71 Sensational Sweet Potato Recipes

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At less than 50 cents per pound, sweet potatoes are among the top money-saving staple foods available. Plus, their fiber and beta carotene content make them nutritional powerhouses. So how do you start incorporating them into your meals more often? Try some of these 71 sensational sweet potato recipes to get on the right track. (See also: Eating Vegan on the Cheap)

1. Casserole

For years, I wasn't fond of sweet potatoes. Then, a fellow expat friend on Guam made this sweet potato casserole for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner. I was hooked.

2. Fries

Searching for a slightly more nutritious alternative to russet fries? These guaranteed crispy sweet potato fries from The Art of Doing Stuff make the hearty tuber suitable for backyard burger night.

3. Pie

I love any recipe that lets me take a produce item that’s traditionally served savory and put a sweet spin on it. This sweet potato sweet potato pie recipe from Savory Sweet Life does just that.

4. Biscuits

Just like canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes can be used to enhance the nutritional value of a variety of baked goods. These sweet potato biscuits featured in the Boston Globe are one such example.

5. Baked Chips

One of several painless ways to cut calories is to consider baking over frying. These baked chips from Oh My Veggies use sweet potatoes seasoned with garlic and rosemary for a healthier snack.

6. Mashed

If I’m going to go to the trouble of making mashed potatoes, I’m going to do it in bulk so I can enjoy my efforts for several weeks to come. Mashed spuds are one of my favorite once-a-month cooking recipes and can be prepared with sweet potatoes just as easily as white ones. These low-fat mashed sweet potatoes from Diabetes Life makes a great starter recipe.

7. Two-Toned Dinner Side

I’m a huge fan of simple dinner sides that I can put together with minimal effort. That’s why I like roasting small chunks of sweet potatoes with pieces of beet, parsnips, or Spanish potatoes. The result is an interesting side dish that doesn’t require much mixing and is composed of whole plant foods.

8. Soup

Making soup for dinner typically means I get to use my crock pot and set dinner on autopilot. A few soup garnishes chopped and set aside is usually my only extra effort. Works for me. This soup recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod features nutritional powerhouses such as spinach, sweet potatoes, and lentils.

9. Bread

One of the most powerful ways to battle bread costs is to bake your own. This sweet potato and pecan quick bread recipe makes a great breakfast treat or menu addition for an afternoon tea.

10. Scalloped

As often as my mother served scalloped spuds when I was growing up, it surprises me that I’ve never thought to try something similar with sweet potatoes before. These smoked chili scalloped sweet potatoes from Bobby Flay do just that with spicy flair.

11. Candied

Candied sweet potatoes are a favorite of many southern cooks. Weight Watcher’s version keeps the flavor factor high and the calorie count low. Score!

12. Sweet Potato Salad

Using sweet potatoes in a dish typically reserved for standard spuds might be a bit unexpected, but the result is simply divine. This sweet potato salad from Gluten Free Goddess uses minimal ingredients and no mayo to create a preferred picnic recipe for penny pinchers and potato fans alike.

13. Cobbler

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional decadent dessert, and this sweet potato cobbler recipe from Saveur just might save the day the next time company drops by unexpectedly.

14. Latkes

These healthy latkes from Men’s Fitness magazine take sweet potatoes international. Choose low-fat sour cream for an even greater calorie reduction.

15. Pancakes

Starchy enough to make a sturdy breakfast, sweet potatoes are an excellent pancake ingredient. You might also enjoy savory pancakes for dinner.

16. Sweet Potato Butter

Many minds go straight to pumpkins and apples when it comes to condiment butters you can enjoy with baked goods. Now sweet potato butter can come to mind, too.

17. Gnocchi

If you can make regular gnocchi with russets, it isn’t that much of a mental leap to envision a recipe prepared with sweet potatoes.

18. Turnovers

I adore puff pastry recipes when I need to prepare something fancy on short notice. These savory sweet potato turnovers are a great addition to my list of faves.

19. Veggie Burgers

One of the first things people exploring a plant-based diet want to try is veggie burgers. These vegan sweet potato burgers from the Lunch Box Bunch pair well with avocados, mushrooms, red onions, and lots more.

20. Baked

One of my favorite cheap, healthy meals that’s fast to put together is plain baked sweet potatoes with a green veggie and a helping of canned vegetarian baked beans from your pantry’s store of meal-ready canned foods.

21. Chili

If you’re searching for a colorful addition to your list of vegetarian crock pot recipes, consider a chili made with sweet potatoes.

22. Puffs

For basic dinner potato puffs, I go with store-bought versions for both regular and sweet potatoes. These homemade sweet potato puffs from Taste of Home are more of a dessert.

23. Twice Baked

They might be a bit too much work for a weeknight meal, but twice-baked sweet potatoes with bacon-sesame brittle might be suitable for your next dinner party.

24. Soufflé

Soufflés are a fancy addition to any sit-down menu. Bonus? They’re usually inexpensive to prepare. This sweet potato soufflé recipe from Emeril is worthy of a holiday table and a glass of champagne.

25. Hash

This quick-and-simple hash recipe from Eating Out Loud uses sweet potatoes, green onions, red pepper, and apples for a sturdy morning side dish.

26. Curry

Meatless curries are a great way to keep things cheap on the grocery front. This red lentil curry from Tree Hugger incorporates sweet potatoes and other flavorful ingredients for a fast, frugal meal.

27. Doughnuts

Who doesn’t love doughnuts? They’re even more decadent when you can put an ethnic spin to them, as with these Cajun sweet potato beignets.

28. Flat Bread

Making flat bread is much simpler than dealing with raised dough, and it doesn’t require an oven. This recipe for sweet potato roti from Chef in You provides a fun alternative to pitas.

29. Stuffing

Alternative stuffing recipes are great to have on hand, especially when you’re serving something besides turkey. This sweet potato and mushroom veggie stuffing from Poor Girl Eats Well looks like it would be perfect as a side dish for baked fish.

30. Enchiladas

Enchiladas make a hearty main dish no matter what you stuff them with, but especially so when you stuff them with sweet potatoes and black beans.

31. Cake

Personally, I think bundt cake is an unsung hero. It serves up stylishly, and it doesn’t require three different specialty pans and a three-day frosting effort to complete the job. This bundt cake from Martha Stewart includes bourbon and sweet potatoes.

32. Home Fries

If you love a hearty breakfast, home fries deserve a seat at your table. This sweet potato version from Ebony magazine makes sure you’re incorporating a super food in your morning routine.

33. Cheesecake

This coconut and sweet potato cheesecake recipe from Bon Appetit magazine is both decadent and stylish.

34. Served With Soba Noodles

This broth-based Japanese soup recipe featured in the New York Times includes sweet potatoes along with soba noodles and other vegetables for a light and satisfying meal.

35. Sandwich Spread

A sassy spread can boost sandwiches from hum drum to halleluiah. This sweet potato sandwich spread looks perfect for a leftover turkey sandwich.

36. Panini

One of my favorite sandwich ideas is toasting both the bread and the fillings to create a warm meal with a blended flavor pairing. This roasted sweet potato panini is a great example of that strategy and provides a filling lunch option.

37. Muffins

Muffins make for a terrific snack, breakfast, or dinner side if you keep them savory.

38. Poi

This poi recipe combines sweet potatoes and coconut for a twist on the traditional mashed variety many people serve during the colder months.

39. Tart

This colorful sweet potato and onion tart brings variety and warmth to the table. Try with asparagus tips, haricots verts, or sautéed greens.

40. Fritters

Fritters are a favorite of many when it comes to tasty, warm treats suitable for feeding a small crowd. These fritters from Running to the Kitchen include corn, cheddar, and sweet spuds.

41. Pudding

When you’re looking for an after dinner sweet you can put together from your pantry, pudding can be the perfect solution. This pudding recipe featured on Taste of Home uses orange peels and raisins to further enhance its flavor.

42. Sweet Potato and Salmon Cakes

If the standard salmon-cake variety is a little too lackluster in color for you, try these cakes featured on MSNBC. They include orange tubers instead of the expected white ones and could easily be created using canned salmon instead of fresh.

43. Medallions

This is one of the easiest ways to use the giant sweet potatoes frequently on super sale at Save-a-Lot. They are often available at less than 40 cents per pound, and their diameter is large enough that slicing inch-thick medallions produces a sort of “steak” that can serve as a great dinner side. Prep is easy. Put some olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish or spritz it with baking spray, and add the medallions. Cover with a bit of tin foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes or until tender. This keeps them from drying out, yet still gives a nice caramelized look when you flip the round steaks over onto the dinner plates.

44. Salad Add-In

Roasting up sweet potatoes and using them for salad add-ins just as you would with beets is a great way to use them in conjunction with fresh, raw produce. This particular salad recipe from New York Magazine includes walnuts for extra protein and pomegranates for fun.

45. Sweet Potato Skins

As someone who is always on the lookout for potato ideas suitable for family dining, I was especially excited to see these Mexican potato skins which are prepared with sweet rather than conventional spuds. Loaded with roasted corn kernels, black beans, cilantro, and more, they are a fun game-night alternative to nachos and full of win.

46. Spoon Bread

This spoon bread recipe from Better Homes and Gardens pairs sweet potatoes with another incredibly affordable and versatile pantry staple — cornmeal — to create a rustic baked good that makes a great addition to a coffee or brunch gathering.

47. Grilled

If you’re looking for fresh and frugal ideas for a vegan barbecue, then these chipotle sweet potato skewers with cilantro lime rice should be just the ticket. The skewers include purple potatoes for color variation and could benefit from the addition of grilled mushrooms if you happen to have some in the fridge.

48. Shepherd’s Pie

For a colorful alternative to the standard recipe, try this orange-topped version of veggie shepherd’s pie from the BBC. It’s an interesting addition to our list of recipes for dinner pies, which are always a hearty way to put dinner on the table without too much expense.

49. Cannelloni

Using this root vegetable in place of pasta is perfect way to reduce processed flour and keeps things interesting as well. Martha Steward shows us how in this cannelloni recipe.

50. Mousse

Trying to keep things elegant and healthy at the same time? This sweet potato mousse (PDF) recipe from the Cleveland Clinic helps you get started.

51. Flan

This fun flan recipe with a chocolate spider’s web on top is a good one to put in your archives for Halloween. The fact that it uses nutritious sweet potatoes is an added bonus.

52. Rolls

Dinner rolls are a great addition to a meal, particularly when you are hosting a moderate to large crowd. And since we’re up to #52 on this list, you've probably already guessed it — you can make them with sweet potatoes.

53. Grits

Grits can be paired with everything from jam to refried beans and shrimp to blue cheese. These sweet-spud-flavored grits from Budget Bytes are particularly affordable, ringing in at only 27 cents per serving.

54. Chaat

Searching for a flavorful side salad to serve with your favorite flat bread? This chaat recipe from the ladies at Show Me the Curry is a tasty solution that’s packed with both fiber and flavor.

55. Caribbean Croquettes

For a full-flavored dinner addition that’s short on ingredients, try these Caribbean croquettes. The recipe includes cheapies like jalapeno peppers, scallions, allspice, and canola oil for a simple side that can be prepared in a frying pan.

56. Burritos

These burritos from Girl Versus Dough make a filling vegetarian option on any night of the week. They use cilantro, salsa, tortillas, and black beans to maximize food diversity in a single meal.

57. Stew

It may seem to be the same as soup at first glance, but stew is in fact much sturdier. This pork and sweet spud stew from Woman’s Day demonstrates that and adds a spicy spin.

58. Stuffed

These loaded Mexican spuds from The Lean Green Bean use avocados, quinoa, and other whole plant foods to create a satisfyingly casual meal that’s also fun. Since the toppings can be customized for individual taste preferences, these are particularly suited to those occasions when you’re cooking for kids.

59. Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a popular homespun dessert offering at diners across North America. Flavor add-ins run the gamut from blueberries and pumpkin to raisins and peaches. This bread pudding made with sweet potatoes is an extra sturdy sweet treat.

60. Koftas

Fans of Indian food will love these vegetarian koftas made with sweet potatoes, seasonings, and a savory gravy that’s easily veganized. Perfect with a side of plain basmati rice.

61. Samosas

Who says regular potatoes are the only thing you can use to stuff your samosas? This samosa recipe from the Australian website Taste uses sweet potatoes instead.

62. Spanish Omelet

For some, there’s nothing like a rich Spanish omelet at the end of a long day. They make an excellent dinner and pair well with salads and wine spritzers. This example from Eclectic Recipes uses green peppers, sweet onions, bacon, and of course, sweet potatoes, resulting in a seriously satisfying meal.

63. Quesadillas

When you’re looking for something besides cheese to fill your quesadillas, it’s important to choose something that will help bind the other ingredients together and hold the tortillas in place. Sweet potatoes will do the trick. The vegan-friendly recipe includes both quinoa and black beans for extra protein, too.

64. Pate

Pairing pate with crackers and a couple of finger foods is a simple, cost-effective way to entertain on the fly. This pate recipe featured in the Seattle Times adds chick peas and cashews to the sweet potato mix to keep things protein-rich and full-flavored.

65. Hummus

This hummus recipe from Washingtonian magazine has a definite kick, provided by ingredients like cayenne, garlic, and ground pepper.

66. Falafel

Make your next meal Middle Eastern with a twist, using this sweet potato falafel recipe from the people at Fat Free Vegan. Because it uses garbanzo flour instead of bread crumbs, the resulting treat is also gluten free. Score!

67. Ravioli

If winter squash can be used to stuff ravioli, why not sweet potatoes? This sweet spud ravioli from Green Global Travel uses mushrooms and mascarpone to deepen the flavor, while the people from the website Reclaiming Provincial keep things vegan with their incorporation of roasted chilies and coconut milk into this ravioli recipe.

68. Dip

Using pita crisps or crudités to dunk into this sweet potato dip recipe from Epicurious keeps things casual while incorporating wholesome nutrition into your entertainment plan.

69. Tagine

Try your hand at ethnic fare with this chickpea and sweet potato tagine from Rustic Kitchen. It incorporates Moroccan flair with the use of cayenne, coriander, ginger, and other spices.

70. Wraps

Who doesn’t love a savory wrap? This version from Oh My Veggies incorporates kale along with sweet potatoes for a luscious lunch that ranks high on the nutrition density index.

71. Chowder

Sweet potatoes have lots to offer the chowder scene. This sweet corn chowder from Spark People is a great example of that. It uses instant potatoes as a thickener, providing another use for that shelf-stable pantry staple.

The versatility of this brightly-colored tuber is certainly evident. Usable for everything from pasta and burrito fillings to falafel and koftas, sweet potatoes have lots to offer for a relatively low price.

What are your favorite ways to serve these orange bundles of goodness?