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Baked Sweet Potatoes

The sweet potato was cultivated more than 10,000 years ago by the pre-Inca and the ancient Inca civilizations of Peru. The Inca called it batata, from which the word “potato” is derived. Christopher Columbus brought the sweet potato back to Spain and Italy in 1492, where it spread across Europe, gaining status as a delicacy for the elites. In turn, European settlers brought this tuber back to the New World—this time to North America. The drier “Jersey” variety and others that grow in the northern United States tend to have a mealy texture; the southern states grow yams, a variety of sweet potato that’s softer and sweeter. Baking the sweet potato lightly dries it, softens the flesh, and concentrates its buttery, sweet flavor.

Recipe Servings: 4

Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat oven 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
  2. Scrub sweet potatoes clean.
  3. Pierce with a fork for steam to escape while cooking.
  4. Place on baking sheet.
  5. Bake until fork tender, about 60–75 minutes depending on size.
  6. Split sweet potato to serve and top, if desired, with butter and brown sugar.

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