Why You Should Freeze Sweet Potatoes Before Baking Them

Sweet potatoes are the unsung heroes of the side dishes. They're versatile, delicious, and have known health benefits. Packed with vitamins A, C, B5, B6, and E, not to mention manganese and potassium, sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious starch perfect for sides, mains, or snacking. It's hard to think of ways to improve them, but you can. By freezing sweet potato before baking it, you end up with a crispy exterior and the softest interior you could imagine — which is actually how they're traditionally prepared in China.

Clean up your sweet potatoes, throw them in the freezer for a couple of hours, and carry on with your day. Later, place them on parchment paper in the oven. Then, crank the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about an hour. Typically, people wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil before baking. The point of this is to lock in the heat for ultimate fluffiness, but that isn't necessary with this method as the frozenness takes care of that naturally. It ain't much, but it's honest work.

When you bake frozen sweet potatoes, it forces the vegetable to cook from the inside out. There is just enough sugar in sweet potatoes that they'll start to caramelize as they get nice and roasty toasty. The frozen skin won't allow the sugars to escape, keeping all the goodness trapped inside.

Importantly, do not poke holes in the skin. This is a common step in baking sweet potatoes, and you're not a bad person for doing it, but you won't get the exact result you're hoping for as it's one of the many mistakes we've all made when cooking sweet potatoes. Keeping the skin intact protects the sugars from burning (which they could do if they came into direct contact with the heat). Plus, the moisture trapped inside the sweet potato will make the flesh fluffier and easier to separate from the skin.

So, just how does it get so fluffy? As the sweet potato cooks, all the water inside evaporates into steam, softening its surroundings. Take something as packed with moisture as sweet potato, and the whole inside turns to sweet, fluffy mush (in a delicious, sugary way). 

The cup doth runneth over with sweet potato recipes. Whether it's a side, dessert, or the main event, you really can't go wrong with a sweet potato option. While baking them is the go-to for most people, feel free to ditch the oven for better results. Using an air fryer can give you just as tasty treats without taking as much time, and you'll still ensure a nice crispy skin. 

On the topic of no limitations, don't relegate sweet potatoes to a plain side dish or a bowl for toppings. A harissa sweet potato and chickpea stew will revolutionize your winter dinners, giving you a warm, cozy soup packed with Mediterranean flavors. If you are set on serving your yams on the side, try a hand-torn option that will pair beautifully with any condiment or protein. 

Whatever you do, don't skimp on dessert. That lesson holds true anyway — but especially when sweet potatoes are on the table. A maple-bourbon sweet potato pie is the luxurious sweet you never knew you needed. A twist on the already much-loved classic, incorporating bourbon and maple syrup takes it to the next, creamier level. Yes, yes, it's perfect for fall, but again, there are no limitations with sweet potatoes, including seasons.