Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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Discover the secret to the crispiest roasted sweet potatoes—once you try it, there’s no going back to the traditional method!
Have you ever tried to make perfectly crispy roasted sweet potatoes, only to end up with sweet potatoes that are disappointingly uncrispy? Don’t blame yourself—the higher sugar content and moisture in sweet potatoes leads to a softer texture when roasted. But this recipe, adapted from Jeremy Scheck’s new cookbook, Cooking Smarter, employs a few tricks to deliver the crispiest, most delicious roasted sweet potatoes I’ve ever tasted—no exaggeration! If Jeremy’s name doesn’t ring a bell (or, like me, you rely on the young people in your life for the latest online trends), he’s a rising star in the culinary world, especially on TikTok. I had the pleasure of meeting him at one of my book signings when he was still in high school, and it’s been incredible watching his journey since then.
So what’s Jeremy’s secret to making crispy roasted sweet potatoes? First, it’s key to par-boil the potatoes in salted water mixed with a little baking soda. The baking soda breaks down the potato’s surface, creating a rough texture that enhances crispiness upon roasting. Then, before roasting, the par-boiled potatoes are tossed with olive oil, seasoning, and potato starch. The potato starch serves as a coating that crisps up beautifully as the potatoes roast.
what you’ll need to make crispy roasted sweet potatoes
step-by-step instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt and the baking soda. Add the potatoes and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
Directly on a rimmed baking sheet (avoid using foil as the potatoes may stick), sprinkle the par-boiled potatoes with the potato starch, oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, half of the rosemary, and the pepper.
Toss gently to coat.
Roast in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, stirring once midway through roasting.
After roasting, turn off the oven but leave the potatoes inside for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a platter and serve.
A: When baking soda is added to the boiling water, it raises the pH level, making the water more alkaline. This increased alkalinity weakens the pectin in the potato cells, leading to a breakdown of the potato’s surface. As a result, the edges of the potatoes become softer and rougher. When roasted, these rough edges crisp up more effectively, giving you that desirable crispy exterior.
A: In most stores, you can find potato starch in the baking aisle alongside other starches and thickeners like cornstarch. It may also be in the gluten-free or international foods aisle, especially within the Kosher or Asian sections. Some stores that have distinct sections for natural or organic foods might also stock potato starch there. If you’re having difficulty finding it, ask a store employee.
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Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Discover the secret to the crispiest roasted sweet potatoes—once you try it, there’s no going back to the traditional method!
Ingredients
- Salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2½ pounds), unpeeled, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons potato starch (see note)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt and the baking soda. Add the potatoes and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
- Directly on a rimmed baking sheet (avoid using foil as the potatoes may stick), toss the par-boiled potatoes with the potato starch, oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, half of the rosemary, and the pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, stirring once midway through roasting. After roasting, turn off the oven but leave the potatoes inside for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a platter and serve.
- Note: In most supermarkets, you can find potato starch in the baking aisle alongside other starches and thickeners like cornstarch. It may also be in the gluten-free or international foods aisle, especially within the Kosher or Asian sections. Some stores that have distinct sections for natural or organic foods might also stock potato starch there. If you're having difficulty finding it, ask a store employee.
- Note: The sodium content provided in the nutritional section for the potatoes is based on the assumption that about ½ teaspoon of salt is absorbed during boiling in salted water. This is just an estimate, and the actual sodium level can vary.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 233
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 463 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Tried this recipe today and I was so upset – it was a total failure. Cut unpeeled sweets into 1 1/2 inch cubes, and boiled them in the water with salt & baking soda for 10 minutes, drained and let sit in the colander a couple minutes to dry.
Spread out on the pan (that looks just like yours), drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled potato starch/spices mixture on top and tossed/stirred to combine. Baked for 15 minutes at 450 and tried to flip/stir and they found all were stuck to the pan and mushy. Flipped anyway and cooked another 15 minutes. Turned off the oven and let sit for 10. Most of the skins had separated from the sweets and were burned. Spent 15 minutes scrubbing the pan and had to throw most of the messy burned contents in the garbage disposal. Not sure what went wrong, but I’ll not be making these again. Next time I’ll save an hour and a quarter and just boil the sweets and mash them. Sorry. I really wanted some crispy roasted sweet potatoes. 🙁
Hi Robin, I’m so sorry you had a problem with these! If you ever do want to attempt them again, you could use non-stick foil as insurance.
Just made these for the first time. They are very good, even made with cornstarch (what I had). A note of caution- check/toss them after 10-15 minutes! I let them go for 20 and many were burned on the baking sheet. My bad, I should have guessed at such a high temp that burning was a hazard. I still ate them, but next time I will check on them sooner!
Can I make these with a normal baking sheet? I don’t have a rimmed one.
I suppose that should work — you’ll just need to be really careful when you’re transferring to and from the oven and when you stir them, as you won’t have any “guardrails.” 😊
I am wondering how I could make this ahead for an event? Would I just prep as usual and reheat for a few minutes at 350? I will have biscuits in the oven and it would be amazing if I could reheat these at the same temp. Thanks!
Sure, Toby, that should be fine. (I’d just keep them on the counter after you bake them – no need to refrigerate.)
I think it is key to note you should NOT peel the sweet potatoes because that screws it all up and makes it mushy! I only discovered this after going back and looking at the pictures in detail to see what I did wrong because the entire sheet pan turn out fairly mushy and stuck, even though I followed the directions precisely.
Will try this recipe again without peeling the potatoes because it was really hard to find the potato starch and don’t know how else to use it up!
Hi Jenn, we made these at Thanksgiving and they were delicious! No leftovers whatsoever. What purpose does leaving them in the oven for the last 15 mins serve? With our ovens working overtime at Christmas, we’re trying to avoid turning one off. We’ll make it work if need be, but was wondering how crucial this last step is. Thanks!!
Hi Katie, this isn’t my recipe, so I’m not certain what purpose leaving them in the oven serves! They may not be quite as crispy, but I do think you can get away with skipping that last period in the oven.
Absolutely delicious! This is a new family favorite!
These were a hit! Thanks for another winner
A long time ago in a nutrition class I was told that adding baking soda when cooking vegetables destroys the vitamin content, especially water soluble vitamins. I know it used to be a trick restaurants used to retain the green in green vegetables.
I love your recipes and you are my go to person for great recipes.
Thank you!
These were so yummy!!! They were even better excellent re-heated.
I didn’t have the potato starch .. so just used cornstarch. I was happy!!! Thank you so much!
I didn’t think that crispy sweet potatoes were possible, but here they are. I was fortunate enough to find an 8 oz. package of potato starch in my small town store, and it will be solely dedicated to making these gems again and again. Thank you, Jenn.
I too have made what Susan (from a previous post) referred to as a “simpler” recipe. After trying Jenn’s recipe I will never use the “simpler” way again as there is absolutely no comparison – her recipe is just SO much better!
*I have to admit I didn’t have any potato starch in the house but did have tapioca starch and it worked beautifully (but potato starch is now on my shopping list). Also didn’t have any rosemary so sprinkled the sweet potatoes with Johnny’s Garlic Spread seasoning (from Costco but I think it would be available at most grocery stores) and they came out delicious *
Honestly, this recipe makes sweet potatoes like you’d get at a restaurant…it’s the par-boiling then coating with a starch that is the game changer. The potatoes, (leave that skin on), come out crispy outside and creamy soft inside.
Like so many of Jenn’s recipes changing some of the ingredients doesn’t mean it won’t turn out fabulous. Give this one a try – you won’t be disappointed!
I just love your recipes. I find them easy to follow and always delicious. I want to make this recipe for Thanksgiving. Only having one oven presents a bit of an issue – do you think I can make earlier in the day and put back in the oven to recrisp just before serving? Any other suggestions?
Thank you Jen!
Hi Lisa, They stay crispy for several hours, so you can make them a few hours ahead and leave them out at room temp (don’t refrigerate). Then just pop them in the oven to warm before serving.
My sweet potatoes turned in a big pile of sweet potato mush on my pan. I boiled them for ten minutes before roasting at 450. I’m not sure what I did wrong but will try again on a different night! I haven’t given up on this recipe.
Hi Patty, Is it possible you cut them too small?
Made these last night and they were as promised: soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Really tasty. The signs got a little too brown so next time I will peel the potatoes and probably stir 3 times. A keeper for sure.
Very interested in trying this recipe-sounds wonderful and something my anti-sweet potato husband would like. I have 2 questions- 1) Is the salt table salt or kosher? If table salt, iodized or not? 2) Can I parboil the potatoes ahead of time? How much ahead? How to best hold the potatoes for baking later? (ok 5 questions!)
Hi Ellen, I use table salt here. (When a recipe of mine says salt in the ingredient list, I am referring to regular/table salt. If it calls for something else like kosher salt, I will specify that in the recipe.) My salt happens not to be iodized, but you can use either here (and in general with my recipes). Yes, you can par-boil the potatoes ahead of time. I’d just store them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. If you’re going to let them sit for more than several hours, I’d put them in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!
Been making a simpler version forever. Peel, rinse, pat dry. Cut as you did. Foil lined baking sheet. Mix cut sweet potatoes with canola oil, salt & pepper right on the pan. Bake at 375 for about 20-25 min. Toss about halfway through. They will be caramelized on the outside, soft and yummy on the inside. Simple. Mom’s recipe.😉
I’ve always liked roasted white potatoes, but haven’t often roasted sweet potatoes. While there are a few extra steps than your typical roasted potato recipe, they’re completely hands off and beyond worth it. I couldn’t believe how crispy these were on the outside; it was almost like they were battered. My son and I had them as a dinner side dish and then picked at them until they were gone. I can’t wait to make them again!!
These are TOO good!! I made them exactly as described and they were delicious. They do take long to prepare, but I will definitely be making them again!
This looks intriguing! I’ve been wanting to incorporate more sweet potato in my menus. My daughter’s not a big fan, and my husband has to watch his potassium intake. Sooooo my question is- do you know how best to handle any leftovers??
Leftovers don’t reheat all that well, so best to make just what you need. Enjoy!
Made these last night as a side dish to go with leftovers. I ended up skipping the leftovers and eating half the pan for my dinner! Delicious. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Rosemary was a nice addition. Followed the recipe exactly. Wonderful way to make sweet potatoes. I plan on cutting the potatoes into thick wedges and making sweet potato steak fries the next time I do burgers.
Superb! Used cornflour as I didn’t have any potato starch and it worked like a dream!
Delicious! Quick question for next time: can you use parchment paper to line the rimmed baking sheet for easier cleanup?
I worry the parchment would burn at such a high temp. Sorry!
Just to let everyone know… Reynolds now makes a nonstick aluminum foil. It’s fantastic when you want to line a pan, but may be worried about things sticking.
Finally a way to make crispy sweet potatoes! My family devoured them straight off the pan.
Hi Jenn,
Do you think this would work on butternut squash? I’m trying to get my husband to try and like it! LOL
Thanks,
Kristen Berry
Hi Kristen, You’re not the first to ask that, and I definitely plan to test it out – I’ll let you know once I do.
Thanks Jenn!
Mine did not come out crispy and I did use potato starch. Not sure where I sent wrong. Not enough potato starch? Not cooked long enough? Any ideas?
Hi Timothy, I’m sorry these didn’t come out crispy for you! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
Reflecting back I did use avocado oil. In the meantime I’ll try it exactly your way since your recipes are soooo good (have both of your books). I’ll blame it on user error!!
Hope you have better luck the second time around!
Could I add garlic cloves to this recipe? If so, when?
Hi Jean, I’d be hesitant to add garlic cloves because of the high cooking temperature. I worry they’d burn.
Can the finished dish be frozen and reheated for T Day without losing crisp? We have 16 guests. I need a head start!
Hi Bob, Unfortunately these don’t reheat particularly well. Sorry!
Love the recipe.
I have sweet potatoes/yams on hand but not fresh rosemary. Since it’s a 20 minute drive to a grocery store (so 40 minutes in total) for just the one item isn’t going to happen this week! Will dried rosemary be okay to use or would it be better to wait until my next trip to town to include fresh rosemary with a regular grocery shop? The sweet potatoes won’t come to any harm to wait another week…but oh my I’m keen to give this recipe a try! It just looks and sounds like such a winner!
Thanks for your fabulous website Jenn and the cooking science of the “why” behind the “how’. Love learning!
Hi Susan, These are delicious even without the rosemary, but you can use other herbs as well. I think fresh or dried thyme would both be delicious. Dried rosemary is a bit tricky because it has a woody texture; if you’d like to use it, try to crush/grind it before adding.
If I can’t find potatoe starch, would cornstarch or arrowroot be an alternative substitute?
I’ll rate the recipe after I make this.
Hi KarenAnn, You can use cornstarch but the potatoes won’t be quite as crispy. Most supermarkets carry potato starch—it’s worth seeking out if you can get it.
These are like “healthy” sweet potato fries. They had a really good crisp and I loved that once you parboil, they’re a nice hands-off side dish. Since I only used 2 potatoes, next time I’ll use the air fryer.
I used them with carne asada for carne asade and sweet potato tacos (because why not?). These gave the tacos sweetness and crunch. Yum!
I won’t go back to regular roasted sweet potatoes again, and I’ll definitely try with butternut squash.
I love your recipes! I do find some of them hard to make, BECAUSE I live alone. My neighbors really enjoy this fact. My freezer is small and so is my spending account. Do you ever make recipes for 4? Love to just read recipes. Rosie. (Age 82)
Hi Rosemary, so glad you like the recipes! I definitely have a fair number of recipes for four. A couple that you may want to check out are egg roll in a bowl, skillet turkey burgers, and this spinach frittata. You can also cut some recipes like this one in half (although it requires a little math). 😊 And I’d encourage you to browse through the recipes to see if you come across others as there are definitely a number of them.
You don’t need to peel the sweet potatoes?
Nope – the skin is delicious 🙂
Jen,
I can’t wait to try this recipe as I think that is the age old issue with roasted sweet potatoes – not getting them crispy enough without charring them. Two questions – can we do this method with sweet potato steak fries? Also, could would this recipe work as well for butternut squash? Thanks!
P.S. Your new photo with those gorgeous chocolate labs is fantastic! Are they your pups?
I do think it’d work well for steak fries. I haven’t tried it with butternut squash but I wondered the same thing! I’ll report back once I have a chance to try it; please let me know if you try it first. 🙂 And thank you for the kind words about my sweet pups!
My husband is a potato lover so I wanted to give this a whirl, always needing a new side dish. Sweet Potatoes are roots and Yams are tubers from my research. Do you know if they would cook the same? I tend to find Yams in our local organic store rather than sweet potatoes. Thanks so Very much.
Hi Wendy, Many grocery stores use the names “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. This can be confusing since yams aren’t sweet potatoes at all, but rather thick white tubers with dark brown skin. Chances are you won’t find real yams at the supermarket, so if you see “yams,” you’re probably looking at sweet potatoes.
How do the potatoes not turn to mush with this much cooking? When I roast sweet potatoes they usually only take about 20 minutes. Can’t imagine parboiling and then roasting for another 35 minutes. Can you explain?
Hi Linda, Honestly I wondered the exact same thing when I first read the recipe, but they aren’t mushy at all. They’re definitely soft on the inside, but the outside is so crispy that it all just works. Promise!
Just to add confusion to the mix, in Canada, the root vegetable you have pictured here is most definitely a ‘yam’. It has deep orange flesh (we can get purple yams too). “Sweet potatoes” here have yellow flesh on the inside, and tend to be rounder and fatter, with less pointy ends.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!
Interesting, Naomi (another Canadian here). I’ve lived in a number of Canadian cities and always called these sweet potatoes. Maybe it’s regional in another way?
Can you use cornstarch instead of the potato starch?
Hi Virginia, Potato starch will give you a better and crispier result.
Surely if you wish to rough up the edges after draining the potatoes just shake in the saucepan with the lid on and this will do the same without the need for the cornstarch. This method I use all the time for roast potatoes.
I LOVE sweet potatoes and this recipe looks fabulous(and I will be trying it). I noticed you left the skins on the potatoes, which I have never seen before, but love the idea, such a time saver. Is this a newer “thing”?
Hi Karen, I don’t know if it’s new but I always leave the skin on when I roast potatoes. Please come back and let me know how they turn out!
This recipe is surprisingly similar to the “Serious Eats” recipe for “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever”, originally published in 2016. The link to that recipe is: “https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe”
There are a few minor differences but the methods are almost identical. That recipe is amazing and I’m going to try this one (sweet potatoes) in the next day or two. Should be delicious.
Hi John, Yes Jeremy actually mentions that he was inspired by the Serious Eats baking soda method in his book – but it’s the addition of potato starch that truly makes these special. Hope you enjoy them!
Could you use parchment paper on the sheet pan? Would it affect the crispiness if the final product?
Hi Karen, I don’t recommend it because of the high heat; the parchment will burn.