Steaming Sweet Potatoes: A Quick, Healthy Cooking Method

Steaming is a great way to cook sweet potatoes as it preserves more nutrients and doesn't require any added fat or ingredients. It's also much faster than baking, taking around 30 minutes. To steam sweet potatoes, you'll need a steamer basket or colander, a pot, and some water. Place the steamer basket or colander in the pot, add water until it reaches just below the bottom of the basket, and then put the sweet potatoes in the basket. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and then reduce the heat to medium. Allow the sweet potatoes to steam until tender, which should take around 25-35 minutes depending on their size. Once they're done, remove them from the steamer basket and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. You can top them with butter, salt, and pepper, or get creative with other toppings like sour cream and chives, cinnamon and maple syrup, or even peanut butter sauce and slaw.

Choosing the right potato

When it comes to choosing the right sweet potato, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the size of the potato will determine the cooking time, with medium-sized potatoes being ideal for steaming. If you opt for larger potatoes, they will take longer to cook. You can also steam small potatoes, but they may cook faster, so keep an eye on them.

The type of sweet potato is another important factor. There are two main types of sweet potatoes commonly found in U.S. supermarkets: the Jewel, which has orange skin and orange flesh, and the Red Garnet, which has darker red skin and orange flesh. These varieties are typically used for traditional sweet potato dishes.

Other varieties include those with tan or purple skin, which tend to be starchier and less sweet. Japanese sweet potatoes, for example, have whiter flesh and cook up similarly to ordinary Russet potatoes.

When selecting your sweet potatoes, look for ones that are firm and smooth, with no cuts or cracks. Avoid potatoes that are soft, bruised, or show signs of sprouting. Smaller sweet potatoes tend to be less starchy and moister than larger ones, so go for the 4- to 8-ounce range if possible.

Keep in mind that sweet potatoes are at their best in fall and early winter, so try to buy them during this season for the freshest and most flavourful option.

Preparing the potato

Firstly, select the right potatoes. Medium-sized sweet potatoes , weighing around 8 ounces each, are ideal for steaming. You can also use small potatoes, or larger ones, but the cooking time will vary. Look for orange-flesh potatoes, such as the Jewel variety with light brown-orange skin, or Red Garnet, which has red skin and slightly thinner flesh.

Once you've chosen your potatoes, it's time to peel them. Use a conventional potato peeler or a sharp knife to remove the skin. If you're environmentally conscious, you can compost the peelings or cut them into strips, leave a little flesh on, and make sweet potato skins as a bonus snack!

After peeling, cut the potatoes into chunks. The exact size isn't crucial, but aim for uniformity so that they cook evenly. Each potato can be cut into three or four slices.

Now it's time to set up your steaming apparatus. Place the potato chunks into a steam tray, a metal device that sits above the water in a pot. If you don't have a steam tray, you can be creative and use a small metal strainer or even a clean cooking rack at the bottom of your pot.

Add water to the pot. The water level should be just below the steamer basket or around two cups if you're using a steam tray. This ensures that the potatoes are exposed to hot steam without being submerged in the water.

With the potatoes in the steamer and the water in the pot, you're almost ready to start cooking. Cover the pot with a lid. This helps to trap the steam inside, ensuring even cooking.

Now, place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to high. You're on your way to a delicious, healthy treat!

Setting up the steamer

To steam a sweet potato, you will need a steamer basket or colander, a pot, and water.

First, place the steamer basket or colander inside the pot. Then, add water to the pot until it reaches about 1 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use a small metal strainer or a clean cooking rack at the bottom of the pot.

Next, prepare the sweet potatoes. It is recommended to use medium-sized sweet potatoes, as larger potatoes will take longer to cook. You can peel the sweet potatoes using a conventional potato peeler or a sharp knife. If you want to reduce waste, you can compost the peelings or cut them into long strips with some flesh left on them to make sweet potato skins. Cut the potatoes into evenly-sized chunks—cutting each potato into three or four slices should be sufficient.

Once the potatoes are prepared, place them into the steamer basket or colander. Make sure the water in the pot is at a level just below the steamer basket, and bring it to a boil.

Cooking the potato

To steam sweet potatoes, you will need a steamer basket or colander, a pot, and of course, sweet potatoes. You can steam any type of sweet potato, but it's important to use medium-sized potatoes or cut larger potatoes into big chunks to ensure even cooking. Look for potatoes that are about 8 ounces each, or 2 pounds in total.

First, fill a pot with water until it reaches about 1 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket. Place the steamer basket or colander into the pot. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use a small metal strainer or a clean cooking rack at the bottom of the pot.

Next, add the whole sweet potatoes to the steamer basket. If you're short on time, you can peel and cut the potatoes into large pieces to reduce the cooking time. However, steaming whole potatoes helps preserve more of their nutrients.

Now, bring the water to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Allow the potatoes to steam until they are tender. This should take around 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. You'll know they're done when you can easily insert a fork or paring knife into the potato without resistance.

After steaming, remove the potatoes from the steamer basket and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Then, simply split the potatoes in half lengthwise and serve as-is or with your desired toppings.

Steaming sweet potatoes is a fast, easy, and healthy way to prepare this nutritious root vegetable. It results in moist and tender flesh that is perfect for topping, stuffing, or enjoying as a simple side dish.

Serving suggestions

Steamed sweet potatoes are a great staple to have on hand for adding to salads and soups or enjoying as a quick and simple side dish. They are also perfect for topping or stuffing. Here are some serving suggestions:

• Top with butter, salt and pepper
• Top with cinnamon and a hint of maple syrup
• Top with black beans and salsa
• Top with peanut butter sauce and slaw
• Top with broccoli and cheese
• Stuff with vegan or regular taco meat, refried beans, cheddar cheese, nacho cheese, salsa, chopped lettuce, and crushed tortilla chips
• Top with sour cream and chives
• Top with hot honey and chopped pecans
• Top with salted butter and chilli powder
• Top with creme fraiche, chives, salt and pepper
• Top with herbed butter
• Top with salted butter and brown sugar
• Top with salsa and sharp cheddar
• Top with toasted pepitas, cilantro, salt and pepper
• Top with tahini butter and a generous shake of sesame seeds
• Top with leftover Thai curry, sautéed shishitos, bacon, olives and cheese

Frequently asked questions