Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

When it comes to side dishes, you can pretty much always find me roasting vegetables and these Roasted Sweet Potatoes have been a huge hit lately. They are on the weekly rotation along with these Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots and Crispy Roasted Cabbage.

Baked sweet potatoes are super easy to make, good for you, and a side dish that pairs with virtually anything you are cooking. Plus my family gobbles them up, normally sneaking them off the baking sheet before I even get dinner on the table.

Before we dig into this delicious recipe and guide for how to roast sweet potatoes, let's talk about how good sweet potatoes are for you!

They are packed with nutrients, fiber, and vitamins and are a really healthy carbohydrate to include in your diet. Plus they are so delicious. These days, I fully embrace sweet potatoes, and roasting them is probably my favorite method for cooking them.

Not only is it super easy, but they also come out with the most deliciously browned exterior. The honey and olive oil help the sweet potatoes caramelize, and they can be spiced up with pretty much anything. 

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, make sure to make these Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos. They are so good!

How to Roast Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees: Although sweet potatoes can be roasted at different temperatures, I find that 425 degrees is the perfect option to get a nice, crispy exterior while maintaining a tender, creamy inside. The sweet potatoes get caramelized from the high temperature (which is what you want) but don't burn. 
2. Chop the sweet potatoes: Generally, I try to cut the sweet potatoes into one inch pieces so that they roast in a reasonable amount of time, about thirty minutes. However, you can chop them into virtually any size. The important thing is that the pieces are the same size so that all the potatoes cook at the same rate.
3. Toss with oil: In order to get a nice caramelization on the potatoes, it is important to use oil. Usually, I reach for olive oil but you could also use coconut oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, and any other cooking oil you like. A combination of melted butter and oil also works.
4. Add seasoning: Roasted sweet potatoes can be cooked with virtually any spices and seasoning you like. Go simple with salt and pepper, make it spicy with chili powder, or make a kid friendly cinnamon option.
5. Single layer: Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. This is super important to ensure crispy potatoes. If you have ever had roasted vegetables turn out soft, it is likely because they were too crowded on the pan.
6. Roast: For one inch sweet potatoes, you will want to roast them for 30-35 minutes. Shake the pan about halfway through cooking so that the potatoes can caramelize on both sides. 

Do I need to boil sweet potatoes before roasting?

The simple answer is no, you definitely don't have to boil sweet potatoes before you roast them. They will come out perfectly tender inside and nice and crispy on the outside from simple roasting. 

However, if you are meal prepping, there can be a benefit to par-boiling sweet potatoes since it will speed up the cooking process later on. Simply add the sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then when ready to cook, follow the normal directions for roasting but cut the time in half. One quick tip, make sure the sweet potatoes are nice and dry before roasting so that they can get nice and crispy.

Can I eat the sweet potato skins?

Whether to not to peel sweet potatoes when you roast them is completely up to you and your preferences. If you are leaving the skin on, just make sure to thoroughly clean the potatoes so there isn't any dirt or debris on the skin. However, it is worth mentioning that there are some additional nutrients in the skin. Specifically, the leaving the skin on your sweet potatoes will give you the benefits of added fiber, beta carotene, potassium, iron, folate, and Vitamin C. They are healthy either way, but you can reap some additional benefits by leaving the skin intact.

What to serve with roasted sweet potatoes?

There are some many ways to serve roasted sweet potatoes whether they are a side dish for dinner, part of a breakfast hash, tossed with salads for lunch, and used in tacos and wraps. Consider doubling the recipe (using two sheet pans) to take advantage of the yummy leftovers. With that said, here are some of my favorite serving options:

• They are the perfect side dish for this easy Honey Garlic Chicken and Asparagus.
• Make a sweet and spicy dinner by pairing them with this Cajun Salmon.
• Make the most amazing breakfast salad with these roasted sweets.
• Grab a store bought rotisserie chicken and serve them with a giant tray of these sweet potatoes and a nice green salad.

Recipe Ideas for Roasting Sweet Potatoes

When it comes to roasting sweet potatoes, the flavor combinations are pretty much endless. You can add virtually any combination of spices, dried or fresh herbs, and things like vinegar, different oils, honey, maple syrup, and more. Here are some of my favorites:

• Sweet and spicy: Add a healthy dose of chili powder to the sweet potatoes before roasting. Combined with the honey, this is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. 
• Cinnamon: Add some ground cinnamon to the sweet potatoes for a classic sweet potato preparation. Many people like to use brown sugar instead of honey in this preparation.
• Rosemary and garlic: I love the combination of earthy rosemary with sweet potatoes. You can use fresh garlic or garlic powder. You can leave the honey out, swap it for maple syrup, or include it. Totally up to you.
• Chili powder and cumin: For a smoky and spicy option, use a combination of ground cumin and chili powder. Some people like to add some paprika as well for a touch of sweetness.
• Cajun seasoning: I love pre-made Cajun seasoning for tons of flavor without lots of work. And sweet potatoes pair perfectly with these spicy and slightly sweet spice rubs. Steaking seasoning is another good option.
• Thyme: Add some fresh chopped thyme along with the garlic and honey to add a nice herbal flavor to the potatoes. 

Tips for Making Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• If you like to add sweetness to your sweet potatoes, you can use honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. 
• If you need to speed up the cooking process, you can chop the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces. The smaller the sweet potatoes, the faster they will cook.
• For crispy potatoes, it is super important that the potatoes have space on the baking sheet. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Honey can sometimes burn slightly during baking, for easy cleanup, cover the baking dish with foil before baking.
• For super crispy sweet potatoes, preheat the baking sheet as well. Then carefully add the sweet potatoes in a single layer to the hot sheet pan.
• This recipe also works great to make sweet potato fries and wedges, just adjust the cooking time as needed.
• You can also bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees and 450 degrees if you are preparing them with other dishes. They will take slightly longer at 400 degrees and cook a little faster at 450. I find they come out the best at 425 with the perfect combo of crispy outside and tender, creamy inside.
• Some people prefer adding the honey after the sweet potatoes are fully roasted since honey can burn slightly when cooking and create some smoke.
• Consider adding a drizzle of balsamic to your potatoes as well. It complements the honey and garlic perfectly.