These Sautéed Sweet Potatoes are a tasty and healthy side dish made by cooking sweet potatoes on the stove with oil and savory spices until they are lightly crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. They're finished with a little pure maple syrup to balance the flavor of the spices, and then ready to be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Sweet potatoes are underground tuber vegetables that are naturally sweet and a good source of vitamins, minerals, beta-carotene, and antioxidants, making them a nutritious and tasty addition to many meals.
If you're enjoying this recipe with lunch or dinner, I recommend pairing it with these Marinated Brussel Sprouts or this Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower. Like this recipe, they have a wonderful savory flavor.
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❤️Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Flavor: The flavor combinations balance each other so perfectly. It has the perfect amount of savoriness and sweetness with a little heat.
- Versatile: Customize the spices to your liking. There are many different variations of spice combinations you can explore. They're also versatile because you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The possibilities are almost endless.
- Meal prep: Sweet potatoes are an easy and healthy food to meal prep for the week. Eat them with eggs for breakfast in the morning, or enjoy them on the side with your choice of protein.
- Budget-friendly: Sweet potatoes are cost-effective and a filling, healthy carbohydrate!
📝Ingredient Notes
- Pure maple syrup: Don't use pancake syrup. These are not the same thing. Pure maple syrup should only contain maple syrup as an ingredient.
- Cayenne pepper powder: If you don't want any heat, leave out the cayenne.
🍯Substitutions
- Pure maple syrup: Syrup gives it the best taste, but you can use honey instead. I like to use raw and unfiltered honey.
- Olive oil: Avocado oil works great in place of olive oil. You could also make these sweet potatoes sautéed in butter. Use a dairy-free butter that you enjoy the taste of. It can enhance the flavor.
- Cayenne pepper: You can also replace the cayenne with crushed red pepper flakes for serving.
- White pepper: I like to use white pepper, but black pepper is fine too.
🧂Seasoning Ideas
- Cumin and chili powder: Add these spices, and leave out the maple syrup. You can add the potatoes to tacos, burritos, and taco salads.
- Cinnamon (with maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar): Leave out the garlic and onion powder, and add cinnamon with your choice of sweetener.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: This seasoning can be salty, so you may omit the salt. You can also add honey for a honey lemon pepper flavor.
- Rosemary
🥔How to Make Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
- Mix the spices in a small ramekin.
2. Peel the potatoes, then slice them lengthwise.
3. Cut them into half-moon shapes, about ¼ inch thick.
4. Heat a pan with olive oil over medium heat and toss in the sliced potatoes. Coat them in the oil.
5. Let the potatoes cook for about 4 minutes before flipping them. Then cook them for another 4 minutes on the other side.
6. Cook for a total of 20 minutes, gently flipping them every few minutes with a spatula flipper. Once they're about finished (and there's just a little oil left in the bottom), add the spices and gently flip to combine.
7. Once completely cooked, turn off the heat and mix in the pure maple syrup. The oil should be absorbed before adding the syrup.
Enjoy!
🔪Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or a non-stick pan
- Spatula flipper
✅Pro Tips
- Be gentle when mixing: I use a spatula flipper to flip and mix the potatoes. You want to be gentle because cooked potatoes will easily break apart. When mixing the spices and syrup, you want to gently flip them until well combined. Make sure to scoop from the bottom of the pan and up.
- Add oil as needed: If your sweet potatoes are sticking to the pan too much, you may need to add more oil to the pan. You can add more oil halfway through cooking if they've soaked up quite a bit of it.
- Make them the same size: To ensure even cooking, cut the potatoes into pieces that are the same size.
🧊Storing
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat the leftover sweet potatoes in a pan with a little oil until warm. You could also reheat them in the microwave.
Freezing: Once they have cooled down, put them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw before reheating.
🍳Serving Ideas
- Breakfast: Serve a fried or poached egg over these sweet potatoes. Optionally add some green onions and sriracha for extra flavor. You can also add them to a breakfast burrito.
- Lunch or dinner: Sautéed sweet potatoes can be served as a side with grilled or air-fried chicken, like my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. They also work well with burgers, tacos, sandwiches, and more!
⁉️Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I recommend leaving out the maple syrup to keep the flavor savory, and not sweet.
You can leave the skins on. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients, and provide many health benefits. I recommend washing the potatoes well if you leave the skins on. Scrub them under cool water with a vegetable brush.
Make sure to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a non-stick pan. You may also need to add more oil halfway through the cooking process. If there isn't enough oil, the potatoes can stick. Add more oil when needed.
Yes! Sweet potatoes are high in nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and beta-carotene. They support gut health, and healthy vision, and may help protect against certain types of cancer.
Yes. Just let them cool down before freezing them.
⭐️Before you go! If you enjoyed this recipe for my Sautéed Sweet Potatoes, leave a review and share it with me! I love to hear from you. Also, if you aren't following me on Instagram, search @thedairyfreemenu for some more cooking inspiration!
📖 Recipe
Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or non-stick pan
- Spatula flipper
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and white pepper to taste
- pinch of cayenne optional
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup or 1 ½ teaspoons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or more if needed
Instructions
- Mix the spices in a small ramekin.
- Peel the potatoes, then slice them lengthwise.
- Cut them into half-moon shapes, about ¼ inch thick.
- To a cast iron skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat it over medium heat and toss in the sliced potatoes. Coat them in the oil.
- Let the potatoes cook for about 4 minutes before flipping them. Then cook them for another 4 minutes on the other side.
- Cook for a total of 20 minutes, and gently flip them every few minutes with a spatula flipper. Once they're about finished (and there's just a little oil left in the bottom), add the spices and gently flip to combine.
- Once completely cooked, turn off the heat and mix in the pure maple syrup. The oil should be absorbed before adding the syrup.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Be very gentle when flipping the potatoes. Soft potatoes can easily break apart. Make sure to scoop from the bottom of the pan and up.
- If the potatoes start sticking to the pan, add 1 tablespoon of more oil.
- Slice them in equal sizes to ensure even cooking.
Nutrition
Note: The nutrition label is only an estimate. Amounts may vary.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!