These Baked Sweet Potato Halves are the fastest, no-fuss way to get this side dish on the table. They bake up with crispy skin and a fluffy interior every time, but the best part? They finish in half the time of whole potatoes. Versatile enough to serve with almost anything or pile on chili or taco meat for a full meal everyone will love without any fuss.
See our entire collection of potato recipes for everything from make-ahead wonders to quick side dishes great for any busy weeknight.
Getting dinner on the table fast has always been a priority around here. Raising five kids close in age meant dinner time was a bit crazy and every minute mattered, so I mastered the tricks that turn simple ingredients (like sweet potatoes) into quick and easy side dishes.
The secret is in the method - it cuts the time way down without sacrificing any of the goodness. I got the idea from our baked potato halves. If it works so well with regular potatoes, why not sweet ones? Turns out, it just might be better!
Why you will love this recipe
- Time saver: Sweet potatoes are notorious for taking an hour or even longer in the over, but the magic to this method gets them on the table in about the time it takes to pull together the main dish.
- Texture perfection: These are the best baked sweet potatoes - a crinkly, crispy outer skin with a fluffy interior, but the added bonus of caramelized flesh that pulls out the natural sweetness. So tasty!
- Versatile: Serve them sweet or savory, as a side or as the main event. They really are a workhorse of the kitchen!
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Ingredients for baked sweet potato halves
With just four simple ingredients, these couldn't be easier. But don't skip the details - a few quick tips will make sure yours turn out delicious every time.
- Sweet potatoes: Sometimes labeled as "yams", but you are looking for a dark smooth skin with an orange, white, or even purple flesh. Yams have a very distinctive rough bark-like skin. For a great visual see this guide.
- Olive oil: A really good tasting olive oil makes a big difference here. This imparts great flavor to the final dish. But if you don't have one, any neutral oil will get the job done.
- Salt: Choose a salt that tastes good to you. Kosher salt is our go-to because it has a good flavor and great texture.
- Pepper: Freshly ground is best, but any black pepper you have on hand works too!
Helpful kitchen tools
How to bake sweet potato halves in oven
Begin by preheating the oven to 425ºF. Scrub the outside of the sweet potatoes and dry thoroughly. Then slice in half.
Place the cut sweet potatoes on a sheet pan, then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the seasonings on both sides. Flip them so that they are all face down on the rimmed baking sheet - that is the best way to getting the caramelized edges while maintaining a soft center.
Bake for 25-35 minutes. The final baking time will depend on the thickness of your potatoes. Start checking at the 25 minute mark and add on time only as needed.
You will know that they are done when the skin is beginning to crinkle, the underside edges are browning, and the knife goes in effortlessly.
Hint: To make clean up a bit easier, lay parchment paper or aluminum foil on the sheet pan before adding the sweet potatoes.
How to store and reheat
Once cooled, place in an airtight container. I like them to be in a single layer as they can leak a bit of sticky liquid which makes them softer.
To reheat, pop in the microwave for a minute or two. Or to reheat in the over, bake at 350º for 10-15 minutes or until heated though.
Ways to serve oven roasted sweet potato halves
One of the best things about these is their versatility.
- BBQ: Cook some Slow Cooker BBQ Beef and then layer on cheese on bagged cabbage tossed in coleslaw dressing.
- Mexican: Almost limitless options here. Choose Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef, Grilled Taco Chicken, or crispy Dutch Oven Carnitas and then top with your favorite taco accompaniments.
- Italian: Dress with shredded chicken (we love rotisserie) and some pesto. So good!
- Breakfast: Top with scrambled eggs and sausage!
- Summer: Toss on grilled steak bites and a green veggie!
- Fall: Pan fry some chicken apple sausages and drizzle with maple syrup.
- Winter: Sprinkle on thyme and zested orange.
- Spring: Pair with Herby Brown Butter Chicken Bites.
FAQs
Yes! Baked sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants! So much goodness in one humble vegetable.
Anywhere between 400º and 425º will produce a tender and fluffy sweet potato, but after much testing we landed on 425º because it allows the edges to caramelize and the skin to get nice and crispy while roasting.
Tips & tricks
- Try to pick as uniform sweet potatoes as possible for even cooking.
- If smaller ones are getting done before larger ones, just remove them and pop the big ones back in until they are soft.
- This recipe is very flexible depending on the size of sweet potatoes you have. Just make sure they are coated in oil with a good amount of seasonings.
More sweet potato recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Baked Sweet Potato Halves (Quick & Easy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium to large sweet potatoes pick ones of even size
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more for taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper or more for taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º. Wash and dry potatoes. Cut in half, place on an unlined cookie sheet, and drizzle both sides with oil and seasonings. Then place cut side down.3 medium to large sweet potatoes, 2-3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- Bake for 25-35 minutes. If you have smaller potatoes, begin checking at the 25 minute mark and if they are really large it might take an extra few minutes.You will know that they are done when the skin is beginning to crinkle, the underside edges are browning, and the knife goes in effortlessly.
Notes
- Try to pick as uniform sweet potatoes as possible for even cooking.
- If smaller ones are getting done before larger ones, just remove them and pop the big ones back in until they are soft.
- This recipe is very flexible depending on the size of sweet potatoes you have. Just make sure they are coated in oil with a good amount of seasonings.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Gwen says
The sweet potato halves were delicious and the perfect texture! I also added a little cinnamon to the sweet potatoes before cooking them. I didn’t put any butter on them before eating them but they tasted like I did! This is helpful for lowering my cholesterol. I eat the sweet potato skins as well, because that’s where most of the nutrients are. They were also the right texture. Since this was the first time I fixed sweet potatoes this way, my husband even commented on how good they were. Great flavor and in only half the time! Can’t beat that!
Danielle says
Gwen,
So glad to hear that you enjoyed these! The cinnamon was a great idea and sounds delicious! I will be sure to give that a try soon.
Sandra Galloway Baker says
I tried this recipe and it turned out good. My potatoes were very large, even after cutting in half. They were still a little hard after 25 minutes, so I pierced them on the back with a fork and cooked them an additional 15 minutes. I actually cooked them for 40 minutes total. I’m sure medium or small potatoes would be fine at 25 minutes.
Danielle says
Thanks so much for your feedback. I will make sure that the notes on the recipe card reflect that the larger the potato the longer it will take to cook. That is important and we should have caught that! Glad it worked out for you!
Misty says
A versatile recipe that's super easy to make!