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These easy Roasted Sweet Potatoes are great for dinners, meal prep containers, and all your salads and grain bowls. A touch of fresh rosemary infuses the whole dish with delicious flavor, and it’s a recipe you’ll reach for again and again.
When it comes to sweet potato recipes, I tend to lean towards the savory end of the spectrum. I’ll indulge in marshmallow-covered casseroles at Thanksgiving, but the rest of the time, I love the deep flavors of sturdy, fragrant herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage.
Roasted sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables out there. They hold their shape really well and are a welcome addition to grain bowls and seasonal salads. Many restaurants reach for roasted sweet potatoes to add heft to their vegan and vegetarian offerings, too.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Sweet potatoes: Choose medium-sized, firm sweet potatoes that have smooth skin without cracks or spots. They should have a uniform color depending on the variety. Store at room temperature for up to one week. Scrub well before peeling.
- Rosemary: I love roasting vegetables with rosemary and thyme because their sturdy nature holds up well. Save some extra for garnish if you like a pop of bright green on your plate. Or, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons dried herbs for the 1 tablespoon fresh.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. In a large bowl, add sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
- Toss the mixture until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and starting to caramelize, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: 2 pounds of sweet potato cubes yields about 4 cups roasted, enough for four 1-cup servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Leftover roasted sweet potatoes are great tossed into salads, meal prep, or reheated as a side dish on the stovetop or in the microwave the next day.
- Make ahead: Peel and cube the raw sweet potatoes up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with water and chill in the fridge. Drain well and pat dry before roasting.
- Freezer: Cool the roasted sweet potatoes completely on the sheet pan, then spoon them into a freezer-safe container. Label, date, and freeze for up to 1 month.
- More spices: Skip the rosemary and try ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Delicate herbs, such as parsley, work well here, too, as long as you add them after roasting. You can also mince fresh garlic, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch in the oven.
- Oil: I tend to stock extra virgin olive oil in my kitchen, but avocado oil is a popular alternative.
- More sweet potato recipes: If you love sweet potatoes, try Sweet Potato Hash, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Sweet Potato Casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chances are, the items you see labeled as “yams” in the grocery store produce section are nearly always sweet potatoes. True yams are starchier and drier than sweet potatoes, and feature a rough, dark brown skin that’s reminiscent of tree bark. Botanically, they’re a stem tuber (since they grow below ground) and are a member of the lily family. Sweet potatoes are part of the Morning Glory family and are classified as root tubers since they’re a vine crop. Sweet potatoes have smooth red-tinted skin, softer flesh (once cooked), and a naturally sweet flavor. The flesh is either orange, white, or purple, depending on the exact variety.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or thyme (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- In a large bowl, add sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Toss until evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and starting to caramelize, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Choose medium-sized, firm sweet potatoes that have smooth skin without cracks or spots. They should have a uniform color depending on the variety. Store at room temperature for up to one week. Scrub well before peeling.
- Rosemary: I love roasting vegetables with rosemary and thyme because their sturdy nature holds up well. Save some extra for garnish if you like a pop of bright green on your plate. Or, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons dried herbs for the 1 tablespoon fresh.
- Yield: 2 pounds of sweet potato cubes yields about 4 cups roasted, enough for four 1-cup servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.