Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Garlic Aioli

These perfectly roasted honey sweet potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Caramelized from the  balsamic honey glaze and served on a bed of creamy garlicky yogurt goodness, these sweet potatoes take only 10 minutes of prep and pair with almost any recipe.

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite carbs for meal prep. They’re like Frank’s – you can put that sh*t on anything. As a Registered Dietitian, I love adding these delicious little nuggets to a buddha bowl, in a breakfast hash, as sweet potato breakfast toast or as the ideal side for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. They’re packed full of yummy nutrients, add a beautiful splash of color and take little to no hands-on work.

What’s the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?

Most of us use the term yam and sweet potato interchangeably (me included!) but if we’re getting technical, they actually are two different root vegetables. In fact, most of us have been wrongly calling sweet potatoes yams for years… including grocery stores.

So what’s the difference?

Sweet potatoes are pretty common in North America. They come in a variety of colors – orange, purple and white being the most common. They have a brownish red skin and the orange variety is often the star of the side dishes at Thanksgiving dinner. Yup, you read that right. All those bright orange side dishes are sweet potatoes – not yams.  

Yams, on the other hand,  have a darker brown skin (similar to a russet potato) and white flesh. 

Both are root vegetables and have similar nutritional value. They’re often cooked the same way- roasted or boiled but sweet potatoes tend to have a sweeter flavor than yams. Alternatively, yams are starchier and are closer in flavor to their other cousin – the potato. 

How to Make Crispy Baked Sweet Potatoes

There are many different ways you can bake a sweet potato – whole, sliced, cubed, shredded… the list goes on and on. In this recipe, we cube the sweet potato but you can use this cooking method for any style just increase or decrease the cooking time depending on the size.

When cooking a sweet potato or any root vegetable really, make sure that your pieces are all cut approximately the same size. This will ensure that the potatoes will cook evenly and will prevent burning. 

If cooking whole: Poke holes in the sweet potato, rub with oil and seasoning and wrap in foil. Bake in the oven at 425 F for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.

If cooking sliced or cubed: Toss in oil, seasoning, and any other flavor boosters (like honey or balsamic vinegar), bake in the oven at 425 F for 30-35 minutes (if sliced) or 40-50 minutes (if cubed) or until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork.

If cooking shredded: Coat in oil and seasoning and spread evening on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook until golden brown. Enjoy topped with a poached egg, in a breakfast wrap, or on the side of some scrambled eggs, sausage and toast!

Can You Freeze Baked Sweet Potatoes

If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know I freeze everything and sweet potatoes are no different. Freezing carbs is a great meal prep hack and can turn a 90 minute dinner into a 20 minute dinner. 

To freeze baked sweet potatoes, make sure you let them cool. Place them in a reusable bag and remove any air. Freeze for up to 3 months. When reheating, pull out of the freezer the night or morning before using. When ready to use them, pan fry in a little oil or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Use in a buddha bowl, breakfast hash or as the perfect side to a roasted chicken or turkey.

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

These colorful root veggies are packed full of Vitamin C and B6, the antioxidant beta carotene, potassium and fiber. They’ve been known to help with Vitamin A deficiency (thanks to the bet carotene) and may help with balancing blood sugars.

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