This is the best way to make Roasted Sweet Potato Halves to let the natural sweetness of the potatoes shine! They get caramelized edges while maintaining their delicious creamy center. All you need is a sheet pan, an oven, and a few basic ingredients.
As a dietitian, I'm a big fan of using sweet potatoes as a side dish or even the base of a meal. They're easy to meal prep and a source of fiber, vitamin C, and beta carotene. And the flavor profile is such a nice balance of sweet and savory. Don't get me wrong...I love regular potatoes too! But sweet potatoes are often my preference because of their sweetness and creamy texture.
These are seriously the best baked sweet potatoes and can be used in so many different ways from stuffing them, mashing them, enjoying them as a side dish, or turning them into sweet potato casserole! I included a few different seasoning options in this post, but you can keep it as simple as a little salt & black pepper if you want. I hope you find some inspiration for this healthy side dish!
If you like this recipe, you may enjoy my other easy sweet potato recipes including baked sweet potato rounds or air fryer sweet potatoes in smaller pieces.
More Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Rounds
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussels, and Apple
- Sweet Potato, Turkey & Black Beans Skillet Dinner
- Breakfast Bowl with Sweet Potatoes & Avocado
- Sweet Potato Slices with Whipped Ricotta & Pecan Date Topping
- Hot Honey Ground Beef Bowls with Sweet Potatoes
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
These roasted sweet potatoes are made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes and seasoning combinations. Check the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient measurements.
- Sweet Potatoes - there are hundreds of kinds of sweet potatoes. I use a regular sweet potatoes for this recipe which has orange flesh and is a go-to for baking or roasting. An easy way to select a good sweet potato at the grocery store is to choose one that is firm. Store your sweet potatoes in a dry place. According to the US Sweet Potato Council, storing them in the fridge can give them an unpleasant taste. You can use purple sweet potatoes or Japanese sweet potatoes instead, but cooking time may vary a bit.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - you'll lightly coat the potatoes in olive oil or avocado oil to get crispy skin and a tender interior. Both olive oil and avocado oil provide healthy fats. You really don't need much here. You can use coconut oil if you're using a sweeter seasoning blend.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - this is the base of the seasoning. It's really all you need, but you can add more flavor using one of the seasoning combinations found in the "variations" section of this post.
How to Make Roasted Sweet Potato Halves
Below are the directions for how to make roasted sweet potato halves with photos that I hope are helpful. The full recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prep a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray for easy cleanup. Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes under running water. Cut them in half lengthwise.
- Step 2: Coat the sweet potato halves in the olive oil, making sure to coat both the flesh and skin sides. Season with the kosher salt and pepper and other seasonings as desired.
- Step 3: Place the sweet potatoes cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
- Step 4: Roast the sweet potatoes in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. They will almost caramelize at the edges.
Hint: if you want them to cook faster, you can heat the oven to a temperature of 425℉ (218°C) and cook for 25-35 minutes, but cooking them at a slightly lower temp for longer helps them get cooked without burning.
Dietitian Tip
Sweet potatoes provide 2 different kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble, both of which help support a healthy gut. Incorporating sweet potatoes into your meals can help you meet the recommended minimum daily fiber intake for adults 25 grams fiber per day.
Variations for Seasonings
In addition to the base recipe, you can add more seasoning depending on what flavor you're going for! Below are some ideas.
- Savory - add garlic powder and onion powder.
- Mediterranean - add dried oregano, thyme, and garlic powder.
- Mexican - a combination of garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin work great.
- Sweet - replace olive oil with coconut oil and add cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.
Ideas for Serving Roasted Sweet Potato Halves
- Stuff them and serve as a main dish - this is my favorite way to use sweet potato halves. Some examples are to make turkey taco stuffed sweet potatoes with black beans or Greek inspired lemon feta chicken stuffed sweet potatoes.
- As a Side - these roasted sweet potato halves are great as a side dish with your favorite protein like chicken, salmon, steak, or Greek chicken meatballs, and vegetables like roasted broccoli or cauliflower and carrots. Add a simple side salad.
- With A Good Sauce & Crispy Chickpeas - serve it with yogurt tahini sauce or herby lemon dill yogurt sauce and crispy roasted chickpeas on top. A dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt works here too.
- In a Breakfast Bowl - use these roasted sweet potato halves in a breakfast bowl by serving it with feta scrambled eggs or maple chicken sausage and sauteed greens.
- In Sweet Potato Casserole - these roasted potatoes get nice and caramelized and can be used to make a sweet potato casserole for holiday feasts..
Equipment
You'll need a sturdy sheet pan for this recipe. I have Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet (set of 2) and use them multiple times a week. They don't warp like other sheet pans I've had and they cook things evenly every time.
Storage
Tip: let the sweet potatoes cool before storing for at least 30 minutes. This helps prevent steam from getting locked in and making them soggy.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer - place cooled sweet potato halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1–2 hours). This prevents them from sticking together and helps maintain texture. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen, you can roast them straight from the freezer in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave but they won't caramelize as much.
Expert Tips
- Use sweet potatoes that are around the same size so they cook evenly.
- Keep the skin on the sweet potato halves to help them keep their structure.
- Coat both sides of the potato with olive oil and salt + pepper to give it more flavor throughout.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these roasted sweet potato halves are a nutrient-rich option. Sweet potatoes provide important nutrients including dietary fiber, vitamins A & C, antioxidants, and manganese. Extra-virgin olive oil is a source of heart-healthy fatty acids.
Absolutely! I find that purple sweet potatoes take a bit longer to cook so you may just need to increase the cook time by 5-10 minutes.
Absolutely, just make sure to give the potatoes a good rinse and scrub before prepping them. The skin contains more fiber. But you don't have to eat the skins if you don't like the texture! You'll still get plenty of nutrition from the sweet orange flesh.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Roasted Sweet Potato Halves:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Perfect Roasted Sweet Potato Halves, Oven Baked
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb sweet potatoes (~3-4 medium sweet potatoes)
- 1½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 Additional Seasoning Combos (in addition to salt & pepper)
- for savory: ½ teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon onion powder
- for Mexican inspired: ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon chili powder + ½ teaspoon smoked paprika + ¼ teaspoon cumin
- for Mediterranean: ½ teaspoon dried oregano + ½ teaspoon dried thyme + ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- for sweet: replace olive oil with coconut oil and add ½ teaspoon cinnamon + 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prep a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil spray for easy cleanup. Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes under running water. Cut them in half lengthwise.
- Coat the sweet potato halves in the olive oil, making sure to coat both the flesh and skin sides. Season with the kosher salt and pepper and other seasonings as desired.
- Place the sweet potatoes cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast the sweet potatoes in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. They will almost caramelize at the edges.
- Hint: if you want them to cook faster, you can heat the oven to a temperature of 425℉ (218°C) and cook for 25-35 minutes but cooking them at a slightly lower temp for longer helps them get cooked without burning.
Notes
- Use sweet potatoes that are around the same size so they cook evenly.
- Keep the skin on the sweet potato halves to help them keep their structure.
- Coat both sides of the potato with olive oil and salt + pepper to give it more flavor throughout.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer - place cooled sweet potato halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1–2 hours). This prevents them from sticking together and helps maintain texture. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen, you can roast them straight from the freezer in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave but they won't caramelize as much.
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