How to Bake a Sweet Potato in the Oven

If you are someone who loves sweet potatoes, this article is for you. Sweet potatoes are delicious and can be used and cooked in many different recipes. You can boil them, fry them, cook them on the stove, or bake them in the oven. You can use all these methods, and be sure you will have a delicious meal. First, you should know how to cook a sweet potato.

But in all these methods, of course, like all food, the time you should cook the sweet potato might differ, or even the preparations before the actual cooking process. That is why in this article, we will focus on the question of how to bake a sweet potato in the oven. After reading this, you will not doubt that you will be able to bake a sweet potato perfectly in the oven.

Tips for Baking a Sweet Potato in the Oven

As we mentioned above, there are many different methods that you can choose when you decide to have sweet potatoes. But apart from the various methods, again, like other foods, there are many different recipes you can choose to cook with sweet potatoes. So here, in this article, we will give you some tips about how to bake a sweet potato in the oven.

Washing

The first and the most important thing you should know when you learn how to bake a sweet potato in the oven is that sweet potatoes need to be thoroughly washed before baking. You should wash the sweet potatoes well for the sweet potato to cook well and for your health. 

Because potatoes grow underground, it is normal to have dirt and soil on them, and no one wants to eat dirt and soil. Both because of this and for the sweet potatoes to have a smooth texture and bake evenly, you should be very careful and thorough when washing them before the baking process.

Poking

This one might not be as important as washing the sweet potatoes clean, but it is still a perfect trick. Poking your sweet potatoes before putting them in the oven helps with the baking more than you can imagine. When baking something in the oven, the most important thing is the heat, and for the heat of the oven to reach and bake the food inside evenly. 

But if the heat does not reach the food, it can make the baking process longer and for the food to shrink. That is why poking your sweet potatoes before putting them in the oven is an excellent technique for them to cook well and evenly.

Putting a Sheet Foil

As you may know, potatoes can get juicy when you are baking or cooking them. However, when they lose their juice, with the oven heat, this juice can dry and get sticky under the sweet potatoes. 

So, putting a sheet foil on the baking tray before you put them in the oven on the baking tray can benefit you. Because the sheet foil will make the juice not stick in the baking tray, you can clean it easily, even if the juice gets dry because of the oven heat.

Stabbing a Knife

Now, apart from how to bake a sweet potato in the oven, you might also ask how you will know when they are done and baked thoroughly. Forget the timer because the tip we will give you is a technique that will not make you wrong. After the timer you set up is done, and you start to get the fantastic smell that the sweet potatoes release from the oven, grab a knife or a fork. 

No, you will not start eating them right away. Instead, after you suspect whether or not the sweet potatoes are cooked, stab the knife or the fork in the thickest part of the sweet potatoes. If they are not hard and there is no resistance, then you can know that your sweet potatoes are done and are ready to eat!

Wrapping

You might also wonder if wrapping sweet potatoes in foil is a good technique. Well, this depends on your taste. If you like your sweet potatoes steamed, then wrapping them in the foil is an excellent way to do that because when you wrap them in foil, the heat of the oven will not reach them directly, and instead, they will be steamed. 

But if you don’t want your sweet potatoes steamed, and if you like them better baked, then just putting them over a sheet of foil is enough, and you don’t need to wrap them in foil again. When you wrap them in foil, you will see that because of the steam, the skin of the sweet potatoes will become thin and almost slimy. So if you are one of the people who like their sweet potatoes caramelized and crispy, then we recommend not wrapping them in foil.

Seasoning

Another question you might have, apart from how to bake a sweet potato in the oven, should be whether or not to season the sweet potato before baking it. Like wrapping them in foil, this one also depends on you.  You can bake them dry and then combine them with other food and spices, or you can season them with spices and maybe a bit of olive oil before putting them in the oven. Both techniques work fine, and you will have delicious sweet potatoes with both of them.

Baking Time

After giving you all the techniques about how to bake a sweet potato in the oven, the last information we will provide is how long you should bake your sweet potatoes. Some potatoes can be big, and some can be small. The baking time differs depending on the size of the sweet potatoes you are baking. For them to be tender, it should take about 45 to 55 minutes to bake in an oven at 425 degrees. 

The most important thing is to be patient. As we mentioned above, if the time is up and when you check whether or not they are done with a fork or a knife, and there is still resistance, don’t be afraid to bake them a little more until they are done. Give them time, and you will have crispy, tender sweet potatoes.

Slicing

Also, apart from baking them whole, one other method is to slice the sweet potatoes and bake them like that. You can peel and slice them however you like, and maybe if you like spices, you can season them. Then, you can just add whichever spice you like, oil them a little bit, put them on a baking sheet after mixing them well, and put the baking tray in the oven. 

After they are baked thoroughly and you have delicious sweet potatoes, you can take them from the oven and enjoy the delicious meal you prepared. If you baked them whole after you take them from the oven you can slice them in half and stuff them however you like, or you can use the sweet potatoes you baked to maybe have some mashed potatoes. It’s all up to your taste and imagination!

Final Verdict

This article gave you information and tips on how to bake a sweet potato in the oven. Like all food, to have a delicious meal, there are tips and methods that you can use. As mentioned above, baking sweet potatoes are not the only way to enjoy them. You can cook them, fry them, mix them with other vegetables and meat and have a stew, and many more. 

Because sweet potatoes are delicious, you will see that they work well with many different recipes and other vegetables and spices. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and enjoy different things. If you haven’t had a baked sweet potato before, what are you waiting for? With all the tips and techniques we gave you, you cannot doubt that the sweet potatoes you bake will be delicious and you will enjoy a good meal.

Apart from the general things like washing the sweet potatoes thoroughly, or putting a baking sheet under them, how to bake a sweet potato is really up to your taste. If you like your sweet potato seasoned, then season it. If you want your sweet potato crispy, don’t wrap them in foil. 

There is not one right way to bake sweet potatoes; you can use different techniques and still have delicious sweet potatoes. We hope this article helped you understand the basics of baking a sweet potato and answered all the questions you might have had about this topic. Now, you should feel more confident when baking a sweet potato as you know all the tips and techniques on how to bake them.