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40+ Unique Uses for Sweetpotatoes

Sweetpotatoes are one of the most versatile foods around. There are several unique and delicious uses for sweetpotatoes to satisfy any meal, flavor or craving.

teal cutting board with diced sweet potatoes

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Please note that sweetpotatoes is spelled as one word throughout this article, which is the proper spelling. You can learn more here.

As a Registered Dietitian and mom, sweetpotatoes are one of my favorite foods.

They are so uniquely nutritious and they are great for every age group.

Sweetpotatoes are great for babies and toddlers, kids, adults, older adults, athletes, etc.

I’ll even add that dogs love them! My dog, Tater (yep – that’s really her name), loves mashed sweet potatoes mixed into her dry dog food. 

So, with all that being said, this versatile food has so many uses in a variety of recipes and courses. Here are some of my favorite uses for sweetpotatoes.

These 40+ creative sweetpotato recipes showcase the millions of uses for sweetpotatoes, from sweet to savory, from breakfast to dessert and everything in between.

Nutrition Content of Sweetpotatoes

Sweet potatoes are nutritionally dense, which is one reason why they are an appealing food to all people, even little people.

As a matter of fact, sweetpotatoes for baby led weaning are always one of the first foods we introduce. 

While their natural sweetness makes them well accepted, they can also be pureed and mashed, or served as finger foods.

Using sweetpotato for baby finger food is probably easier than you imagined.

spiralized sweet potato on green cutting board

Here are some of the nutrition spotlights of sweetpotatoes:

  • Fiber – One medium sweetpotato provides about four grams of fiber, which has so many health benefits! Fiber aids in fullness, digestion, balancing blood sugar and reducing cholesterol.
  • Vitamin A – One medium sweetpotato provides more than your daily recommended allotment of Vitamin A, an important nutrient for cell development, vision and immune health. 
  • Vitamin C – Sweetpotatoes are also high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for the absorption of non-heme iron (necessary for plant based eating and vegan recipes).
  • Potassium – Sweetpotatoes are a great source of the electrolyte, potassium, which is great for heart health.
  • Antioxidants – Beta-carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A, is one of many antioxidants found in sweetpotatoes.
Ball of sweet potato pizza dough on gray background

Different Kinds of Sweetpotatoes to Cook With

You may be familiar with the traditional Covington or Beauregard sweet potato (which is sometimes confused with a yam).

There are so many varieties of sweetpotatoes available, ranging from white and mild to a deeper red sweetpotato.

North Carolina is the number one sweetpotato-producing state in the US, but they are grown nearly everywhere.

The best way to find local sweetpotatoes would be through your local farmers market, co-op or CSA.

Some other sweet potato varieties include:

  • white sweet potatoes (may look like a white potato)
  • Japanese sweet potatoes (red skin, dry, white flesh)
  • Okinawa (gorgeous purple interior)
  • Satsuma-Imo (have a creamy, starchy white interior)

Another perk is that sweetpotatoes fit into just about any diet – they are naturally gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, whole foods/paleo, Mediterranean, etc.

Uses for Sweetpotatoes

There are SO many recipes for sweetpotatoes in nearly any type of cuisine, from warming soups on chilly nights to frozen desserts and family favorites for summer cookouts.

We also use sweetpotatoes in several of our healthy meal prep snacks.

Whether you want a delicious side dish or sweetpotatoes shining as the main dish, the options are plentiful.

Here are some of my favorite out-of-the-box ways to use sweetpotatoes, many of which you can find recipes below.

You’ll be amazed at the uses for sweetpotatoes, and what to pair them with (nearly anything!).

Check out our huge roundup of what to eat with sweetpotatoes for more ideas to pair with these sweetpotato dishes.

sweet potato oatmeal bars stacked on each other

While it’s rare to find people who don’t like sweetpotatoes, they can also easily be replaced in recipes, and likewise, serve as a replacement in other recipes.

Butternut squash or canned pumpkin, for example, are great replacements for sweetpotatoes in many of these recipes if you prefer.

This butternut and beetroot salad is stellar with sweetpotatoes, too!

Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese in white serving dish

Reusing Leftover Sweetpotatoes

Many of these serve as easy recipes for leftover sweetpotatoes, as well.

Whether you mash them, or have already baked or cooked them, don’t let them go to waste!

These different recipes for sweetpotatoes emphasize their ability to conform to different textures, tastes and cuisines.

Enjoy a sweetpotato burrito with black beans or chorizo, or make sweetpotato fries in the air fryer.

Puree it into a spicy fall soup, or freeze it into a refreshing popsicle!

There is no best food to eat with a sweetpotato, because they pair nicely with so many foods and food groups!

baked sweet potato oatmeal on white plate with blueberries and maple syrup

Fruits, like blueberries, go really well with sweetpotatoes. And sweetpotato and kale or spinach are nice accompaniments as well.

Sweetpotatoes and greek yogurt are also a wonderful carbohydrate-protein match (like in a sweetpotato smoothie). 

And for your sweet tooth, sweetpotato chocolate chip bread (a big version of sweet potato chocolate chip muffins) and even sweetpotato oatmeal cookies are wonderful. 

Unique Sweetpotato Recipes

There are an abundance of unique sweetpotato recipes thanks to all of the properties listed above.

Here are 40+ of our favorites.

Unique Sweetpotato Recipes

Do you need uses for sweetpotatoes? These unique sweetpotato recipes show how versatile this pantry staple can be, such as including in nachos, smoothies, pizza crust, breads, muffins, pasta and more!

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