Roasted Sweet Potatoes

There are many ways to cook sweet potatoes. You can grill, smash, bake, mash and even air-fry them. Along with those cooking methods, one of the healthiest ways to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. The best technique for roasting vegetables is to roast them at higher temperatures so that the natural sugars caramelize. This results in veggies that are browned and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. For extra-crispy roasted sweet potatoes, add some cornstarch.

Roasted sweet potatoes are quick and easy to prepare. You can keep them simple or jazz them up with fresh herbs or spices to pair with just about anything. Here are tips to achieve the best roasted sweet potatoes:

While you can peel your sweet potatoes, we prefer to leave the peel on. This saves time and also adds flavor and texture as well as a boost of fiber. If you're leaving the peel on, be sure to scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush or clean scrubber sponge to remove any dirt and debris.

We line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, then spray the foil with cooking spray before the sweet potatoes are added to the pan. Since the oven is on the hot side (425 degrees F) the foil acts as a layer of insulation that will prevent over-browning. (Plus it will make cleanup a lot easier!) In order for the sweet potatoes to cook evenly, you'll have to turn them once halfway through cooking. A layer of cooking spray on the pan makes this a whole lot easier and prevents the potatoes from sticking.

This simple recipe calls for just salt and pepper, but you don't have to stop there. You can jazz up sweet potatoes with herbs, spices, nuts and even cheese after (or before) they're done roasting. Dried spices like chili powder or smoked paprika pair nicely with roasted sweet potatoes and are best added before they hit the oven. Fresh herbs like thyme, basil or rosemary adds the most flavor when they're added after the sweet potatoes are done roasting. Tossing chopped nuts or crumbled cheese like goat cheese or blue cheese with roasted sweet potatoes a few minutes after they leave the oven is a great way to add flavor and tailor them to pair with whatever you choose to serve alongside.

This easy side dish can be prepared for a weeknight dinner and pairs well with many main dishes. Crispy Roast Chicken, Steak au Poivre, Skillet Lemon-Garlic Salmon and Lemon-Balsamic Chicken Thighs make a delicious accompaniment to these roasted sweet potatoes.

Roasted sweet potatoes can also be incorporated into other dishes, like Sweet Potato, Sausage and Goat Cheese Egg Casserole, Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil, Kale & Roasted Sweet Potato Hash and Sweet Potato Hummus.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer and Jan Valdez