Easiest Microwave Sweet Potato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep sweet potatoes from drying out in the microwave? ›

Don't dry the sweet potato after rinsing it and either wrap it tightly in a moist paper towel or nuke it in a covered container to keep it from drying out.

If you don't cook it long enough, it may still be hard in the middle when you cut into it. After cooking, make sure a fork can go into the center of the potato without much resistance.

Can You Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave? Yes, you can! In fact, the shorter cook time will help the sweet potatoes retain more nutrients that are often lost in the long oven-baking process. It's not all that different than baking a sweet potato in the oven, except it's a whole lot faster.

Place the sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 5-10 minutes—five minutes to cook one sweet potato in the microwave, and add two minutes for each additional potato—rotating them halfway through. You are done microwaving your sweet potatoes when a fork spears into them easily.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

If your potato hasn't quite reached that point, try popping it back in the microwave for 30 second intervals, checking for doneness in between. This may sound tedious, but you'll want to avoid overcooking the sweet potato, which can make it dry on the outside and soggy on the inside.

Drain the water, allow the potato to cool, and it should be much softer, easier to cut, and have a shorter cooking time, too! Microwaving – Use a knife or fork to poke several holes around the sweet potato. Then, microwave it for two to three minutes or until soft, depending on its size.

You can eat sweet potato skin. It's a good source of fiber, a nutrient that may help lower the risk of heart disease and keep you feeling full for longer periods of time. The next time you make a sweet potato dish, whether it's a roasted side dish or a hearty, cozy casserole, leave the peel on.

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

A good rule of thumb for whole baked sweet potatoes: 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees F; 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F; 1 and 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F. You'll know the sweet potatoes are done by piercing the center of the sweet potato with the tip of a sharp knife; the flesh should yield easily.

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

Boiling may be best, but sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy, the best way to prepare them is whichever way will get you to eat the most of them—with the exception of deep frying, which can lead to the formation of acrylamide, a potential human carcinogen. Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

Sweet potatoes are known to be high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, which results in a less immediate impact on blood glucose levels. This can help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels in check. Sweet potatoes can be: Baked or microwaved.

Since sweet potatoes are exposed to heat for a shorter time in the microwave than when they're cooked in the oven, they may actually retain more nutrients. In fact, some studies show that vegetables cooked in the microwave retain more of their water-soluble nutrients, such as vitamin C, than when they're boiled.

Prick the potato all over with a fork. Place the sweet potato, lemon wedge (if using) and 1 tsp of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes. Cut in half and serve with your favorite sweet or savory toppings.

Glycemic indices calculated from these methods for steamed, baked and microwaved sweet potato flesh were 63 ± 3.6, 64 ± 4.3 and 66 ± 5.7, respectively, indicative of a moderate glycemic index food. However, dehydrated and raw sweet potato flesh had a low glycemic index (41 ± 4.0 and 32 ± 3.0, respectively).