Healthy Sweet Potato Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious sweet potato side dish recipes including baked, mashed and roasted sweet potatoes, and sweet potato fries. Healthier Recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Sheet-Pan Roasted Root Vegetables

Rating: 4.88 stars
6
One pan is all you need for a heaping pile of nutritious, tender and colorful root vegetables. Whip up this large-batch recipe at the beginning of the week to use in easy, healthy dinners all week long.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 5 stars
1
Cheddar cheese, scallions and bacon flavor these “twice baked” sweet potatoes. Cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave first (instead of baking them) helps keep this easy loaded sweet potato recipe quick.
By Carolyn Casner

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 4.86 stars
12
In this easy vegetable side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and are roasted until tender and golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms on these maple-roasted sweet potatoes transform this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Oven Sweet Potato Fries

Rating: 3.9 stars
9
Making oven fries out of sweet potatoes brings out their inherent sweetness.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air-fried sweet potato fries are crispy, tender and delicately sweet. They're also made with less fat than traditional fries, so they're a healthier option when you're craving crunchy spuds. If the cinnamon-pepper spice is too intense, try thyme, oregano, paprika or garlic instead.
By Sarah Epperson

Yukon Gold & Sweet Potato Mash

Rating: 4.62 stars
7
The addition of delicious sweet potatoes gives a nutrient boost to mashed potatoes. Double it: Cook the potatoes in a Dutch oven rather than a large saucepan.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Skins with Guacamole

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
Top crispy sweet potato skins with guacamole for a healthy take on classic potato skins in this easy crowd-pleasing recipe.
By Devon O'Brien

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes

It's easy to get creative with these roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. For a quick side dish that complements just about everything, follow the main recipe. If you want to spice things up a little, try one of the variations. Swapping a few spices and adding fresh stir-ins to coat the roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes transforms the flavor of the dish to something new, yet equally delicious.
By Jasmine Smith

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower

Roasting intensifies the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and gives the cauliflower a wonderful nutty flavor in this simple, healthy side dish. A sprinkling of garlic powder and Parmesan cheese makes the dish really special. Serve this easy side along with pork or chicken or add to a grain bowl for a vegetarian dinner.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter

Rating: 5 stars
1
As the name implies, these sweet potatoes melt right in your mouth. After browning in a hot oven, thick slices of sweet potato simmer in broth and soak up the flavors of maple syrup and lemon. This simple dish is great alongside roasted chicken or pork and makes a great Thanksgiving side dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Chile-Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 4.58 stars
3
Give ordinary roasted sweet potatoes a big flavor boost with this quick, Asian-inspired seasoning mix.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This incredibly simple and quick recipe for roasted sweet potatoes relies on the most basic of seasonings--olive oil, salt and pepper. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a great side dish for a family dinner on a busy weeknight but because it's so easy and delicious, it can also be doubled or tripled and served at larger gatherings.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
This healthy recipe is a savory riff on the traditional brown-sugar-and-pecan-topped sweet potato casserole so often found on Thanksgiving tables. Crispy baby kale leaves make a stunning garnish, but any green or herb that suits you will look great, fried or not.
Miso Sweet Potatoes

Miso Sweet Potatoes
Rating: Unrated
5
Inspired by melting potatoes, we gave the same treatment to sweet potatoes. The results? Roasted potatoes that are creamy on the inside but perfectly crisp on the outside. Adding miso to the butter mixture adds great umami flavor and helps the potatoes caramelize while baking. Don't skip lining the baking sheet or the miso-butter might burn on the pan and cause the sweet potatoes to stick.
Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries & Pecans

Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries & Pecans
Rating: Unrated
3
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Rating: Unrated
1
Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges

Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Rating: Unrated
1

Sweet Potato Fritters with Smoky Pinto Beans

Rating: 3.63 stars
10

These easy sweet potato fritters have a crispy crust and a tender middle. The beans are flavored with smoked paprika, but sweet or hot would work well too. To give it a Mexican-inspired twist, use chili powder as the spice instead of the paprika.

All Healthy Sweet Potato Side Dish Recipes

Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter

Rating: 4.33 stars
1
This sweet potato and turnip mash is fragrant with fresh sage.
By Raghavan Iyer

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

Rating: 4.31 stars
4
This three-ingredient dish, known as piele in Hawaii, is fabulously simple. Coconut milk--an occasional indulgence because of the saturated fat--contributes rich flavor.
By Susan Herr

Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Dressing

Roasted sweet potatoes are the star of this dinner recipe, which is ready in just one hour. Combining different whole grains, such as wild rice and barley, allows for multiple flavor and nutrition profiles to be displayed in this recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Rating: 4.83 stars
8
This lightened-up take on the classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole is spiked with crushed pineapple and toasted pecans. We top it with an airy, slightly sweet meringue. You can pipe the meringue to make it look fancy or simply spread it neatly with a rubber spatula.
By Jessie Price

Sweet Potato & Cabbage Slaw

Sweet potatoes can be eaten raw as well as cooked. Here they star in a sprightly slaw, a quick and light accompaniment for simple poached or steamed fish.
By Susan Herr

Oven-Fried Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 4.89 stars
1
Hungry for fries? Slice potatoes into long thin wedges, toss with a little oil, salt and pepper, and pop them in the oven. They'll crisp to perfection--irresistible.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Smashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 3.67 stars
3
Chile powder, cumin and ginger combined with a touch of maple syrup create a spicy-sweet flavor addition to a traditional Thanksgiving player.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Casserole

Rating: 4.58 stars
7
This scrumptious sweet potato casserole gets fabulous flavor from honey and freshly grated orange zest rather than the traditional stick of butter. To complete the healthy makeover we sprinkle a crunchy pecan streusel spiked with orange juice concentrate over the top. You can save the marshmallows for s'mores.
By Patsy Jamieson

Sweet Potato Pommes Anna (Layered Potato Casserole)

This multicolored galette is a fun twist on the classic dish made with white potatoes. Don't worry if you only have one type of sweet potato, the result will still be beautiful. The bottom bakes to a potato-chip crisp with a caramelly sweetness, while the interior becomes melt-in-your-mouth rich.
By Cheryl Slocum

Grilled Sweet Potato Slices

Grilled sweet potato slices are paired with a spicy, creamy sauce with a hint of smoke. Serve this easy grilled side dish alongside grilled chicken, steak or veggie burgers. (The sweet potato slices are also delicious without sauce or with store-bought condiments like chipotle mayo.)
By Karen Rankin

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Southwestern spices coat slices of sweet potato that are baked, smashed and then broiled to create a light, crispy exterior. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt finishes the dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Potato & Leek au Gratin

We mix Yukon gold and red-skin sweet potatoes with mild leeks in this easy au gratin recipe. The combination of Parmesan and Cheddar makes this dish irresistible.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Tajín Waffle Fries with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dipping Sauce

The Mexican seasoning Tajín, with its mild spiciness and tangy undertones, pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes. Waffle-shaped fries are the perfect vessel for capturing the flavor. A creamy dipping sauce completes the experience.
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Use convenience ingredients, like cooked chicken (leftover or purchased) and store-bought curry sauce to whip up these easy loaded baked potatoes. We call for cauliflower in this recipe, but feel free to sub in whatever veggies you have on hand for a quick and easy dinner. You can also swap the sweet potatoes for russets.
By Devon O'Brien

Sweet Potato Wedges with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Love steak fries? Try these sweet potato wedges with a honey mustard dipping sauce. They're pre-cooked in the microwave, then seasoned with salt and paprika and on your plate after less than 10 minutes under the broiler.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This quick mashed potato recipe has just 5 ingredients and is dinner-ready in 20 minutes. Using sweet potatoes for this classic side dish adds color to your plate along with a little sweetness and a boost of Vitamin A. With classic and simple flavors, it can easily be paired with any of your favorite dishes.
By Carolyn Casner

Sweet Potato Soufflé

This scrumptious sweet potato soufflé is sweet without being cloying like some sweet potato casseroles can be. A crunchy pecan-and-oat topping nicely complements the creamy sweet potatoes. The casserole requires just 25 minutes of active time to prepare, so you can whip it up for Thanksgiving without a lot of fuss. And the filling can also be made up to five days ahead, so you just have to top it and bake it when it's showtime. With a sweet potato soufflé that's so easy, there's no need to serve it just for the holidays--try it with oven-fried chicken and green beans for a healthy dinner with a Southern accent.
By Julia Levy

Roasted Root Vegetables with Chermoula

Rating: 4 stars
2
Here, a medley of root vegetables and winter squash are roasted with chermoula (also spelled charmoula), a quintessential Moroccan spice combination. (Any combination will work in this dish; start with about 12 cups of peeled vegetable pieces.) Be sure to peel turnips well; their skin is thicker and more fibrous than other root vegetables'.
By Kitty Morse

Loaded Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Turn refrigerated mashed sweet potatoes into a company-special side dish by combining them with onion, mushrooms and savory seasonings.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Gremolata

Sweet potato fingerlings (or small wedges) blister and caramelize on the grill. All they need is a final toss with a little butter and a blend of orange zest and mint and you have a healthy side dish that's anything but ordinary.
By Judith Fertig

Smoky Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This colorful twist on traditional mashed potatoes swaps in sweet potatoes and incorporates the flavors of smoked paprika, cayenne, and orange zest. You can use regular paprika instead of smoked, and can omit the cayenne for a less spicy version.
By Lauren Grant

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Rating: 5 stars
1
The genius hack in this recipe: topping sweet potatoes with marshmallows while they're still piping hot from the slow cooker yields a baked marshmallow topping that's typical with baked sweet potato casseroles.
By Carolyn Casner

Sweet Potatoes with Fruit

This favorite holiday side dish gets its sweetness from apples, honey and a pear-not the traditional high-calorie option, with butter, brown sugar and marshmallows.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Potato & Sweet Potato Torte

Rating: 3.8 stars
4
Layers of potatoes and sweet potatoes meld into an impressive vegetable “cake” that forms a golden crust during baking. Serve as a vegetarian centerpiece or with roast poultry or pork.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com