How to steam sweet potatoes in microwave

Download Article

Table of Contents Show

Things You Should Know
Things You’ll Need
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
Did this article help you?
How long does it take to microwave a sweet potato in the microwave?
How do you steam sweet potatoes at home?
What is the best way to microwave sweet potatoes?
How do you steam sweet potatoes without a steamer?

Download Article

Are you short on time? Looking for a delicious meal quick? Bite into a fluffy sweet potato with this easy microwave cooking method. Microwaving sweet potatoes is quick, easy, and you’ll achieve the same sweet, caramelization that you’d get from baking your potato in the oven. The sweet potato’s thin skin will puff to a crisp finish and inside you’ll discover a sweet pillowy flesh. Eat your delicious sweet potato plain, or try an almost endless variety of exciting toppings to create a different tasting sweet potato every time!

Things You Should Know

Spear your potato several times with a fork so the steam has room to escape in the microwave.
Wrap your sweet potato in a damp paper towel. Never use aluminum foil, which can damage your microwave and potentially start a fire.
Microwave your potato for 5 minutes before turning it over, followed by another 3-5 minute session. If it still isn't cooked, microwave it in 1-minute increments.
Garnish your microwaved potato with delicious topping combos like chives, melted butter, and sour cream or brown sugar, melted butter, and salt.

1
Wash your sweet potatoes. Clean your sweet potatoes under cool running water and scrub with a produce scrubbing brush. Make sure to clean your potatoes well. Pat your potato dry with a paper towel.
- This is especially important if you enjoy eating the sweet potato skin.
2
Pierce the skin with a fork. Prick the skin of your sweet potato about six to eight times all around. When you heat your sweet potato in the microwave, it warms up quickly and steam gathers in-between the fleshy inside and the skin. If you don't poke holes in the skin for the steam to escape, your potato will explode in the microwave.[1]
- You only need to open small holes in the skin, so don't stab your potato deeply with your fork.[2]
- Alternatively, you can cut a shallow "X" onto the top of the potato, using a knife.
- Trust me, you do not want to skip this step!
Advertisement
3
Wrap your sweet potato for cooking. Take a full-sized paper towel and dampen it with cold water. Gently squeeze out the excess water and take care not to rip the towel. Lay the towel flat on a microwavable plate and place your sweet potato in the center of the paper towel. Cover the potato by loosely folding the sides of the paper towel over it.
- The wet paper towel will provide a steaming effect when microwaving your sweet potato.
- This will also help to keep the potato moist and prevent it from shrinking, and it will also result in softer skin.
- Never use aluminum foil for microwave cooking! Do not wrap your sweet potato in metal foil while cooking in the microwave. This will cause sparking and is a potential fire hazard. Doing this will also break your microwave.
4
Put the plate in the microwave and select a cooking time. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the potato and the power of the microwave. Most medium to large potatoes will take between 8-12 minutes to cook at full power.[3]
- Try putting the potato in for 5 minutes to begin with, then take it out and turn it over so that both sides cook evenly. Place it back in the microwave for another 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft it is already.
- After that, if it still doesn't feel fully cooked, continue to microwave it in 1 minute bursts, checking after each minute.[4]
- If you are cooking multiple potatoes at once, you will need to increase the cooking time by about two-thirds. For example, if one large potato takes 10 minutes to cook, two large potatoes would take between 16-17 minutes.
- If you prefer crispy skinned sweet potatoes, you can cook the potatoes in the microwave for 5-6 minutes, then unwrap your sweep potato and transfer it to a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 400 °F (204 °C) for 20 minutes. This method is great if you want oven-crisp potato skins, in less than half the normal cooking time![5]
5
Check your sweet potato for doneness. Be careful when removing the sweet potato from the microwave. Both the potato and the plate will be hot! The potato should yield to firm pressure but not be too mushy. If the potato is too firm, microwave again for 1 minute increments, until cooked through. You can check if a potato is cooked by sticking a fork in the center; if the fork goes in easily, but the center is still a little firm, the potato is ready.
- When in doubt, it is best to err on the side of undercooking, as an overcooked potato may burn or explode in the microwave.
6
Let your sweet potato cool. Unwrap your potato completely and discard the damp paper towel. It's a good idea to let your sweet potato cool for about five minutes. This allows the core of the potato to finish cooking using the heat that is trapped in the inner layers. It also helps it to become fluffy on the inside without over-drying on the outside.
- If you are saving a potato for someone who's running late, wrapping the potato in aluminum foil will keep it warm for a remarkably long time. Just be sure to do this as soon as it comes out of the microwave, to conserve as much heat as possible.
7
Serve the potato. Cut the potato in half and enjoy.

1
Create a savory sweet potato. Top off your sweet potato with a classic dose of the works. Add melted butter, a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of pepper, a scoop of sour cream, and a little bit of diced chives.[6]
- Small pieces of bacon or sliced sausage go well with this one, if you are craving a little meat.
2
Create a sweeter sweet potato. Sprinkle your sweet potato with a dusting of brown sugar, butter, and salt. This sweet potato is yummy enough to be a desert![7]
- You can also sprinkle a little maple syrup on top.
- If you are feeling adventurous and craving sweets, try adding a dash of whipped cream.
3
Experiment. You can add a combination of the toppings above or try things like:[8]
- Sliced avocado
- Salsa
- Yellow mustard
- Fried egg
- Diced onions or cilantro.
- You can also enjoy your sweet potato with your favorite condiment such as mustard, ketchup, or steak sauce.
4
Serve with a side. There are tons of options for your sweet potato meal. Whip up a quick dinner salad, add a side of applesauce, or enjoy with a cup of yogurt. Or, add to a fully cooked meal of steak, grilled chicken, or a vegetable medley!

Add New Question

Question
Is it essential to put it into a paper towel?

Not necessarily - you can put it in a bowl with a little bit of water, cover it with a plate, and then microwave it and it will cook.
Question
Will the paper towel catch fire?

No, and even if fire were a risk with microwaving paper towels, the steam from the potato would keep the paper towel damp enough to avoid that.
Question
How do I cook a sweet potato in oven

Place foil on the bottom and rap it to cover the entire potato. It takes at least 45 minutes to make but the flavor and seasoning brings out quality of the potato. The time is so worth it.

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Sweet potatoes and yams are different vegetables.[9] Most sweet potato varieties are the same shape and size; they have tapered ends and they are quite smaller than yams. Sweet potatoes are not as starchy or dry as yams, although both tubers have a similar flavor. If you have accidentally purchased yams, you can cook them the same way; chances are you won’t know the difference.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) rates sweet potatoes as the #1 most nutritional vegetable.[10]
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!
Some microwaves have a "baked potato" button; use that when in doubt.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Show More Tips

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

If you don’t plan to cook sweet potatoes right after you purchase them, you should store them in a cool, dark and dry place. Don’t store them in the refrigerator or they will dry out.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!
A little extra fat will increase your intake of the beta-carotene contained in the potatoes. You can simply add a tablespoon (15 ml) of extra virgin olive oil to the potato if you don’t plan to serve it with anything else.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Things You’ll Need

Microwave oven
Microwave safe cooking dish
knife
Paper towels (optional)
Cloth kitchen towel
Fork

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To cook your sweet potato in the microwave, first scrub it under cool running water. To make sure it doesn’t explode in the microwave, prick the sweet potato 6-8 times with a fork. Wrap the potato in a damp paper towel, place it on a plate, and microwave it for 3-5 minutes on each side until you can stick a fork in easily, but the center is still firm. If it’s still too hard, continue microwaving in 1 minute increments. When your sweet potato is fully cooked, unwrap it and let it cool for 5 minutes, then cut it in half and enjoy. Keep reading the article for more tips about what you can use as toppings for your sweet potato!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,257,076 times.

Reader Success Stories

"Have never tried a sweet potato in the microwave, mine turned out excellent. Never cared to purchase the potato, it..." more

Did this article help you?

How long does it take to microwave a sweet potato in the microwave?

Place the sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 5-10 minutes—five minutes to cook one sweet potato in the microwave, and add two minutes for each additional potato—rotating them halfway through. You are done microwaving your sweet potatoes when a fork spears into them easily.

How do you steam sweet potatoes at home?

Add water until it reaches 1 inch below the bottom of the basket. Put the sweet potatoes in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and allow the potatoes to steam until you can insert a paring knife without resistance, about 30 minutes.

What is the best way to microwave sweet potatoes?

Step 1Wash sweet potato thoroughly, pat dry, and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place potato on microwave-safe plate and microwave 5 minutes, turning halfway through. Step 2If your potato isn't fork tender after 5 minutes, continue microwaving in 30 second increments.

How do you steam sweet potatoes without a steamer?

The technique is simple: fill a medium pot with 1/2 inch of water, place three golf ball–sized balls of aluminum foil on the bottom, rest a heat-proof plate on top of the foil balls, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Add vegetables to the plate, cover, and steam until crisp-tender.