Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/23/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 24 mins
Total: 34 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings

These sweet potatoes are easy to cook on the stove and are a savory, salty, healthier alternative to traditional oil-fried french fries or sweet potato fries. They pair well with any sandwich or veggie burger for lunch and make a quick and simple side dish for dinner. 

The sweet potatoes are seasoned while sautéing with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. They're perfect just like that, or you can try adding a bit of ginger or curry powder to the recipe for a lightly spicy twist. You can always use your own favorite store-bought seasoning blend too.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. If you're not eating vegan, a little dab of good-quality butter makes a nice topping. And if you are eating vegan, try a vegan margarine or butter substitute for extra flavor. 

Sautéed sweet potatoes on a platter

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Ingredients

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes (or yams)

  • Olive oil (or another good-quality cooking oil)

  • Salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

  • Garlic powder, to taste

  • Curry powder, to taste, optional

  • Ginger powder, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sautéed sweet potatoes ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Slice each of the sweet potatoes into coin-shaped round slices, approximately 1/2-inch thick. For larger sweet potatoes, you may want to cut these coin shapes in half to make them closer to bite-sized pieces. Try to make sure all of your sweet potatoes are cut to the same width so that they cook relatively evenly. 

    Sweet potatoes sliced into rounds in a bowl and on a cutting board with a knife

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack 

  3. Heat a thin layer of olive oil or another good-quality cooking oil in a large skillet, frying pan, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place a single layer of sweet potato coin slices in the oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and curry and ginger powder (if using), if desired. Lower the heat to medium low.

    Sweet potatoes cooking in a cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Allow sweet potatoes to cook until slightly soft and browned, about 4 to 6 minutes, then flip. Sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper, garlic, and optional spices. Cook another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.

    Sweet Potatoes cooking in a cast iron skillet, browned on one side

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Repeat until all of the sweet potato slices are cooked, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

    Repeat until sweet potatoes are sliced
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Serve and enjoy.

    Sweet potatoes on a serving platter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

How To Store

Refrigerate cooked sweet potatoes in shallow airtight containers or zip-close bags for up to 5 days.

Tips

  • Some varieties of sweet potatoes burn more quickly than others. Check them after a few minutes and reduce the heat as needed.
  • Slice the sweet potatoes about 1/4-inch thick for faster cooking.
  • There's no need to peel the sweet potatoes before cooking. The peel adds nutrition without disrupting the texture. If you don't care for the peel, peel the potatoes before slicing.
  • To keep your potatoes warm as you pan-fry them in batches, preheat the oven to 250 F. Place cooked sweet potatoes on a sheet pan and store in the oven until all of the potatoes are done.

Is a Sweet Potato a Potato?

The sweet potato is not a true potato (Solanum tuberosum). Sweet potatoes actually belong to the morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family.

What Takes Longer to Cook, Sweet Potatoes or Potatoes?

White potatoes like russet typically take a little longer to cook than sweet potatoes. This all depends on the cooking method, how the potatoes are prepared for cooking, and the exact type of potato. The difference in cook times is usually minimal.

Helpful Links

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
100 Calories
4g Fat
15g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 258mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 13mg 67%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 336mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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