Description

This Easy Baked Sweet Potato recipe offers a simple, nutritious way to enjoy tender and flavorful sweet potatoes with minimal effort. Baked to perfection with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper, these sweet potatoes serve as a perfect base for a variety of delicious toppings like butter, sour cream, maple syrup, chives, Parmesan, or cinnamon. Ideal as a quick side dish or a wholesome snack, this recipe highlights the natural sweetness and creamy texture of baked sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Potatoes

2 to 4 medium sweet potatoes

Seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Toppings (Optional)

Butter
Sour cream
Maple syrup
Chives
Parmesan
Cinnamon

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it is hot and ready for baking the sweet potatoes.
Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt, then pat them dry with a towel.
Poke Holes: Use a fork to poke holes all over each sweet potato, allowing steam to escape during baking and preventing them from bursting.
Season: Rub each sweet potato evenly with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper for added flavor.
Arrange for Baking: Place the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a parchment-lined baking sheet to bake evenly.
Bake: Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife.
Cool Slightly: Remove from the oven and let the sweet potatoes cool for 5 minutes before handling.
Serve: Slice open each sweet potato and fluff the inside with a fork. Add your choice of toppings such as butter, sour cream, maple syrup, chives, Parmesan, or cinnamon, then serve warm.

Notes

Baking times may vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes; larger ones may need closer to 60 minutes.
For crisper skin, bake sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack without a baking sheet.
You can prepare sweet potatoes ahead and reheat by wrapping in foil and warming in the oven.
Customize toppings according to preference for savory or sweet flavor profiles.
Use a fork or fork tines to fluff the interior flesh for a light, fluffy texture.