How To Microwave A Sweet Potato (Easy Recipe)

Tara Williams

Food Writer & Editor For KitchenSanity

Tara Williams is a seasoned food writer and editor who's been with KitchenSanity since its beginning. With a knack for experimenting with food and creating delicious recipes, she's your go-to for straightforward kitchen advice and practical tips from personal experiences. As a mom of two, Tara understands the value of time. She crafts articles that enhance your cooking skills and free up time for what matters most—like family moments.

Learn more about KitchenSanity's Editorial Guidelines.

Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, are one of the most nutritious foods in the world. They are one of the best sources of Beta-carotene – a powerful antioxidant – and are also high in other nutrients such as vitamin C and folate.

Cooking a sweet potato in the microwave is one of the quickest and most efficient methods of preparing this delicious vegetable while preserving those important nutrients.

How to Microwave Sweet Potatoes

  • Skill Level: Easy
  • Serving Size: 1-2 people
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 5-8 mins

Time To Complete: 13mins

cooked sweet potato

What You Need

Instructions

1. Clean Your Spuds!

Use a produce brush and cold running water to get rid of the dirt and loose skin.

2. Dry Your Sweet Potatoes

Blot the sweet potatoes dry using a serviette or paper towel.

3. Pierce To Let Steam Escape

Use a fork to pierce the sweet potatoes five times in different places. Piercing the potato allows steam to escape.

Fail to do this and your sweet potatoes will burst and splatter all over the inside of your microwave.

4. How Long To Microwave A Sweet Potato

Place the sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe dish.

  • If you’re using a 1600-watt microwave, set the timer to cook for 5 minutes.
  • If you’re using an 850-watt microwave, set the timer for 10 minutes.
  • If you’re using a small microwave that has a lower wattage than 850, set the timer for 10 minutes, but pause at 5 minutes to rotate the sweet potatoes. This ensures they cook evenly on both sides.

5. Remove And Serve

Once the time is up, remove the sweet potatoes from the microwave and place them on a cutting board. The microwaved sweet potato will be extremely hot and should be handled with care. Using silicone cooking gloves is a great way to prevent burns.

Next, you can choose to do any of the following:

  • a) Cut into each potato about five times to allow it to cool quickly. After both potatoes have cooled down, peel off the skin with a knife and then place the pieces on a plate.
  • b) You can also place a whole sweet potato on a paper towel, rub it gently to loosen the skin, then place it on a plate and cut it up into smaller pieces. Use your hands to remove the rest of the skin.
  • c) Hold a fork in your left hand and a knife in your right. Carve a large X into the sweet potatoes and then use a paper towel to open it up. Pour olive oil or butter and cinnamon on the split potatoes. Use the fork to mash the ingredients together with the flesh of the potatoes.

If you decide to go with either ‘a’ or ‘b’, serve the sweet potatoes with a hot beverage such as milk, tea or coffee. You can enjoy alternative ‘c’ as it is, using a fork or spoon.

Is It Bad To Cook A Sweet Potato In The Microwave?

When you microwave a sweet potato, it helps to preserve the nutrients that are often destroyed when using other cooking methods. According to IOWA University, 30 percent of vitamin C is lost using methods such as boiling, while 20 percent is lost when steaming.

Unlike other cooking methods, you do not need to spend lengthy amounts of time boiling water or preheating the oven to cook your potatoes.

Storing a microwaved sweet potato in the fridge and reheating it later could destroy all of those good nutrients, so it’s a better idea to prepare just enough for one meal.

Written By Tara Williams

Tara Williams is a seasoned food writer and editor who's been with KitchenSanity since its beginning. With a knack for experimenting with food and creating delicious recipes, she's your go-to for straightforward kitchen advice and practical tips from personal experiences. As a mom of two, Tara understands the value of time. She crafts articles that enhance your cooking skills and free up time for what matters most—like family moments.

Share with your friends!