Description
This easy and straightforward recipe guides you through how to boil sweet potatoes perfectly every time. Whether you want to boil whole sweet potatoes or peeled and cubed ones, this method ensures tender, flavorful results ideal for mashing, pies, casseroles, or simple sides.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2-4 pounds sweet potatoes
- Salt (optional, about 1 teaspoon per pound of potatoes)
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes: Rinse and scrub whole sweet potatoes thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt. If you prefer peeled and cubed potatoes, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, then chop into 1 to 2-inch cubes.
- Boil pot of water: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for every pound of sweet potatoes to the water to season as it boils.
- Add potatoes to pot: Place the whole or cubed sweet potatoes into the pot with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Simmer until tender: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender using these approximate times: 12-15 minutes for 1-2 inch cubes, 20-25 minutes for small to medium whole potatoes, or 30-35 minutes for large whole sweet potatoes. Remember, the time to bring the water to boil (around 10 minutes) is additional.
- Remove and drain: When done, drain the sweet potatoes in a colander or remove them carefully with a slotted spoon. They are now ready to be used in mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie, casserole, or your preferred recipes.
Notes
- For even cooking, try to select sweet potatoes of similar size if boiling whole.
- Adding salt to the boiling water helps season the potatoes and can slightly raise the boiling temperature.
- If peeling and cubing, uniform size pieces ensure even cooking.
- Check tenderness by inserting a fork; it should slide in easily without resistance.
- Do not overboil to avoid mushy sweet potatoes unless that texture is desired for mashing.
