When it comes to sweet potatoes, roasting is the most popular cooking method. However, we can just boil these root vegetables and prepare one of the most delicious and easy recipes you’ll ever try.
I love boiling sweet potatoes because it’s easier than roasting them. Also, it’s the perfect technique if we don’t have a microwave sweet potatoes recipe.
Many believe that sweet potatoes can lose their delicious flavor if you boil them, but this is not the case.
Actually, it’s ideal if you only want to eat them with your favorite toppings or prepare other tasty dishes, such as sweet potato puree, sweet potato casserole, black bean sweet potato burgers, and even some desserts.
Do you want to learn to make these root vegetables? Here’s the best boiled sweet potatoes recipe we can try!
Making Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Boiling sweet potatoes is the first step to making one of the traditional dishes with this root vegetable.
Yes, I’m talking about mashed sweet potatoes! When I want to make this recipe, I just have to follow the steps I would usually follow to make the traditional version.
After boiling them, I mashed cooked sweet potato cubes with a potato masher and added a tablespoon of butter, a splash of milk or heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
I’ve also made a sweet and delicious version with ground
cinnamon, maple syrup, and even chocolate!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Still don’t know how to use boiled sweet potatoes? I have tried many recipes, and I’ll share some ideas with you.
These are my favorites:
- BBQ chicken sweet potato bowls
- Sweet potato and caramel pie
- Air fryer sweet potato cubes
- Sweet potato waffles
- Sweet potato falafel
- Meatloaf shepherd’s pie with sweet potato
- Sweet potato cream cheese pie
- And more!
How Long to Boil Sweet Potatoes
One of the most frequently asked questions I used to have when boiling sweet potatoes for the first time is how long this process should take.
The answer depends on the size of the sweet potatoes we use. As I mentioned, we must cut them into cubes. I prefer 2-inch pieces.
However, I have also boiled 1-inch cubes or whole sweet potatoes. In these cases, I follow these cooking times:
- Whole sweet potatoes: 30-50 minutes (again, this depends on the size of the sweet potato we use)
- 1-inch sweet potato cubes: 12-15 minutes
- 2-inch sweet potato cubes: 20-25 minutes
Should I Roast or Boil Sweet Potatoes?
I know many people believe that roasting sweet potatoes is easier than boiling them, but I think they’re wrong!
Roasting these root vegetables is a great idea! It helps keep their natural flavors, and the final texture is amazing!
However, I know that choosing the right method depends on the recipe we are going to make.
Which One Is Better?
When I don’t have enough time, I like boiling sweet potatoes rather than oven baked sliced potatoes because it’s faster and helps me make some recipes for dinner in just minutes.
Sometimes, though, I crave roasted sweet potatoes since boiling doesn’t caramelize these root vegetables like roasting. Actually, I think it’s the ideal technique if we want to make desserts.
Also, boiling cubed sweet potatoes is the best option if we want to make fillings for enchiladas, pies, or tacos.
Final Thoughts
When I learned to boil sweet potatoes, I thought it wouldn’t be useful for many things, but the truth is that I was able to prepare so many recipes that this is one of my favorite cooking techniques now.
If you know how long to boil sweet potatoes, you will have excellent results, and you can use them for hundreds of dishes!
Besides being versatile, I also think that cooked sweet potatoes are a good option to eat on a daily basis. They’re filling, delicious, and healthier than other foods.
Therefore, I encourage you to cook sweet potatoes this way and enjoy all their benefits!
FAQs
Are Boiled Sweet Potatoes Healthy?
Yes, they are! Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber, and more!
When we boil sweet potatoes, these root vegetables may lose some nutrients. That’s why many think that there are better cooking methods.
However, I think it depends on how you prepare them. Instead of boiling cubed sweet potatoes, you can cook a whole piece to leverage all its nutrients, even those in the skin.
How Should I Peel Sweet Potatoes?
Peeling sweet potatoes is easier than you think. I use a potato or vegetable peeler and the same method I follow to remove regular potatoes’ skin.
What Is the Right Sweet Potatoes Amount to Boil?
You can boil any amount you want and need! Just try cutting the sweet potatoes into similarly sized chunks.
What Are the Best Toppings for Cooked Sweet Potatoes?
The toppings I like the most are fresh herbs if I want to serve them as a side dish or brown sugar when I’m craving a sweet treat.
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
I love boiling sweet potatoes because it's easier than roasting them. Also, it's the perfect technique if we don't have a microwave or can't use our oven.
Ingredients
- 2-4 lb. sweet potatoes
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 8 c. water
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water. Then, add salt and bring it to a boil
- With a potato peeler, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 2-inch chunks (you can leave the skin on and cook them whole if you want a more filling dish).
- Add the cut sweet potatoes carefully to the boiling water.
- Lower the cooking temperature to medium heat and keep a slow boil for at least 15 minutes. Then, prick multiple sweet potato cubes to see if they are tender.
- Once the sweet potatoes are properly cooked, pour them into a colander and drain the water.
- Serve them with your favorite toppings or prepare other recipes!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 544Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 327mgCarbohydrates: 125gFiber: 20gSugar: 39gProtein: 12g
