Tossed in cinnamon and maple syrup, these roasted sweet potatoes’ perfectly caramelized exteriors give way to tender, creamy centers with each sweet bite, making them ready for any grain bowl, burrito, or salad that comes their way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Delicious! I got all the points from my partner! Approved :)” -Selen, FoodieCrush reader
These Sweet Potatoes Are Part of My Weekly Ingredient Prep
Over the years I’ve learned I’m best at meal prepping batches of ingredients rather than cooking an entire meal to eat through the week. I mean, I love eating leftovers of my mom’s spaghetti recipe or ladling up bowls of my grandma’s minestrone soup, but I’m just too fickle when it comes planning out my cravings. My best laid intentions end up going to waste — literally, food in the fridge going to waste — because when it comes time to eat I end up making something else I’m in the mood for more.
That’s why cooking up a batch of one, two, or three basic ingredients like baked chicken breasts, roasted cauliflower and a batch of beans or grains like forbidden rice or quinoa suits my cravings much more. This way, I can mix and match my basics to make grain bowls, wraps, soups, pastas, and so much more.
These deliciously caramelized roasted sweet potatoes are a meal prep mainstay and cook in just 15 minutes. Their perfectly crisped exterior glazed with sweet maple and cinnamon contrasts perfectly with their tender centers. Even better, these roasted tubers get bonus points because there’s no need to peel them before slicing and putting in the oven.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Don’t peel the sweet potatoes. Just give them a good scrubbing and you’re good to go. Like my grandma said, eating the skin is healthy, adding more fiber and potassium.
Slice the potatoes into ¼″ rings. If sliced thinner, you’ll lose their sweet fleshy centers as they bake and shrink. (Don’t worry, even sliced ¼″ thick this is still one of the fastest ways to cook sweet potatoes.)
Place the potatoes directly on the baking sheet. Direct contact with the pan turns out the best roasted skin. I use high sided baking sheets, most often this 9″ X 13″ quarter sheet size pan because it fits in both my toaster oven and wall oven.
Don’t over-bake. Roasting sweet potatoes for too long turns them into tough chunks of veggie jerky. (But if you’re looking for a beefy alternative, maybe this is a good thing?) Cut as coins, these sweet potatoes are baked at 425°F for about 15 minutes.
Here’s What You’ll Need
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes — Use your favorite variety (orange, white, purple).
- Olive oil — Another neutral roasting oil works too.
- Maple syrup + cinnamon — These roasted babies get a coating of sweetness with a toss in maple syrup and ground cinnamon that caramelizes in the oven’s heat. The earthy taste of these flavors totally complements the savory potato.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — Always.
Switch Up Your Sweeteners
Maple syrup is only one suggestion to enhance your sweet potatoes, with loads of other ideas sitting in your pantry.
- honey
- agave
- stevia
- brown rice syrup
- molasses
If the mixture feels too thick, whisk in 1 teaspoon of hot water to make the glaze smoother if necessary.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes in the Oven
- Scrub, slice, and toss the sweet potatoes in the oil and spices. I usually do that last bit with my hands for ease.
- Place directly onto your sheet pan. For faster clean up in other sheet pan recipes, I usually line my sheet pans with foil. But not for these. To get the best caramelization, place the potatoes directly on a sheet pan so the heat radiates up and crisps their bottoms and tops at the same time.
- Roast until lightly golden brown and tender. If you’re up for it, you can flip them a little more than half way through their cooking time…or don’t. Take a look while cooking and then decide. The more you make them, the better you’ll find your rhythm and favorite way to roast them.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Quick Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 pound
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 425°F.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes clean. There's no need to peel, but do so if you prefer. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise then slice into ¼" coins. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. This step is easiest done with your hands.
- Place the potatoes on a sheet pan in an even layer and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until bubbly, lightly browned, and tender. Flip the potatoes 8-9 minutes into cooking if you'd like. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipes to Make with These Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Turkey Meatball Buddha Bowls
- Farro Vegetable Bowls
- Roasted Chicken Bowls
- Kale and Wild Rice Salad
- Fall Cobb Salad
- Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
More Sweet Potato Side Dishes to Try
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- 7-Ingredient Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Maple Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Souffle
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
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Patricia A. Portale
I love this recipe. they are amazing! can you roast them on parchment paper?
Hi Patricia, yes! Parchment makes it super easy for clean up!
Selen
Delicious! I got all the points from my partner! Approved :)
Whew! So glad your partner approved! hahaahah! Thanks for the comment and the 5 stars!
Neha Verma
Yummy. I tried this recipe yesterday and you know what these roasted sweet potatoes recipe were super tasty. Thanks Heidi for sharing this recipe.
Delores
I needed a side dish that was easy and healthy for my meal what the beginning of the New Year. I found this recipe and it seems so easy that I had to try it. I love recipes with very few ingredients. If it tastes as good as it smells, this is going to be a winner.
Thank you for the rating and the comment Delores, glad you enjoyed.
Pooja Khungar
I make my sweet potatoes the exact same way! Also I just recently started adding Chile arbol molido for a kick!!
Alie
Usually I hate sweet potato, I will try this recipe this weekend.
I was only using sweet potato either in soup or bake it.
Judieupdike
There is a date nectar at Wegman’s, and, perhaps, other chains if you don’t have a Wegmans. It is D’Vash, and is delicious on roast vegetables.
Sabrina
one of my favorite ingredients, thank you for this recipe. my sheet pan version is just baking tjhem with spices, so a nice change adding maple syrup, good thinking!