Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

General Information

Sweet potatoes, with all their natural sugary goodness, are hard not to love. They come in a variety of colors - from white to deep orange. There is a lot of confusion about sweet potatoes and yams. Although they look similar, they are not at all botanically related. Yams are native to (and grown in) Africa and Asia - with 95% of yams grown in Africa. For all you science nerds, sweet potatoes and yams developed in completely different parts of the world, so are a good example of convergent evolution. Unless you are shopping at a specialty store that sources from Africa, you have probably never eaten a yam. The confusion came about because there are hard and soft varieties of sweet potatoes. To distinguish between the two, the soft varieties are often referred to as yams in the grocery store. Whatever you call them, they are versatile and tasty.


Storage Information

Do not put sweet potatoes in the refrigerator. If you do they will never soften no matter how long you cook them. (Strange, but true.) Store in a cool, dry, dark spot for months.


Cooking Suggestions

  • No need to peel - scrub well to remove any dirt.
  • Bake sweet potatoes whole at 375 for 60-90 minutes or longer depending on the size. They should be very soft to ensure a great sugary flavor.
  • Cut in cubes, toss lightly in olive oil and a pinch of salt (about 1 tsp olive oil per 4 cups sweet potato), place on parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for 45 minutes or more at 375 until very soft and starting to brown.
  • Add to soups and stews.
  • Grate and use to replace all or some of the meat in your favorite chili recipe. Just add the raw grated root when you would the meat and treat it the same way.
  • Put cooked sweet potatoes and black beans in a tortilla shell with your favorite salsa and toppings for a burrito.

Recipes