In recent years, I’ve noticed an explosion in the popularity of sweet potatoes. No more are sweet potatoes limited to holiday pies and the occasional fry at a sports bar. Now, you’re likely to come across sweet potato chips, sweet potato crackers, sweet potato snack bars, and even sweet potato flavored sauces. It has even been the star of multiple TikTok food trends, most recently Courtney Cook’s cheese-stuffed sweet potato snack or the viral “hot honey sweet potato ground beef bowl.” There’s certainly no shortage of the ingredient in packaged goods, and there are even more possibilities in your very own kitchen. If you’ve been hesitant to welcome the sweet potato into your diet, there’s never been a better time to purchase some with an open mind.
Well, why?
Delicious flavor aside, sweet potatoes are packed with nutritional value that other potato variants simply cannot compete with. Vitamin A and C are both contained in sweet potatoes, making the root vegetable an excellent immunity booster. The skin is also full of fiber (about 6 grams per mashed cup), supporting a healthy gut and bowel system. This fiber content is highly satisfying, which in addition to its subtle sweetness, makes for the ultimate tasty meal addition.
Whether you’re using white, orange, or even purple sweet potatoes, their potential in the kitchen is quite limitless. Below, I’ve outlined how I use my favorite carbohydrate throughout the day from breakfast to dessert and included links to similar recipes. If you’d like, try one of these tips to boost your diet or to simply enjoy a tasty treat!
- Breakfast: Sweet Potato Waffles
Although sweet potatoes are great on their own, it doesn’t take much for them to take an entirely new form and become an all-new dish. If you have access to a waffle maker, you’re all set for a quick, easy, and nostalgic breakfast. All that is required to turn your potato into a waffle is to give it a mash and add eggs until a liquid, batter consistency is reached. From that point forward, the rest is up to you!
To lean into their subtle sweetness, I often love to add some protein powder into the batter or top with Greek yogurt, fruit, or maple syrup. However, sweet potato waffles can also serve as the perfect base for a savory breakfast sandwich. Stuff two waffles with your choice of protein, veggies, and sauces, and you’ve instantly leveled up a traditional breakfast sandwich both in flavor AND nutrition.
- Example Recipe- Sinful Nutrition’s 2 Ingredient Sweet Potato Waffles
2. Lunch: Loaded Sweet Potato
Let’s be real– not many of us have the time to prepare extravagant or nutritious lunches every day. I know personally, I only reserve about a 15-minute window to prepare and eat my midday meal. However, this is no excuse to skimp on fueling our bodies for the remainder of the day. So, building a “loaded” sweet potato with whatever ingredients you may have on hand can be a perfect solution when you’re struggling to find time for lunch.
The first step is baking your sweet potato in the oven, or if you’re in rush like I often am, you can pierce it and toss it in the microwave for 4-6 minutes. Once it is soft, I take to my cabinet to look for a protein, a fat, and some veggies to make for a complete meal. For a loaded taco sweet potato, this might look like ground beef, Greek yogurt or sour cream, tomatoes, and lettuce. I also love throwing together a quick Waldorf salad inspired loaded sweet potato with arugula, walnuts, cranberries, and canned chicken.
- Example Recipe- Happy Foodie’s Vegan Loaded Sweet Potato
3. Dinner: Sweet Potato Chili
Chili is already a tasty, hearty, and nourishing dinner, but adding a few sweet potatoes makes for the perfect final touch. Chopped sweet potato cubes are easy to add in a slow cooked chili at any time during the stewing process and require no other preparation besides slicing. Paired with beans, ground meat, diced vegetables, and broth, the light sweetness and unique texture that sweet potatoes bring to the dish is so unique and makes for a seamless addition of carbohydrates to your dinner.
- Example Recipe- The Kitchn’s Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
4. Dessert: Sweet Potato Ice Cream Sundae
The sweet-potato-party doesn’t stop with dinner; they are just as easily incorporated into dessert! Topped with ice cream or yogurt and your choice of sweet add-ons, a sweet potato can quickly become the base of a decadent dessert. When warm and baked, it can emulate the texture of a brownie for those looking for a more subtle sweetness or its unique earthy flavor. If your looking to experiment in your combination, try a Japanese sweet potato for a fluffier texture and a nuttier flavor.
So, if you’re bored of only getting the delightful sweet potato flavor profile from fries and the occasional chip, consider tossing one in the oven and mixing things up in the kitchen. Truly almost any ingredient can get along with sweet potato in my opinion; the only way to find out is by having an open mind.
- Example Recipe- Chef AJ’s Sweet Potato “Nice Cream” Sundae