recipe with caramelized pecan. Other sweet and tangy ingredients include orange juice, light brown sugar, and heavy cream.
Ginger Sweet potato with Apple Cobbler
This fall dessert recipe with spicy potatoes and sweet apple syrup forms a treaty dessert. Try it out here.
Foods to Pair with Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
The natural sweetness of this kind of food item pairs well with a lot of good options like:
1) Meat of any kind – Chicken, beef, and pork are some suggestions
2) Sea Food like Salmon, cod, halibut, and walleye gel well.
3) Veggies like Broccoli, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, Zucchini, Carrots, green beans, and so forth are great pairing choices.
4) Any fresh and leafy salad goes with a healthy side of sweet potatoes.
5) Beans of your choice (Baked and black kind pair well)
6) Any soup variety will taste great.
Check out this article for more recommendations.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Alas, the question arises – can these dishes be healthy to consume? The answer is yes. Healthy Sweet potato recipes have the following benefits:
1) High amount of dietary fibre (with aids with digestion and weight loss)
2) Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Key Takeaways
Although, since they have high carbohydrate levels, they are not included in diets. But, they can be a healthier alternative to the normal kind and aid a healthy lifestyle.
If you liked this article, check this link out for more healthy sweet potato recommendations with free weekly recipes as an offer!
To check out more health benefits of this root vegetable, click here.
FAQs
1. Can I eat sweet potatoes every day?
Ans. Yes, one can definitely eat sweet potatoes every day, but the consumption must be limited to one sweet potato per day only.
2. Can I boil the sweet potatoes to consume them?
Ans. Yes, one can definitely boil the sweet potatoes and consume them as it will make them tender and these boiled sweet potatoes can be used in varied types of recipes.
3. Which is the best time to eat sweet potatoes?
Ans. The best time to eat sweet potatoes is at lunch.
- Hrynets, Yuliya, Maurice Ndagijimana, and Mirko Betti. “Studies on the formation of Maillard and caramelization products from glucosamine incubated at 37 C.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 63.27 (2015): 6249-6261. ↩︎
- Press, Sonoma. The Mediterranean Table: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living on the Mediterranean Diet. Callisto Media, Inc., 2015. ↩︎
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