Delightfully crispy skin and a fluffy filling make baked sweet potato the yummiest meal to fulfill that carb-craving. Add in the fact that they’re amazingly nutritious and you’ve got the perfect food!
If there ever were a certificate for the easiest thing to make, baked sweet potatoes would win it. Hands down. There is no dicing, peeling, boiling, yadda yadda. The oven does most of the work, meaning I got the time to catch up with pending work, chit-chat with a friend, and put my feet up for some much-needed R&R.
And, yes, that’s why I made them. At least one reason why. The other is the freaking flavourful punch of nutrients sweet potato pack. I’ll get to those, but first the recipe.
How to make baked sweet potato?
Start by giving the sweet potatoes a good scrub under running water. This is important because we’re not peeling them and you don’t want debris ending up in your mouth!
Once they are nice and clean, rub oil on them and then make tiny holes. You can use a knife or a fork, just make sure you pierce the skin several times and all over the potatoes. Next, toss the sweet potatoes in the oven, set them and forget them! In 40 to 45 minutes you’ll have a warm, hearty and nourishing meal ready.
You need to remember only two things, One, I used medium-sized potatoes. If you use bigger ones, then add in a few more minutes in the oven. Smaller potatoes will cook through in a much shorter time.
Two, to get that puffed, caramelized and delectably crisp skin don’t wrap them in foil. Put the sweet potatoes directly on the baking tray.
Why is sweet potato so great for you?
I’ve always thought that sweet potato was great food. Turns out they’re superfood on so many levels. Full of simple sugars and complex starches, they have a 17 glycaemic index (GI).
What’s GI? It is a rank given to carbs in foods based on how they affect blood sugar level levels. The lower the glycaemic index, the healthier the food for you!
Plus, sweet potatoes are an awesome source of fiber (read: great for the gut) and brimming with Vitamin A, potassium, iron, and calcium. They even have decent amounts of Vitamins B and C.
I really don’t think you can ask for more.
Well, from sweet potatoes you can. 100 gms of it has a mere 86 calories meaning you can stuff these tasty snacks to your heart’s content and that is precisely what I did.
Topping the potato
The traditional way to enjoy baked sweet potatoes is a bit of lemon and chat masala. While that does taste incredible on its own, I also love a stuffed version, and I mean stacked till its bursting.
So, I used avocado, some creamy cashew ricotta I recently whipped up, roasted chickpeas that were leftover from a wonderful salad and topped it with microgreens and spring onion.
Trust me; once you have this baked sweet potato, you’re done for the day. It is a full meal, one of the healthiest I have ever made and such a delicious one.
If you fancy something lighter, simply cut the baked sweet potato in the center, scoop a dollop of butter and sprinkle some salt and pepper. FYI, irrespective of which variation you try don’t forget to add a good squeeze of lemon juice on top.
Some other easy ways to turn it into a full meal is with a smattering of shredded cheese or chicken or mushroom in cream sauce. Crumbled tofu or paneer would be lovely. I even tried it with peanut butter to the great gratitude of my household. Lastly, you can also serve it with avocado pesto which is an excellent substitute for mayonnaise and the quintessential dipping sauce.
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Baked Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Potatoes
- 2 tsp olive oil
Toppings:
- 1 Avocado, mashed
- 1 cup Roasted Chickpeas
- 1/4 -1/2 cup Cashew Ricotta Cheese You can use any kind of cheese you prefer
- 2-3 tbsp Microgreens
- 1-2 Spring onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 Green / red chillies, finely chopped
- Fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 C.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes really well. Rub oil on them and prick all over with a fork.
- Place them on a baking tray and bake for 40-50 minutes. Bigger the sweet potato, the longer it will take to cook.
- Pierce with a sharp knife in the thickest part of the potato to check if they are cooked through. The knife should go in without any resistance.
- Let cool for 5-7 minutes, cut the top with a knife, sprinkle salt and pepper and fill with the toppings mentioned above. Squeeze some lemon juice on and enjoy!
Easyfoodsmith says
I can only imagine how delicious this must be. Love each and every element on that plate.
Natasha Minocha says
So good! We had it 2 days in a row and the kids want more of it 🙂