Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet and Sassy!

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Sweet potatoes sauteed in coconut oil offer a sweet and crunchy side dish that’s ready in under half an hour, start to finish. Adding a touch of cayenne pepper brings on the sassy! But not too sassy, just in a southern belle sort of way. This duo of superfoods provides the healthy fat we need, while keeping the calorie count low. If you are lucky enough to find purple sweet potatoes, try those, as they are high in antioxidants. This budget-friendly vegan option is sure to end up on your rotation of favorite side dishes!

You’ll love the ease of chopping and sauteing a potato or two into an interesting side dish. This recipe also enables everyone to have the portion size they desire, rather than an entire potato. It’s super easy to adjust the amount of potatoes to suit your needs. The coconut and cinnamon help to keep it all on the sweet side, but you’re going to love the little zing from the cayenne pepper. Sometimes I put just the tiniest pinch of cayenne into the dish. Cayenne is very customizable on the heat side.

Speaking of heat, this is a year-round dish. Sweet potatoes seems to shout Thanksgiving! to a lot of people, but I’m thinking of summer side dishes without turning the oven on.

Something about sweet potatoes calls for coconut and cayenne, maybe because sweet potatoes originated in central and South America. These Caribbean Chicken Bowls marry coconut sugar and cayenne, giving another chance for just a hint of the cayenne, or to turn up the heat.

Our 7 Layer Dip Recipe is another example of the sweet, hot combo of coconut and cayenne.

Are Sauteed Sweet Potatoes Healthy?

Sweet potatoes usually make the top 10 of a super-food list, since they are a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and even some calcium and iron. The bright color of the flesh tells you they are chock-full of antioxidants. Coconut oil has promising benefits on many levels, such as antimicrobial and antifungal. This vegan recipe calls for a small amount of the oil, which is advisable for most diets.

The Sweet Spot

You want to be in the sweet spot with your temperature. Sauteing implies a high or medium-high heat. You want the texture to be crunchy on the outside, and moist and soft on the inside, so it’s important to keep the cubes relatively the same size. To cut down on the cooking time, cut into smaller cubes. Be sure to leave lots of room in the pan, don’t crowd the cubes! If they are piled on top of each other, they’re going to turn into more of a sweet potato mash. Don’t skip the cinnamon! It’s a small amount, but adds depth to the flavor. I recommend you at least give the cayenne pepper a try. It’ll be delicious without it, but memorable with it!

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into cubes
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Dice

Prepare sweet potato cubes.

Heat

Warm oil in skillet.

Season

Coat sweet potatoes with spices.

Sauté

Cook until tender and crispy.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Can you make ahead and store? It’s possible to saute ahead of time, but a little tricky to get the right texture back. These are easy enough to make right when you need them, so under most circumstances that’s the preferred method. Life happens, though, and so if you need to reheat, you’ll want to use the air fryer for a few minutes or oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Another option is to chop and store the raw potatoes in the fridge for a day, prior to sauteing. Covering raw potatoes in water is important to keep them from drying out in the fridge, and also draws out the starch, which some people prefer.

Must the potato be peeled?

Do sweet potatoes need to be peeled? This is a matter of preference. Be sure to scrub the potatoes thoroughly if you are leaving the skin on. Organic sweet potatoes are the best bet for leaving the skin on, in my opinion.

Can a different oil be used?

Yes, use olive oil or your choice. The coconut oil is preferred for its sweetness

Serving Suggestions

These are an easy weeknight vegan side dish that will go nicely with any type of burger, or this heavenly sandwich.

It’s an excellent choice for a special occasion side dish. I love sweet potato combined with pineapple dishes such as this pineapple-forward burger. Another pineapple pairing could include this pineapple chicken dish.

Lots of sweetness going on here, but in a good way! These are healthy sugars, lots of fiber and colors and food groups. It even would work well at a fancy brunch table, with these egg muffins or this quiche.