Microwave sweet potatoes come out perfectly fluffy and tender every time – and only take about 10 minutes! These make a great dinner side dish or base for a complete meal.
I’m a potato lover through and through.
They are a vegetable, they are a real food grown in the earth and they are full of nutrition.
Plus, they are so incredibly tasty and versatile. You’ll never help me understand people who stay away from potatoes. No way, no how.
Normally, my easy microwave baked potatoes are a dinner go to. So quick, so simple, so fluffy.
But I also adore sweet potatoes. I roast them, bake them, stuff them and even use them for sweet potato toast.
And today I’m so happy to share these microwave sweet potatoes, which are quick and easy to make and totally hands off.
Normally, baking sweet potatoes can take an hour or more. And many nights, I just don’t have that kind of time. (Or I haven’t gotten a chance to get dinner started that far in advance.)
Microwave potatoes to the rescue!
They cook up so quickly, they cook evenly and they get so soft and tender. Those fluffy strands of sweet and creamy potato goodness - swoon!
You can’t beat it!
(You might also want to check out Instant Pot sweet potatoes; easy and hands off, but a bit more time than the microwave.)
Plus, I have been without an oven for FOUR months now. They are supposedly coming back next week - for the fourth time - to replace yet another part. I’m not holding my breath and I really kind-of hate GE appliances now.
Sorry, rant over. Moving on.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up on how to make microwave sweet potatoes. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making microwave sweet potatoes:
- It helps to have evenly sized sweet potatoes — especially how thick and round they are — so they’ll cook in the same time. (However, you can also pull them out as they are ready if you have different sizes.)
- Be sure to scrub your sweet potatoes thoroughly before you cook them so they’ll be clean and ready to eat. (I have and adore this brush.)
- You also need to be sure to poke the potatoes with a fork before you cook them in the microwave. This helps the steam escape as they cook. I usually poke them 2 to 3 times on each side.
- When the time is up, get a towel or oven mitt and gently squeeze the sides of the potato. If it gives without resistance and starts to open up, it’s ready. If it still seems a bit firm, microwave for another minute at a time until tender. If your potatoes are different sizes, remove the ones that are tender and continue cooking only the ones that need additional time.
- It’s not necessary to turn your potatoes over during the cook time. However, you certainly can and it can be helpful for larger or fatter potatoes to get them to cook evenly and a bit more quickly.
Finally, a caveat that microwave times can vary, particularly by wattage. After the first try or two, you should be able to tell whether you need to add a little time to yours from the baseline I set out here.
Also, since I know this is your main question, let’s tackle the specifics about timing.
How long do you cook a sweet potato in the microwave?
- The time depends on the number of sweet potatoes and the size of your potatoes.
- For 1 medium-sized sweet potato, start with 5-6 minutes.
- For 2 medium-sized potatoes, start with 8 minutes of microwave time.
- For 4 potatoes, start with 10-11 minutes in the microwave.
- When the time is up, get a towel or oven mitt and gently squeeze the sides of the sweet potato. If it gives without resistance and starts to open up, it's ready. If it still seems a bit firm, return to the microwave for another minute at a time until tender.
It’s really so easy and you can always add a bit more time if yours need longer. You’ll be able to tell with that “squeeze test,” as I can call it.
OK, let’s finish these babies off so we can dig in!
Topping ideas for sweet potatoes:
- Butter, sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled blue cheese, or feta or goat cheese
- Crumbled cooked bacon
- Chopped chives or fresh herbs
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Sprinkle of paprika or other seasoning
And of course, you can mix and match any of these for fun combinations.
So many options!
I hope you give these a try the next time you need a quick and easy sweet potato side dish - or just when you don’t have room in your oven. (Or don’t have a working oven like me right now. )
They make it so easy to enjoy sweet potatoes more often!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. I have a recipe coming up tomorrow that uses these sweet potatoes as the start to a full meal, so stay tuned. (Update: Check out these taco stuffed sweet potatoes for a fun and healthy family dinner!)
You can also sign up for my free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you!
Microwave sweet potatoes
Ingredients
- 1-4 medium sweet potatoes
Optional toppings:
- Salt and pepper; butter, Greek yogurt or sour cream; shredded cheese, blue cheese, or feta or goat cheese; crumbled bacon; chopped chives or fresh herbs; hot sauce or sriracha; avocado or guac; salsa or pico de gallo; paprika or other seasonings, etc.
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes. Poke each sweet potato 5-6 times with a fork - I do it a few times on each side. Place potatoes directly onto the microwave plate.
- Microwave on high. The time depends on the number of sweet potatoes and the size of your potatoes. For 1 medium-sized sweet potato, start with 5-6 minutes. For 2 medium-sized potatoes, start with 8 minutes microwave time. For 4 potatoes, start with 10-11 minutes in the microwave.
- When the time is up, get a towel or oven mitt and gently squeeze the sides of the sweet potato. If it gives without resistance and starts to open up, it's ready. If it still seems a bit firm, return to the microwave for another minute at a time until tender.
Notes
Nutrition
chris david
Preach it...! I appreciate you chiming in from the recipients point of view.
Great insights 🙂
Mary Slanker
This recipe was delicious. I tried this, and my mom just loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so glad you enjoyed sweet potatoes made this way! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊