Microwave Sweet Potato: In 7 minutes

Microwave sweet potato
This is how sweet potatoes are cooked in just 7 minutes

We show you step by step how to prepare a sweet potato in the microwave in just seven minutes. Super easy, delicious and healthy!

Sweet potatoes are super delicious, ultra healthy and super versatile. If it weren’t for the long preparation time that sometimes spoils our appetite. Not anymore! You can cook your sweet potato in the microwave and it will save you a lot of time. Instead of waiting almost an hour for baked sweet potatoes, the microwave sweet potato is on the table within seven to ten minutes.

That’s why sweet potatoes are so healthy

Apart from the name, the South American potato doesn’t really have much in common with our native potato. Compared to regular potatoes, sweet potatoes contain more vitamins A and E. They are also rich in fiber and other nutrients and are therefore considered very healthy and nutritious. Only 100 grams of sweet potatoes cover a third of the daily requirement of vitamin E. Sweet potatoes also have one anti-inflammatory effect and can themselves positive for blood sugar levelsthe cholesterol levels and the digestion affect. Sweet potatoes are a real fit food. With just 90 kcal per 100 grams, they are relatively low in calories and keep you full for a long time.

How long do sweet potatoes take in the microwave?

The cooking time will depend on the power of your microwave and the size of the sweet potato. The guide value is: cook one minute per 100 grams of sweet potatoes. Accordingly, a medium-sized 700 gram sweet potato would take about seven minutes to cook at full power (1000 watts). If you are preparing two sweet potatoes at the same time in the microwave, increase the cooking time by about five minutes.

Microwavable Sweet Potatoes: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Wash the sweet potato thoroughly

Rinse your sweet potato under lukewarm running water and, if possible, scrub it clean with a vegetable brush. The shell should be free of dirt. This is especially useful if you like to eat the shell. After cleaning, pat the surface of the tuber dry all around with kitchen paper.

2. Prick the sweet potato with a fork

If you want to cook a sweet potato in the microwave, this step is important. Using a fork or toothpick, poke about 6 to 8 holes in the tuber’s skin. The holes don’t have to be deep. Alternatively, you can cut a large X on the top of the sweet potato.

Good to know: In the microwave, the sweet potato becomes very hot in a few seconds and steam forms between the skin and the inside of the potato. If you don’t poke holes in the skin, the steam won’t be able to escape and the sweet potato may burst. If you want to save even more time, you can also slice the sweet potato before cooking.

3. Wrap sweet potato

Dampen a kitchen towel with cold water and wrap the tuber in it. Make sure the whole sweet potato is covered. The damp cloth creates steam, which ensures that the sweet potato does not lose too much water and thus shrinks. In addition, the skin will soften more quickly due to the damp cloth.

Danger: Aluminum foil is very popular in the oven, but definitely avoid it in the microwave. The metal foil can quickly cause sparks to form and thus destroy the device!

4. Cook the sweet potato in the microwave

Cook the sweet potato according to our guidelines (see above). between seven and twelve minutes. About halfway through cooking, you should turn the sweet potato once so that both sides are evenly cooked. Is the time up? Then you can do the fork test. Poke the potato with a fork to check if it’s soft enough. If it’s still too firm for you, simply microwave it for another minute and then test again.

5. Allow sweet potato to cool

Is the sweet potato ready? Then you can carefully (caution: very hot) take them out of the microwave. Remove the kitchen towel and place them on one to cool for about five minutes cold plate. Would you like to save the sweet potato for later? Then carefully wrap them in aluminum foil. It stays warm for up to an hour.

6. Slice and garnish the sweet potato

Carefully slice the sweet potato lengthwise. Now you can either enjoy the halves pure or garnish with ingredients of your choice.
Tip: Put a teaspoon of olive oil and some salt on the sweet potato. This improves absorption of the very healthy beta-carotene found in sweet potatoes.

Topping ideas for your sweet potato dish

These side dishes go great with hearty sweet potatoes:

are you special adventurous, you can easily conjure up a dessert from the sweet potato. Because of their slightly sweet taste, sweet toppings also go well with sweet potatoes:

Can you eat sweet potatoes raw?

Yes. Sweet potatoes are wonderful as raw vegetable sticks for dipping or diced in salads. But make sure that you eat them raw in moderation, because the sweet potato, like many other vegetables, is also rich in oxalic acid. And in large quantities, it is not good for the body and can lead to digestive problems, for example.

Can you eat the skin of the sweet potato?

You can eat the skin of the sweet potato without hesitation. Because unlike the potato, whose skin contains the toxin solanine and is therefore not suitable for consumption, at least in large quantities, this is not the case with the sweet potato. On the contrary: The skin of the sweet potato is even healthy, since it contains the substance Caiapo. This is said to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and have a positive effect on the immune system. But make sure that you clean the bowl well beforehand – preferably with a vegetable brush.

Reading Tips: Want more sweet potato recipes? Then try our sweet potato curry or how about making your own sweet potato toast or sweet potato fries?

Bridget