You’re stuck with some important presentation, and your churning stomach asks only for one thing: a quick, tasty snack rich in both taste and health. And you are in no mood to fill your stomach with the usual cookies and savory foods.
In your quest to try something novel for the tongue, you walk up to the kitchen, and after searching, some sweet potatoes catch your eye. Suddenly, you give in to pleasing your taste buds with those sweet potatoes.
When it comes to mind, a succulent sweet potato brings only the image of boiled sweet potatoes laid with salt, lemon, chilies, etc. But you would be surprised to know there are plenty of ways to cook sweet potatoes to fill your stomach.
Now, you must be wondering how to bake sweet potatoes. This is the perfect place to get ideas for cooking sweet potatoes.
Once you go through the article, you will realize how easy the whole process is and will love to cook potatoes for yourself.
Why Sweet Potatoes?
A single serving of baked sweet potatoes made up of a cup or 200 g of baked sweet potatoes has numerous health benefits. It is known to provide your daily dose of vitamins, one of the essential components for a healthy mind and body.
The easily available root vegetable contains vital minerals such as manganese, zinc, potassium, cobalt, and niacin. Sweet potatoes are a source of antioxidants, the quintessence of healthy aging.
The root vegetable is a very good source of dietary fiber, boosting an individual’s overall stomach and digestive health. Research suggests that sweet potatoes have anticancer properties, a major cause of concern globally today.
Sweet potatoes are good for an individual’s visual health. Sweet potatoes are good for the health of our brain and heart and also have anti-diabetic properties.
Given the taste and nutrient content, everyone needs assistance baking sweet potatoes.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes?
Before you move to the detailed guide on how to bake sweet potatoes, you should be aware of all the materials and ingredients that you need in advance. This will help you save a lot of time, and you can eat delicious sweet potatoes easily.
There are no exclusive things that you will need. All you need is a good look through the kitchen, assemble all the materials and ingredients, and then you are all set to cook.
The ingredients and materials required are summarized in the tables to assist you in your cooking journey.
Ingredients Required
|
ITEM |
QUANTITY |
|
Sweet potatoes (large) |
3 |
|
2 tablespoons |
|
|
2 pinches |
|
| As per taste | |
| As per taste |
Tools Required
Quick Guide Recipe on How to Bake Sweet Potatoes?
Consider that you are not baking sweet potatoes but are experimenting with” how to bake sweet potatoes.” The golden rule for the successful execution of any experiment is to keep all the materials handy, isn’t it?
You don’t want the whole house to know about your experiment before the results are ready, so you need to assemble all the ingredients, big or small, but all the ingredients should be in a single place.
Once you have assembled all the ingredients, wait no further; follow the steps and prepare your version of tasty and mouth-watering sweet potatoes. For your ease, the recipe has been summarized into easy and simple steps that you will be surprised to see.
Step 1: Wash and Chop the Sweet Potatoes
You don’t want germs to enter your body through your snack, and the first pre-requisite for the same is washing the rooty veggie so no bacteria seated on the sweet potato gets an opportunity to make you sick. After washing, let the sweet potatoes dry.
Chop the sweet potatoes according to the intended size. If you wish to cook whole sweet potatoes, this step can be omitted; however, oversized sweet potatoes won’t bake properly, so chopping the sweet potatoes is highly recommended.
Step 2: Preheating the oven
This is another important step towards how to bake sweet potatoes. All our preparations will be in vain if we do not carry along with this step.
The oven is set at a desirable temperature for the potatoes to bake properly. Generally, it is recommended that the oven should be preheated to 425℉ for the baking process.
Step 3: Sprinkling and Coating with Olive Oil
Coat the baking dish with olive oil. Now, sprinkle your chopped sweet potatoes with salt and pepper and place them on the dish that has been stirred and is already coated with olive oil. This step will prevent the potatoes from sticking to the base and protect them from getting burnt.
Step 4: The Baking Process
This step is the heart of our experiment on how to bake sweet potatoes. Finally, it’s time to reap the fruits of our hard work and our patience. The daunting task of baking should be completed within 45-55 minutes. Or, the process of baking can be undertaken till the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, i.e., can be pierced with a fork.
Step 5: The Seasoning Process
The seasoning step of baking sweet potatoes can be completed with sprinkles of oregano, salt, and pepper. This will make the potatoes more appealing, making them the center of attraction at the dining table. If you want, you can also use butter for the same purpose. Else, add more seasonings to add flavor to the dish.
Step 6: Serve the Succulent Sweet Potatoes!
Once all the steps are done, now comes the most important thing. Serving the sweet potatoes. It might sound funny, but the whole preparation is a waste until and unless enjoyed by someone. So, take out the dish, use a serving spoon and bowl, and enjoy the snack!
Things to Keep in Mind While Baking the Sweet Potatoes
While baking sweet potatoes, there are some basic things that you should keep in mind for your potatoes to taste amazing. A few of them are listed below.
- The sweet potatoes should be washed before baking.
- Preheating the oven is a must for the process of baking sweet potatoes.
- The skin of the sweet potato must be thoroughly dried before baking the sweet potatoes.
- Always wrap the dish in foil paper, as the sweet potatoes tend to moisten up.
- The baking sheet of the oven should be lined with olive oil.
What Not to Do When Baking Sweet Potatoes?
While working on the recipe for sweet potatoes, there are a few things that you should avoid. Considering these precautions, you can easily bake your version of the best sweet potatoes.
- Sweet potatoes should not be damaged or rotten.
- Always wrap the dish in foil paper, but not the sweet potatoes, as it will not allow the peel of the sweet potato to absorb heat.
- Care should be taken during the microwaving process, as over-baked sweet potatoes will be slimy to eat and will not taste good while eating.
Calorie Count Associated with Baked Sweet Potatoes
Well, for every health-conscious person, this is the most important aspect, and you need not worry as here is a track of your nutrient uptake from your baked sweet potato servings. Every four servings of three sweet potatoes will provide you with 321 calories.
You also should not worry about your fat intake as the total fats make up only 7g, while the saturated fats form only 1g per 4 servings. Your carb uptake is 61g, whereas your body gains 5g of protein from this snack.
The sugar uptake is 20 g, and your body gains 92 mg of Sodium from 4 servings of baked sweet potatoes.
Conclusion
What pleases the taste buds doesn’t please the gut, and what is good for our health doesn’t appeal to our tongue. Therefore, it is important to look for something tasty and healthy, and for the same, we have this snack of baked sweet potatoes.
In addition to this, it is super easy to cook too. Given the health benefits, everyone wants to attempt to prepare this dish at least once. And this one attempt will make you prepare this dish again and again.
Health is a major concern across the globe. This article provides you with the steps for the preparation of the dish. As does this snack, every process has its share of do’s and don’ts.
Following the do’s and don’ts and considering all the necessary precautions, you can make your lip-smacking bowl of baked sweet potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Mandatory to Prepare Baked Sweet Potatoes at 425°F?
No. There is no compulsion for the temperature of baking sweet potatoes. The aim is to bake them fork-tender. The temperature range for baking sweet potatoes ranges from 350- 450 ℉.
Can We Consume Sweet Potatoes with Their Peels On?
Yes. Sweet potatoes can be consumed with their skins on. The process of microwaving kills any germs on the skin of sweet potatoes. The skin of the sweet potato contains a few essential nutrients, and it is, therefore, safe to eat the sweet potatoes with the skin on.
Can Sweet Potatoes Be Eaten with Some Other Food Items?
The baked sweet potatoes can be eaten with the main course items. If you intend to serve this as a side- dish or a starter, you can top it with sauces or yogurt. If the goal is a whole meal, then the preferred filling or topping will be butter- you can experiment with homemade or dairy butter.
Is it Possible to Bake Large Sweet Potatoes as a Whole?
YES. Definitely, you can munch on whole sweet potatoes. However, care should be taken with extra large ones as they don’t bake well. So, watch the sweet potatoes until they are completely baked.
