This Brilliant Trick Makes THE Best Sweet Potatoes of All Time (They’re So Crispy!)

Rachel Perlmutter
Rachel PerlmutterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I’m a recipe developer, food stylist, and content producer. I’ve spent the past seven years at meal kit companies like Marley Spoon and Dinnerly, teaching at food nonprofits, and doing a little farming. Originally from Houston, I live with my partner, dog, cat, and rabbit. We all love local, seasonal produce.
published Feb 6, 2024
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Sweet potato on a plate.
Credit: Rachel Perlmutter

I’ll be honest: I didn’t used to be the biggest fan of sweet potatoes. I didn’t dislike them, but it was almost never my first choice. However, that all changed when I found Rick Martinez’s recipe for roasted and raw vegetables with spicy tahini cream. 

Since then I almost always make sweet potatoes his way (and I make them way more often!). The process is different from most roasted sweet potato recipes you’ll find. You roast the potatoes whole, then tear them into large pieces, drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper, and return to the oven briefly at a high heat to concentrate the flavor, caramelize the top, and make the skins shatteringly crisp.

I love to layer them on a platter with sauce and toppings and then eat them like nachos. Do they taste like nachos? No, of course not. They taste like sweet potatoes — the best sweet potatoes of your life.

Credit: Rachel Perlmutter

How to Make the Sweet Potatoes

  • Roast the sweet potatoes. Roast your sweet potatoes at 350ºF until knife-tender (like, really tender).
  • Increase the oven temperature. Increase the oven heat to 475ºF. While the oven heats, line the baking sheet with parchment and rest the sweet potatoes until they are cool enough to handle.
  • Tear the sweet potatoes. Tear the sweet potatoes into rough 3-inch pieces. The uneven edges will aid in the crisping. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Roast the sweet potatoes again. Roast until the sweet potatoes are browned in spots on top and the skin is crispy and a little charred, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Add toppings and serve. Drizzle with the sauce and toppings of your choice. I love tahini sauce or ranch with fresh herbs and roasted nuts or seeds. Then serve them alongside the rest of your meal.
Credit: Rachel Perlmutter

Why It Works

The textural variety of the creamy sweet potato, lightly toasted top, and very crunchy skin makes them way more interesting. On a technical level, it also removes some of the water from the sweet potato, concentrating the flavor and texture. Caramelization uses the natural sweetness to your advantage, giving the sweet potato a deeper, richer flavor.

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