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microwave sweet potatoes
April 29, 2020

How to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave (+ Recipe Ideas!)

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Did you know you can cook a sweet potato in the microwave and save 50+ minutes of cooking time (compared to baking in the oven)?!

Yep, it’s true! It only takes a few minutes. And it comes out just as deliciously roasted as if it was cooked in the oven. It’s one of my favorite quick kitchen hacks.

how to cook a sweet potato in the microwave

Microwaving a sweet potato is really easy, too!

Here’s a quick how-to guide for the next time you want to enjoy a sweet potato but don’t want to wait nearly an hour for it to bake in the oven. 

How to Microwave a Sweet Potato

1. Wash Your Sweet Potatoes

To cook sweet potatoes in the microwave, start by washing them, of course! 

Since sweet potatoes grow in the ground, it’s best to wash them to remove any excess dirt. This also saves you the hassle of peeling them.

To wash, hold the sweet potatoes under running water and scrub with a vegetable brush (or just thoroughly using your hands). Then, pat dry.

2. Pierce Your Sweet Potatoes

Next, pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork 4-6 times. This allows the steam to escape while they’re being cooked. Make sure you do this, because otherwise you might have an explosion in your microwave. 🙂

cooking a sweet potato in the microwave

3. Microwave for 6+ Minutes

Wrap each sweet potato in a damp paper towel. This helps keep them moist as they cook.

Then, on a microwave-safe plate, microwave the sweet potatoes at high power for 6 minutes, turning halfway through.

After the 6 minutes is up, check to see if they’re tender. If they are, you’re done! And if not, keep microwaving in increments of 1 minute each until they feel done.

(To know when they’re done: push a fork or small knife against each potato’s skin. If it’s soft and there’s no resistance, you’re good to go!).

I recommend leaving the skin on, too. Cooking a sweet potato with the skin on preserves more of its nutritional value. And yes, it’s perfectly safe (and tasty) to eat it – and again much easier than dealing with peeling it! 

microwave sweet potatoes

If you’re more of a visual learner, here’s a step-by-step video guide for how to microwave a sweet potato:

1
Get ready to save 50+ minutes of your life
2
Wash your sweet potato.
3
Poke holes in your sweet potato so the steam can escape (very important or it will explode!)
4
Wrap each sweet potato in a damp paper towel
5
Microwave on high for 6 minutes, turning once halfway
6
The sweet potato is ready when it feels soft when pressed and can easily be sliced in half!
7
For meal inspiration, check out my Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe!fANNEtasticfood.com
Check out my other content @fannetasticfood on Jumprope.

 

Other Ways to Cook a Sweet Potato

I’m a big fan of sweet potatoes in general. Not only are they nutritious and delicious, but they’re also versatile. Besides microwaving, here are some other ways to cook a sweet potato:

  • Baking
  • Sautéing (diced or sliced thinly into rounds)
  • Grilling

And when it comes to recipes you can make with sweet potatoes, the options are endless:

  • Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (with chicken, beans, anything really!) – try my Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans recipe!
  • Sweet Potato Pancakes – try using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes in my Leftover Mashed Potato Pancake recipe – great for brunch with eggs!
  • Mashed Sweet Potatoes – try my Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes (No Sugar Added) – these are great for holidays or as a simple dinner side dish
  • Baked Sweet Potato Chips or Fries (I don’t recommend doing these in the microwave, so if you’re feeling the oven, try my Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe: Mexican-Style)
  • Sweet Potato Avocado “Toast” – like my Mediterranean Sweet Potato Hummus Bites – these make a great appetizer
  • Sweet Potato Pie
  • Egg & Sweet Potato Breakfast Burrito – my Make Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos use sweet potatoes, and you can simply microwave + mash them instead of slicing and roasting them to save time!
  • Sweet Potato Casserole, like my Savory Sweet Potato Casserole – another great holiday dish or dinner side dish
  • Sweet Potato Soup

stuffed sweet potato toppings

To give you even more recipe inspiration, I’ve included links to some of my other favorite sweet potato recipes below. Enjoy!

More Sweet Potato Recipe Ideas

Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs – one of my favorite brunches!

Sweet Potato & Lentil Coconut Curry – great cozy meal

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas – to get that Mexican food fix!

Sweet Potato Lentil Chili – another cozy meal that makes a ton and freezes well for later

Healthy Seafood Chowder with Sweet Potato – a lighter, less heavy take on your usual chowder (but still creamy and delicious!)

6 Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipes

What’s your favorite sweet potato recipe? How do you usually cook them?

Here’s the official recipe card with details on how to microwave a sweet potato so you guys can print out these instructions for later if you want!

How to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave

microwave sweet potatoes
April 27, 2020 by Anne

Microwaving sweet potatoes is one of my favorite kitchen hacks. It saves tons of cooking time, and the potatoes come out just as deliciously roasted as if they were cooked in the oven!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Yield
4 servings
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Ingredients:

  • 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes

Instructions:

    1. Wash sweet potatoes. Pat dry.

    2. Pierce sweet potatoes 4-6 times all over with a fork. This allows steam to escape while cooking.

    3. Wrap each sweet potato in a damp paper towel. This helps keep them moist as they cook.

    4. Arrange the wrapped sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave at high power for 6 minutes.

    5. Check the tenderness by squeezing gently. Small sweet potatoes may be fully tender, but if your sweet potatoes don't have any give after 6 minutes, keep microwaving in 1-2 minute increments until fully tender. (The sweet potatoes are done when they feel soft when pressed, and a fork can be inserted and removed very easily.)

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

- anne
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18 comments
  • Ana April 29, 2020 · 10:58AM:
    Growing up the only time sweet potatoes showed up was in those incredibly sweet marshmallow and brown sugar casseroles at Thanksgiving, ugh! I do like sweet potato fries now but will have to try some of these options, too!
    Reply
    • Anne
      April 29, 2020 · 1:03PM:
      Sweet potatoes have definitely gotten an upgrade in recent years - so many ways to enjoy them!
      Reply
  • Sarah
    April 29, 2020 · 3:02PM:
    Great tip! Especially now that it is getting warmer, I don't want to turn on the oven and heat up the house if I don't have to. I've made your Sweet Potato Lentil Chili many times.
    Reply
    • Anne
      April 29, 2020 · 4:44PM:
      Thanks! Glad to hear you enjoy the chili recipe - that's an old fave. :)
      Reply
  • Emily April 29, 2020 · 5:29PM:
    Such a great tip! I always end up buying frozen (more expensive) diced sweet potatoes because I don't have the patience to roast them whole in the oven. This is a game changer!
    Reply
    • Anne
      April 30, 2020 · 10:18AM:
      Such a game changer! Enjoy!
      Reply
  • Lindsey | Hanging with the huangs
    April 30, 2020 · 6:11AM:
    I've never cooked sweet potatoes in the microwave before and I can't believe I haven't! This is so much faster, especially when you're pressed for time!
    Reply
    • Anne
      April 30, 2020 · 10:20AM:
      It's such a useful kitchen hack!
      Reply
  • Kori
    April 30, 2020 · 12:25PM:
    I used to microwave a russet potato after school for a snack in high school (weird but tasty snack, ha!), but I haven't microwaved a sweet potato in forever. Thank you for sharing this!
    Reply
    • Anne
      April 30, 2020 · 3:26PM:
      Haha that's so random, I love it! What did you top it with?
      Reply
      • Kori
        April 30, 2020 · 3:36PM:
        Ranch dressing ? It was a weird phase for sure!
        Reply
        • Anne
          April 30, 2020 · 6:43PM:
          Lol, love it!
          Reply
  • Roadrunner April 30, 2020 · 8:52PM:
    That looks awesome, thanks, Anne!
    Reply
  • Maxine Isaacs May 2, 2020 · 4:23PM:
    I have made sweet potatoes in the microwave forever and they are always delicious!! Growing up in Maine, my favorite Thanksgiving dessert is sweet potato pie---similar to pumpkin pie only sweeter. I don't have a recipe for it but I would assume that one could use the same recipe as for pumpkin pie, and, a graham cracker crust. Because I am a chocolate lover, I will top with a few squares of milk chocolate---even toasted coconut adds an interesting flavor and texture.
    Reply
    • Anne
      May 3, 2020 · 1:11PM:
      Sounds yummy! Minus the chocolate... I'm one of those weird people who isn't super into chocolate :)
      Reply
  • Tracy May 17, 2020 · 12:51PM:
    I don't think I have ever oven baked a sweet potato, lol. Welcome to the world of quick and easy.
    Reply
    • Anne
      May 17, 2020 · 3:22PM:
      Microwave is sooo much faster - def the way to go!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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