I have a sweet potato recipe that’s really awesome. It’s a simple recipe with a few different uses.
It can be a great side dish if you serve it with roasted chicken or pork chops. It’s also a main course if you turn it into a sweet potato hash with a fried egg on top.
This easy recipe is perfect for holiday meals and buffets because it’s delicious even if it’s served at room temperature.
I went to Whole Foods recently to grab the ingredients to make these easy sauteed sweet potatoes. I was in a hurry so I ran over to the produce section and started filling my basket. I grabbed the sweet potatoes, onions and garlic and headed over to the register.
Everything was going fine.
When I got home I started to get the stuff ready. The prep time for this sweet potatoes recipe is pretty quick.
I chopped my garlic, sliced my onion and then started to peel the sweet potatoes.
When I started peeling them I looked down and didn’t see any orange. The more I peeled the more I could see white potatoes. What the heck was going on?
Come to find out I grabbed the wrong potatoes. The sweet potatoes I bought are called Kejora Japanese White Sweet potatoes.
Since that’s what I had to work with, I figured I’d continue making the sauteed sweet potatoes with what I had. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
What You’ll Need
Everything in this recipe is pretty easy to find at the grocery store with the exception of the Kejora Japanese White Sweet potatoes.
You can use the standard sweet potatoes and this will still turn out to be the perfect side dish.
Sweet Potatoes: like I stated above, this recipe was kind of an accident. I didn’t intend to use the Kejora Japanese White Sweet potatoes. This recipe originated with a regular sweet potato so feel free to use them.
Make sure you peel your sweet potatoes and chop them into half-inch cubes. Try to remove at least 75 percent of the sweet potato skins. Leave some skin on for color and some extra nutrients.
Onions: a Spanish onion for this recipe will do just fine. You just want to make sure you slice it thin.
Garlic: this part of the ingredient list calls for fresh garlic. Make sure you slice it nice and thin. You can also chop it up nice and small if that’s your preference.
Spice Blend: I like creating my own blend of dried spices for this recipe. It’s simple, but flavorful. You need Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano and dried parsley. Alternatively, you can check these 2 recipes:
Olive Oil: you can use extra virgin olive oil when you make this simple dish. Good ingredients will really stand out.
How to Make Sauteed Sweet Potatoes
First you need to preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Next you need to take a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet and put it on medium heat. A large skillet will make it easier not to crown the pan.
Add some olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Throw in your chopped garlic and allow it to come to a sizzle.
When the garlic is fragrant, add the sweet potato cubes and onions to the hot pan in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the pan. We want the sweet potato pieces to become golden brown on all sides. This will let them develop some really good flavor.
Now sprinkle on all of the dried spices and toss everything around making sure the spices coat all of the sweet potato pieces and onions.
Turn the stove up to medium-high heat. Let the sweet potatoes and onions cook in the pan until they become brown and crispy. It should take about 5-7 minutes.
As the sweet potatoes become crispy and the onions caramelize, add another pinch of salt and a little oil.
As the potatoes cook, a little bit of extra oil will let them crisp up the way you want them.
When the sweet potatoes are golden brown and the onions are soft, add some butter to the pan and pop the pan in the oven. Leave it in there for 10-15 minutes to melt butter and let the sweet potatoes cook through.
When there is about 5 minutes of cooking time left, turn all of the sweet potatoes and onions over so they cook evenly on all sides. Make sure you use a pan that can go in the oven. If you use a cast iron pan you’re good because it’s oven proof.
The best way to turn the sweet potatoes over is to use a wooden spoon. It will scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan and it won’t scratch the bottom of a non-stick pan.
When the sweet potatoes and onions are cooked through, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a serving plate.
Now you’re ready to eat!
Sauteed Sweet Potatoes FAQs
Q: I don’t like sweet potatoes. Can I use regular potatoes for this dish?
A: Yes. You can use the same recipe for any type of potatoes. You can use regular potatoes, red bliss potatoes or any other potatoes you like. If you want to make something really cool, try using purple sweet potatoes.
Q: Can I use different spices if I want to make sauteed sweet potatoes?
A: Yes. Use your favorite spice blend to make this simple dish. You can use Italian seasoning that you’d normally see in Italian recipes. You can use a BBQ rub with brown sugar and chili powder. You’ll get similar results with any dried spice blend.
Q: Can I freeze this sauteed sweet potatoes recipe?
A: Yes. Make a big batch in advance and freeze it. If you store it in an airtight container it should last for a few months in the freezer. Pull it out when you need a quick and easy side dish.
Q: What are some interesting ways to serve these sauteed sweet potatoes?
A: Add some bell peppers and turn it into a breakfast hash with poached eggs.
Make scrambled eggs and wrap everything up in a tortilla with cheddar cheese to make a breakfast burrito.
Make a sweet potato skillet with Italian sausages baked in the oven.
Easy Sauteed Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 onion
3 fresh garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 knob of butter
Kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
paprika to taste
garlic powder to taste
dried oregano to taste
dried parsley to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Take a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet and put it on medium heat. A large skillet will make it easier not to crown the pan.
- Add some olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Throw in your chopped garlic and allow it to come to a sizzle.
- When the garlic is fragrant, add the sweet potato cubes and onions to the hot pan in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the pan. We want the sweet potato pieces to become golden brown on all sides. This will let them develop some really good flavor.
- Now sprinkle on all of the dried spices and toss everything around making sure the spices coat all of the sweet potato pieces and onions.
- Turn the stove up to medium-high heat. Let the sweet potatoes and onions cook in the pan until they become brown and crispy. It should take about 5-7 minutes.
- As the sweet potatoes become crispy and onions caramelize, add another pinch of salt and another little bit of extra oil.
- When the sweet potatoes are golden brown and the onions are soft, add some butter to the pan and pop the pan in the oven. Make sure you use a pan that can go in the oven. If you use a cast iron pan you’re good because it’s oven proof. Leave it in there for 10-15 minutes to melt butter and let the sweet potatoes cook through.
- When there is about 5 minutes of cooking time left, turn all of the sweet potatoes and onions over so they cook evenly on all sides.
- When the sweet potatoes and onions are cooked through, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a serving plate.
- Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Side Dishes
