Name: 15-Minute Skillet Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoon avocado oil; 1 ½ pounds sweet potato (cut into ½ inch pieces. If your pieces are larger, they will take longer to cook); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (optional but I love it)

Servings servings

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Jump to Recipe

5 from 2 votes

These Skillet Sweet Potatoes are the perfect veggie side dish. Done in about 15 minutes, this versatile dish goes with so many meals, uses just 4 ingredients, and is the perfect addition to your meal prep!

Skillet sweet potatoes in a white bowl with a metal serving spoon.

Sweet potatoes are veggie staple in my house. Loaded with vitamins and easy to enjoy sweet or savory, sweet potatoes are an easy go-to meal starter. Plus they are easy to find in most places year round and can be stored in a cool dark place for weeks or often months.

This Skillet Sweet Potato recipe is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight since it is done in 15 minutes. Or make it as part of your meal prep and enjoy it easy peasy for days to come. This side dish is the perfect thing to make, since it is plant based, gluten free, and flavorful! Enjoy it with eggs for breakfast, over a salad for lunch, or with your favorite protein for dinner. However you enjoy these skillet sweet potatoes, they will deliciously make your life a little more veggie-loaded!

How to select the perfect sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a great veggie to keep on hand because they are easy to find almost year round and have a long shelf life when stored in a cool, dark place. There are several varieties of sweet potato, so it can make your head spin knowing what to look for when buying some!

Here are few things to look for when selecting sweet potatoes at the market.

Look for the potatoes with the rust colored skin. These are the most moist variety of sweet potato and have a lovely sweet flavor.
Pick sweet potatoes with smooth skin + no bruises or cracks. Especially if you plan to store your sweet potatoes for a period of time.
Opt for small or medium sweet potatoes over large or extra large. Large sweet potatoes have grown longer and tend to be dryer and can also be difficult to cut.

Diced sweet potato on a cutting board with a knife.

Can I leave the peel on a sweet potato?

Some people leave the peel of the sweet potato on (like me!) which is fine as long as the potato has been cleaned well and free of dirt and debris.

Tips & Tricks

Cut sweet potato into even pieces. This will help them to cook at evenly in the skillet.

Cook until your potatoes are fork tender. Every stove and skillet conducts heat a bit differently. Some might cook faster than others. You will know your potatoes are done when you can easily spear a piece with a fork and they should have a lovely crisp browning on the outside. Also, don’t be afraid to taste a piece to make sure it is done to your preference.

Don’t walk away from the potatoes! Sweet potatoes contain natural sugars that can easily burn, so be sure to stir them often when cooking.

Do not skip covering the sweet potatoes. This holds in the heat and moisture, helping the skillet sweet potatoes to cook up quickly and help to prevent burning.

Suggested Adaptations

Change up the seasonings. Add cumin, thyme, paprika, chili powder and/or black pepper.
Use butter instead of oil. If dairy free is not needed!
Use broth instead of oil. About 1/2 cup of broth can be used if you are trying to avoid oil.

Other sweet potato recipes

Loving these sweet potato recipe and are hungry for more?

Sign up so that my newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox. And be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all kinds of veggie-loaded and healthy living ideas!

Sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes