How Long To Bake Sweet Potato In Oven At 350 Degrees?

Sweet potatoes make an excellent snack when I have visitors to my house. And it’s easy to prepare them in the oven. My favourite temperature to bake these sweet potatoes is at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The key to a good result is right cook time for the sweet potatoes. So how long to bake sweet potato at 350 degrees in the oven? In this post, I like to share the answer to this question as well as other tips to making the best oven-baked sweet potatoes.

How long to bake sweet potato in oven at 350 degrees?

It takes 1 hour to bake sweet potato in the oven at 350 degrees. This ensures the potatoes come out soft and fluffy. If you want them to be firmer, bake them for a shorter time of around 50-55 minutes so that more moisture is still retained in the potatoes.  The internal temperature of the sweet potatoes will reach 205 degrees Fahrenheit when they are fully cooked. If you don’t wish to use a thermometer, you can poke a fork into them to test if the inside is already soft which means they are fully cooked. At this temperature, you won’t expect the sweet potatoes to acquire any crispiness regardless whether they are wrapped in foil or not. So if you are looking for a rich crispiness for the potatoes, bake them at higher temperatures.

What are other temp to roast sweet potato in the oven?

A popular temperature for baking sweet potato is 275 degrees F. The spuds turn out unbelievably soft and creamy. You will be surprised to find that you don’t even have to chew them because they literally melt in your mouth. At 275 degrees, it takes 2.5 hours to bake the sweet potatoes in the oven. Although it takes a long cook time, the sweet potatoes will come out incredibly flavorful and appetizing.  However, if you are a crisp lover, this temperature is not recommended for you. To get a firm crispy crust, you have to do two things. First, heat the oven to 425 degrees, and second, bake the sweet potatoes bare without covering them with foil. This is because the foil will prevent the sweet potatoes from being exposed to the high heat directly and thus they can’t acquire the crispiness.  Wrapping them in aluminum foil will just result in the skin becoming moist and thin.

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Which is the best cooking temperature for sweet potatoes in oven?

My favorite cooking temperature for baking sweet potatoes in the oven is 350 degrees. The temp produces tender and aromatic sweet potatoes that melt in your mouth. In addition, the cooking time is not really too long. Just 1 hour and the sweet delicacy is ready to be devoured. If you have plenty of time to prepare the sweet potatoes, you can choose the 275 degrees option to bake them to a soft creamy state. And for fans of crispiness and caramelization, baking sweet potatoes at 425 degrees in the oven is the way to go.

Recipe for baking sweet potato in the oven

I like to use this recipe to bake sweet potatoes in the oven.

  1. Wash the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels. Remove the dark spots. Poke each potato with fork to let the air out.
  2. This step is optional. You can bake sweet potatoes with absolutely no seasoning, then serve them with some sauce, topping, or as a side dish for another savory dish. For me, I prefer to season the sweet potatoes with a pinch of salt and slather them with a thin layer of butter before baking.
  3. Gently wrap each potato in aluminum foil and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you love crispy potatoes, bake them bare.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Pierce the center of a potato with a fork to determine its doneness. When baking is done, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and discard the foil. Cut the potatoes into halves and serve them with your favorite topping or alongside a main course dish.

How to cook sweet potatoes in oven fast?

Cut into halves before baking

A foolproof way to make sweet potatoes bake faster is to cut them in half. Cook the halves cut side up at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in the oven. The great thing about halved potatoes is that they become just as fluffy and tasty as the whole ones.

Turn on the convection

If you don’t want to cut the sweet potatoes, turn on the convection fan to speed up the roasting process. This will help to circulate the hot air around the sweet potatoes and concentrate the heat on them to bake them faster.

What goes well with sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes can be served either as a dessert or as a savory dish. If you have a sweet tooth, sprinkle the potatoes with brown sugar and cinnamon. You can also use a dollop of honey instead of brown sugar.  If you like the sweet potatoes to have more flavor, you can sprinkle the potatoes with a mix of salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder. You can also sprinkle some chilli powder if you love spicy food. Also, you can dip the sweet potatoes in sour cream, pesto or tzatziki sauce. Their refreshing flavors and rich texture will complement well with the sweet and fluffy spuds.

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In addition, you can serve roasted sweet potatoes with a topping. Our favorite one is grated cheese, bacon bits and sour cream. Other yummy toppings you can try include black beans, red cabbage and salsa, quinoa, feta and red onion. To ensure more topping fits on the potato, make a cut lengthwise and slightly stretch out to create a pocket.

FAQs on cooking sweet potatoes

What temperature should baked sweet potatoes be at?

The internal temperature of sweet potatoes should reach 205 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be fully cooked. If you don’t have a instant-read thermometer at hand, you can also poke the sweet potato with a fork. If the inside is soft, it is fully cooked.

Should you poke holes in sweet potatoes before baking?

The purpose of poking holes in the sweet potatoes is to allow the steam to escape from inside them. This will prevent the potatoes from splattering in the oven.

How much sweet potato per person?

I usually prepare 2 sweet potatoes per person for get-together. So for a gathering of 6 persons, I have about 12 sweet potatoes. And normally, some of them will eat 2 to 3 since they are low calories food.

Do you cook sweet potatoes covered or uncovered?

Covering the sweet potatoes with foil will result in them being tender and have a moist wet exterior. However, wrapping them in foil doesn’t help to reduce baking time. If you love crispy sweet potatoes, then don’t wrap them in foil. Just bake them bare so that the exterior can be exposed directly to the high heat to turn crispy.

Why do my baked sweet potatoes turn soggy?

The sweet potatoes turn soggy due to the moisture trapped inside the potatoes. Poking holes in the sweet potatoes is to help allow the steam to escape from the potatoes during baking. This will create a dry and fluffy sweet potatoes at the end of the baking.