Learn how to cook sweet potatoes on the stove; they are tender, spicy, and comforting. Cubed and cooked to perfection in a skillet, this stovetop sweet potato recipe is a delicious, quick side dish.
Making sweet potatoes on the stove is easy! The recipe uses simple ingredients and just one pan! Add a little cinnamon, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes to make a flavorful dish, perfect for a light lunch or dinner or as a great side dish for your main course.
I cook sweet potatoes regularly, either sautéed or pan-fried sweet potatoes, sweet potato dauphinoise or gratin, and even sweet potato brownies.
One of the simplest cooking methods is cooking sweet potatoes in a cast-iron skillet (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) or a non-stick pan on the stovetop. Just peel and cube the veggies and cook them briefly in a pan.
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Recipe ingredients
Sweet potatoes: Not to be confused with yams. Red-skinned and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes differ from yams, which have bark-like brown skin and starchy flesh.
- A medium-sized one weighs between 4 and 6 oz/100 – 170 g. I had two, which were about 10.5 oz/ 300 g. This amount would serve two people as a light main with sauce and salad or 3-4 as a side.
Spices: I used a mixture of sweet paprika, cinnamon, brown sugar, red chili flakes, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper, but you can choose your favorite seasonings. This mixture tastes fantastic but is optional; the stove-top sweet potatoes will still taste good even if you only use salt and pepper.
Other spice mixture ideas
Use other spice mixtures you like, either bought mixtures such as curry powder, Italian seasoning, Cajun spices, lemon pepper, or taco seasoning.
Or mix your own spices:
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme + ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary + 1 grated garlic clove (or garlic powder) + salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin + ½ teaspoon ground coriander + pinch of nutmeg + cayenne pepper to taste + salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon + 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- pinch of ground cloves + pinch of cinnamon + 2 teaspoons brown sugar + a little salt
How to cook sweet potatoes on the stove?
- Peel and cube the vegetables. Mix the spices in a small bowl and set them aside.
Heat a little oil in the pan and sauté the cubes for about 3 minutes. Add the spices.
Add ½ of the vegetable broth. Let the liquid bubble away; it will not take long.
Pour the remaining broth into the skillet, stir quickly, and cover the pan.
Cook until tender; check. If they are not tender, allow a few more minutes and check again.
Good to know!
Uniform cutting: Cut them into uniform sizes for even cooking. Aim for consistent sizes, ensuring they cook evenly without some pieces becoming overcooked or undercooked.
Preheat the pan properly before adding the oil and sweet potatoes. This ensures the best results: even cooking and no sticking.
Space in the pan: Avoid overcrowding the skillet. If necessary, cook in batches to allow enough space to brown evenly.
How to store and reheat?
Refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing stovetop sweet potatoes because they will change their texture. However, if you plan to freeze them, spread the cooled pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Properly stored, they can last in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. I use leftover frozen cubes to blend into soups; this way, you will not notice the weird texture anymore.
Reheat them in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a touch of oil or butter to prevent sticking and to regain some crispness. Stir occasionally until heated through, usually taking about 5 minutes.
What to do with leftovers?
You will probably not have any, but just in case.
The stovetop sweet potatoes are fantastic when stuffed into flatbread - whether it's pita, Turkish bread, or a tortilla. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the filling and add chopped salad leaves, peppers, cucumbers, or tomato slices for extra flavor and freshness. Honestly, sometimes I cook these potatoes specifically to make stuffed flatbreads.
Adding cheese makes things even better if you're a cheese lover like me. I love using feta, but any cheese works great in this recipe! Or add some Yogurt Mint Sauce.
Blend leftover sautéed sweet potatoes into a creamy soup or puree.
Sweet Potatoes on the Stove
Equipment
- Large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes:
- 10.5 oz sweet potatoes 300 g, Notes 1,2
- 1 tablespoon olive oil Note 3
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder Note 4
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable broth 250 ml
Tahini sauce (optional, Note 5):
- 1 ½ tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 small garlic cloves
- a few drops lemon juice to taste
- fine sea salt and black pepper
- some cilantro or parsley
Instructions
Sweet potatoes:
- Mix the spices in a small bowl. Set aside.½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder + ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes + ½ teaspoon brown sugar + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Prepare sweet potatoes: Peel, wash, dry, and cut them into cubes, about 1 inch/ 2 ½ cm.10.5 oz sweet potatoes / 300 g
- Sauté: Heat oil in the pan. Sauté the sweet potatoes, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the potato cubes and stir for about 1 minute.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add ½ of the vegetable broth and let bubble until evaporated; it will only take a few moments. Add the remaining broth, cover the pan, and cook on medium-low heat for about 6 minutes.1 cup vegetable broth / 250 ml
- Check the sweet potatoes; they should be soft. If they are not done yet, continue cooking for 2-3 minutes more.
Tahini sauce (optional):
- In the meantime, make the sauce.
- Place tahini and cold water in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.1 ½ tablespoon tahini + 2 tablespoons cold water
- Add grated garlic, a little squeeze of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper to taste. Whisk again, and add 1 extra tablespoon of cold water if you want a thinner sauce.2 small garlic cloves + a few drops lemon juice + fine sea salt and black pepper
- Serve the sauteed sweet potatoes immediately drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with cilantro or parsley.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Not to be confused with yams. Red-skinned and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes differ from yams, which have bark-like brown skin and starchy flesh.
- Servings: A medium-sized sweet potato weighs between 4 and 6 oz/100 – 170 g. I had two, which were about 10.5 oz/ 300 g. This amount would serve two people as a light main with sauce and salad or 3-4 as a side.
- Oil: Olive oil, canola or avocado oil, coconut oil, or ghee (clarified butter) are all good.
- Seasoning: Use other spice mixtures you like, either bought mixtures such as curry powder, Italian seasoning, Cajun spices, lemon pepper, or taco seasoning. Check the blog post for more seasoning ideas.
- The tahini sauce is optional but so good.
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