Roasted Diced Sweet Potatoes
Perfect Roasted Diced Sweet Potatoes are tender and caramelized without being burned. Delicious enough to be served on their own as a side dish, these roasted sweet potato cubes can also be used as the base for other recipes, such as sweet potato hash and hearty salads.
We’ve made a TON of roasted vegetables over the years, basically roasting everything from Roasted Fennel to Roasted Acorn Squash to Roasted Parsnips. But roasted sweet potato cubes are for sure our #1 favorite in the house.
My toddler loves to nibble on the sweet potato chunks straight off the baking sheet, and I keep the leftovers in the fridge for throwing into various meals.
This recipe makes the perfect roasted sweet potato cubes. This is a method you’ll use over and over again!
Perfect Roasted Diced Sweet Potatoes
Though I will occasionally roast sweet potatoes whole, I usually dice them before roasting.
Why? Because it really maximizes the caramelization.
Sweet potato cubes give you more surface area and thus more browning. Roasting them this way brings out their natural sweetness, and gives you a delicious but healthy side dish that’s satisfying and filling, too.
My basic recipe keeps things very simple, allowing the natural earthy sweetness of the sweet potatoes to shine through. Check out the recipe variations below for some ways to add extra flavors or dress up this straightforward recipe!
Hungry for more? Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Cauliflower, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts are some of my other favorite vegetable side dish staples.
Pro Tips for Best Results
Pick the right variety – Most grocery stores carry Garnet and/or Jewel sweet potatoes, which are my favorite for roasting. While Hannah and Japanese sweet potatoes have great flavors, they are more dry and starchy and do not roast as well as the Garnet and Jewel varieties.
Select good sweet potatoes at the store – Make sure each sweet potato you buy is rock hard and firm to the touch. If there are any soft spots at all, that means they’re old and rotting, and you should steer clear. Also try to select ones without any bruising or cracks.
Dry well after washing – Water is the enemy of caramelization, so make sure that you dry the sweet potatoes well with a towel after washing them.
Should You Peel the Sweet Potatoes?
Before we begin, you need to decide if you’re going to peel the sweet potatoes before dicing them or not.
I personally LOVE the texture of sweet potato skin and think it’s one of the best parts. I prefer to only peel the parts where the skin is not as appetizing (see the photo below where my knife is pointing), leaving on as much of the skin as possible.
If you’re leaving the skin on, I recommend buying organic sweet potatoes instead of conventionally grown, and giving the skin a scrub beforehand.
How to Roast Sweet Potato Cubes:
If desired, peel the sweet potato, then dice. To do this, cut the potato in half:
Then prop the sweet potato up on its flat side, and cut straight down to make planks:
Lay each plank down, and cut into even chunks:
I cut them about 3/4″ square, slightly less than typical 1-inch pieces. You can make them as big or as small as you’d like. Just try to keep the pieces as even as possible and remember that changing the size of the cubes will affect the cook time.
Place the sweet potato cubes in a large bowl, then add your fat of choice, sea salt, and any other seasonings you’d like:
Today I’m using olive oil, but I also really like some of the more flavorful animal fats like lard, duck fat, ghee, and tallow. Coconut oil and avocado oil also work well.
Toss the sweet potato cubes well in the fat, then spread the pieces out on a sheet pan that’s large enough to accommodate a single layer, with some space between the cubes:
Roast for about 40 minutes at 400°F on the middle rack, tossing halfway through, until fork tender.
The skins and outsides should have a nice chew and caramelization to them from the hot oven:
Should You Line the Pan with Parchment Paper?
Depending on your oven and the brand of sheet pans you own, the sweet potato cubes may be prone to burning. When I use air bake sheet pans, I have no problems with burning, but with regular uncoated pans, the sweet potato cubes close to the edges of the pan can burn.
To illustrate the difference in baking pans, take a look at Handle the Heat’s post on the best baking pans, where you see huge variations in scorching on the bottom of the cookies. The pan you use does matter.
I generally prefer not to roast vegetables on parchment paper (or aluminum foil), because I find that the browning is better when there’s direct contact with the pan. However, if you’re concerned about burning, line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper first.
Serving Suggestions
The roasted diced sweet potatoes make for a great side dish alongside entrees like Prime Rib, Peruvian Chicken, and Leg of Lamb.
I also like to use them as the base for sweet potato hash, add them to salads, or turn them into grain bowls. For grain bowls, I pair them with white or brown rice, black beans, caramelized onions, and a drizzle of Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.
They also pair wonderfully with Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce for delicious vegetarian tacos.
Recipe Variations
Roasted sweet potatoes lend themselves nicely to both savory and sweet flavors. Here are some variations to try, particularly if you want to dress them up for special occasions like Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner:
Spices – Add up to 1 teaspoon of chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, or other savory spices you enjoy.
Sweetness – Toss with up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of the crispy roasted sweet potatoes.
Fancy butters – Try tossing the roasted cubes in specialty butter like Homemade Orange Honey Butter.
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes. Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight. However, you may also reheat directly from frozen in a 300°F for 15 minutes.
The best options are the microwave or the oven. In the microwave, reheat in 30 second intervals until warm. For the oven, reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes, until warm. If reheating straight from frozen, you will likely need to add an extra 5 minutes.
The pan you’re using may be causing your diced sweet potatoes to burn as they roast. Try lining the pan with a sheet of parchment paper first.
Make sure to also place the pan on the center rack in the oven. I find this to be the best spot for perfectly roasted, not burned, sweet potatoes.
Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Roasted Diced Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds whole sweet potatoes (Garnet or Jewel varieties recommended)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. If desired, line the pan with parchment paper (see recipe note).
- If desired, peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into cubes about 3/4-inch wide.3 pounds whole sweet potatoes
- Place the sweet potato cubes into a bowl and toss with the olive oil and salt to evenly coat.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Spread the cubes out on the prepared sheet pan in a single layer, leaving some space between the cubes. Roast on the center rack for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Keep an eye on the potatoes near the end of roasting to ensure they don't burn. The finished potatoes should be fork tender with a slightly caramelized exterior.
- Serve warm or allow to cool before storing in airtight containers for use later in the week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
3 Comments on “Roasted Diced Sweet Potatoes”
The best way is in a air fryer. They get done in like 20 mins. At 365 degrees.
I made this recipe to go along with our Traeger-smoked pulled pork. The recipe was easy and the sweet potatoes are delicious. They are tasty on their own and we tried a butter & brown sugar topping on some. That made it taste like dessert.
My young kids devoured the tray. Love how they caramelize on the edges.