Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do sweet potatoes cook faster or slower than regular potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes generally cook faster than russet potatoes. However, the size of the potato and cooking method will affect the cooking time. Is it better to microwave or bake a sweet potato? A microwave is the fastest way to cook a sweet potato, however baking will result in a better texture.

Because of the type and nature of the carbohydrates they contain, both potatoes and sweet potatoes fill us up, give us energy, and leave us satiated for a long time. As a bonus, sweet potatoes often satisfy sugar cravings, especially if they're baked and caramelized.

Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish. Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.

Browning butter packs in tons of flavor, without dulling the sweet potatoes. Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness. A touch of maple syrup, butter, and a bit of chopped thyme are the only embellishments these naturally sweet sweet potatoes need.

The longer and slower you cook a sweet potato, the more maltose is formed and the sweeter it will taste.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wrap each frozen sweet potato in aluminum foil, adding aromatics if desired, and seal tightly so that there are no loose seams. Place wrapped sweet potatoes on prepared baking sheet and place in oven.

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.

A good rule of thumb for whole baked sweet potatoes: 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees F; 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F; 1 and 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F. You'll know the sweet potatoes are done by piercing the center of the sweet potato with the tip of a sharp knife; the flesh should yield easily.

Just one sweet potato gives you 102% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Why do I feel hungry after eating sweet potato? ›

Even though sweet potatoes are very nutritious, they are both sweet-tasting, and high in carbohydrates. Foods that have those properties tend to spike hunger.

Boil the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot until soft, about 25 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, add the butter, cream, agave, cinnamon and salt, and mash until smooth. Sprinkle with the orange zest.

While boiling makes sweet potatoes tender, it doesn't help much with their flavor. Most dishes that call for boiled sweet potatoes would be improved if you used roasted or baked sweet potatoes.

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

If you want the sweetest of sweet potatoes, that is where time comes in. Flavor improves with storage, as starch is converted to sugar. Let the roots dry in the sun until you can easily brush the soil off. Then cure by storing 10 to 14 days in a warm, humid place around 85 degrees.

“When potatoes begin to sprout, the growths have a high concentration of compounds called glycoalkaloids that can cause a sharp, unpleasant, bitter taste,” write BA staffer Antara Sinha and contributor Amiel Stanek.

Sweet potatoes, like fine cabernets, get better with age. Fresh out of the ground, they are considered “green” and have a high degree of starch. But if handled properly, their starch converts to sugar and, when cooked, sweet potatoes live up to their sugary appellation.

You need to cure them after harvest for several reasons. First, curing allows any cuts, abrasions or bruises to heal which allows for better storability of roots. Second, curing is when the roots develop their flavors and starches are converted into sugars that give sweet potatoes their sweetness and flavor.