Unlike white potatoes, sweet potatoes are firm and somewhat grainy. They’re closer in texture to butternut squash or a turnip than a white potato, which is why they take a bit longer to cook. Also, their skins can be tough and lumpy. Make sure to give them a good scrubbing to make the skins palatable.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (uniform in size)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons butter (or to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
- Optional: paprika or cinnamon sugar
Steps to Make It
- Gather the ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place a sheet of foil on the oven rack or line a baking pan with foil.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly and rub vegetable oil all over each potato. Prick each potato in several places with a fork to aerate.
- Arrange the potatoes on the foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
- Cut a 1 1/2-inch “X” in the center of each baked sweet potato. Hold a potato with a potholder and press upwards until the filling “bursts” up through the cuts. Alternatively, cut the baked sweet potatoes in half lengthwise to serve.
- Top with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper or paprika or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
- Serve and enjoy!