Oven Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes
Oven roasting purple sweet potatoes brings out their natural caramel notes and softens their dense interior just enough to make them tender, with a slightly chewy, nutty texture — more earthy and refined than sugary. They’re not your typical sweet potato; instead of being soft and fluffy, they hold their shape beautifully when roasted, making them perfect for meal prep and bowls.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 purple sweet potatoes or sweet potato of choice, scrubbed and cut into ½- to 1-inch cubes (keep the skin on for extra fiber)
- 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
- Celtic sea salt few pinches
Instructions
- Note: Purple sweet potatoes are denser and less sweet than the orange varieties you might be used to. They have a subtly nutty, earthy flavor and a firm, slightly chewy texture when roasted. Unlike the soft, fluffy orange kind, they hold their shape beautifully — perfect for meal prep, bowls, or snacking straight from the pan.
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep the sweet potatoes: Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt or debris from the skin.
- Cut off both ends of the sweet potato. Slice each potato in half, or thirds depending on the length of the potato. Take each half and slice it in half length wise.
- Then slice each half lengthwise into flat planks, around ½ to 1 inch wide, depending on how big you want your cubes to be.
- Rotate the planks and cut across them to create cubes of your desired size. Try to keep the cubes as uniform as possible for even cooking. The size of the cubes depends on how you plan to cook them. Smaller cubes (around ½ inch) cook faster, while larger cubes (1 inch or more) will take longer.
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (about 20 seconds in the microwave), drizzle it over the potatoes, and sprinkle in a few pinches of Celtic Sea Salt. Toss to combine.
- Lift the coated sweet potatoes out of the bowl and spread evenly on your prepared baking sheet.
- Lift the sweet potatoes out of the bowl and spread them evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 20–30 minutes. Use tongs or a spatula to toss them once or twice while cooking. They’re ready when the outsides look golden and caramelized, and they feel tender when you poke them with a fork.
- Toss them into your favorite salad, winter quinoa bowl or just eat them as a snack. I love them topped with a bit of tahini. So good!
- Storage: Make sure to cool the potatoes before storing. Place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I usually reheat them in a skillet with a bit of coconut oil or avocado oil, or toss them into a dish cold.
Notes
Purple sweet potatoes are a bit different from the orange ones most of us grew up with. They’re denser, slightly chewy, and less sweet, with a nutty, earthy flavor that deepens as they roast. I love how they hold their shape in bowls and salads without turning mushy — perfect for meal prep! Try them with a drizzle of tahini or toss them into your favorite quinoa or grain bowl for an easy, nourishing add-in. It’s always best to season vegetables right before baking, as salt draws moisture out of food. Salt also acts as a natural flavor enhancer, bringing out the vegetable’s sweetness and depth. Don’t toss the vegetables with oil directly on the parchment paper — it can make the paper soggy. Instead, lift the potatoes out of the bowl and onto the pan so any excess oil stays behind.