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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

    Published: Oct 22, 2022 by Nicole · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and customizable with your own favorite seasoning variations. Made in a skillet, they're ready in just 15 minutes!

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    You are going to love how quick and easy these Sautéed Sweet Potatoes are to make. They're ready in just 15 minutes. Sautéing them in a skillet right on the stovetop is much faster than roasting them in the oven, and they still get slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

    You can customize them to your own liking and to compliment whatever meal you're making. Use your favorite seasoning variations to make them either sweet or savory.

    They're great as-is for a fall or winter healthy side dish. They're also delicious in grain bowls, like these Sweet Potato and Kale Quinoa Bowls or salads like this Fall Kale Salad with Sweet Potato. Both recipes call for roasted sweet potatoes, but you can easily swap in these sautéed potatoes!

    Ingredients

    • Sweet Potato: Use your favorite variety, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes. I typically opt for either organic garnet or jewel sweet potatoes. You can leave the peels on, just be sure to scrub them well before cutting them. Here's more info on How to Select and Store Sweet Potatoes.
    • Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil or your preferred neutral flavored cooking oil. Avocado oil is a great substitute.
    • Seasoning: Garlic powder and paprika come together for the perfect seasoning.
    • Sea Salt: To round out the flavors.
    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes Ingredients.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced sweet potatoes and season with garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt. Stir to combine.
    2. Cook for 5-6 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and continue cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until they're starting to brown and become slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
    3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Expert Tips: Reduce the heat as needed while cooking. You can also add a splash more oil if you need to. You want the sweet potatoes to be caramelized, not burnt, so keep an eye on them and stir as needed.

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

    Variations

    Sweet potatoes are super versatile. You can easily customize them to your own liking, depending on how you plan to serve them.

    • Stir in diced onions and peppers, along with minced garlic. Do this when there is only 5 minutes left of cooking the sweet potatoes to prevent the veggies from burning.
    • Swap out the seasoning. Instead of garlic powder and paprika, use your favorite seasonings. You can sprinkle on some taco seasoning, cumin, rosemary, thyme, or your other preferred seasonings, like this homemade low country cajun seasoning.
    • Give them a kick with a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper.
    • Make them sweet instead of savory. Leave out the garlic powder and paprika. Once they're finished cooking, drizzle on a little honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. Add a dash of cinnamon and stir to combine.

    Serving Suggestions

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes can be served with just about any meal! They're a simple side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

    Other great ways to serve these potatoes are as a breakfast hash with onions, peppers, and garlic. Top them with a couple over easy or sunny side up eggs. They're even great inside a breakfast burrito, as a salad, grain bowl, or taco topping.

    You can even double or triple the recipe to serve with a holiday meal like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

    If you like to meal prep for the week, simply make these ahead of time and use them throughout the week in your meals. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat them or enjoy them cold.

    Top with your favorite fresh herbs for a pop of color, like cilantro, parsley, or thyme.

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes on a white plate.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

    When are sweet potatoes in season?

    Though you can typically find sweet potatoes in grocery stores throughout the year, they are in season during the fall and winter.

    Should you peel sweet potatoes?

    It is personal preference whether to peel sweet potatoes or not. You can definitely eat the skin, just be sure to scrub it thoroughly to remove any dirt before using. Some people prefer to leave the skins on to make them extra crispy when cooking.

    More Fall Vegetable Recipes

    If you like these Sautéed Sweet Potatoes, then you'll love these other easy Fall vegetable recipes.

    • Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
    • Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
    • Roasted Carrots and Green Beans
    • Roasted Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and Dried Cranberries

    If you make this recipe, don't forget to come back and leave a 5-star rating and a comment below.

    Print
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    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes in a skillet.

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

    • Author: Nicole | Fresh Apron
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2 servings 1x
    • Category: Side Dishes
    • Method: Sauté
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Sautéed Sweet Potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and customizable with your own favorite seasoning variations. Made in a skillet, they're ready in just 15 minutes!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (½-inch cubes)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • sea salt, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced sweet potatoes and season with garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt. Stir to combine.
    2. Cook for 5-6 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and continue cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until they're starting to brown and become slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
    3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Equipment

    Image of Peeler

    Peeler

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    Image of Large Skillet

    Large Skillet

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    Image of Wooden Spoon

    Wooden Spoon

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    Notes

    Reduce the heat as needed while cooking, and add a splash more oil if needed. You want the sweet potatoes to be caramelized, not burnt, so keep an eye on them and stir as needed.

    To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 118
    • Sugar: 2.8 g
    • Sodium: 328.7 mg
    • Fat: 7.1 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 13.5 g
    • Fiber: 2.1 g
    • Protein: 1.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: sweet potatoes, side dish, holiday side dish, breakfast potatoes

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @freshapron on Instagram and hashtag #freshapron — I can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Nicole | Fresh Apron

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I’m so happy to share all my recipes with you. I'm all about using fresh ingredients and creating simple recipes. Enjoy and happy cooking!

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