There’s more to sweet potatoes than butter and casseroles, and in this post, I’m sharing countless baked sweet potato toppings you can use to turn plain potatoes into a satisfying and healthy meal.
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Toppings for Sweet Potatoes
I love using sweet potatoes to build a quick dinner or serve alongside an entreé. They are rich in fiber and beta-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A, a.k.a, the stuff we need for healthy skin and vision.
Not to mention they’re savory-sweet flavor makes them a versatile ingredient for all sorts of recipes.
Sometimes I like to slice and bake them into fries, but I often bake them whole and serve them as a baked potato bar with various toppings. It’s a no-pressure way to get my kids to try new things and make dinner fun.
Best Baked Sweet Potato Toppings
Outside of butter, there are so many delicious ingredients to load onto a baked sweet potato. You can go savory, sweet, or a little of both! Here’s a few ingredients to get you started:
Veggies, legumes, and herbs:
- Roasted peppers and onions: leftovers from fajita or taco night make an awesome topping!
- Sun dried tomatoes: bold, vibrant, and sure to make your day.
- Sauteed spinach: packed with flavor and blends deliciously into creamy sweet potato.
- Sautéed cabbage: unique and adds that crunch we all crave.
- Mushrooms: white, brown, or portobello are all amazing choices.
- Lentils: nutty and loaded with plant protein so you can hit those goals.
- Chickpeas: this Greek-inspired dish goes perfect with a little olive oil and lemon!
- Hummus: customize your portions with olives, lemon, or garlic for great flavor.
- Fresh herbs: rosemary, basil, or sage leaves are all great choices.
Taco-inspired:
- Cooked taco meat: take taco night to a new level with this bold, healthy idea!
- Guacamole: pair with corn or beans for a sweet and tangy flavor.
- Diced Avocado: that leftover avocado has been waiting for this moment.
- Pico de Gallo: fresh, vibrant, and irresistible.
- Black beans: this Mexican-inspired fusion of flavors is epic!
- Chunky avocado salsa: smooth and creamy flavor in each bite.
High-protein:
- Shredded chicken + sauce: from marinara, to buffalo or even salsa verde, you can’t go wrong with this delicious combo.
- Bacon, cooked and chopped: loaded bacon sweet potato? Yes, please!
- Greek yogurt: a dollup mixed with chopped green onions adds the perfect balance of flavor.
- Shredded or soft cheese: cheese can be topped on almost everything and adds that flavor we all adore.
- Cottage Cheese: is it a potato party without the creamy cheese??
- Fried egg: a sweet and savory combo that is the best breakfast pick me up.
- Chorizo: want a little extra, this protein-filled topping is epic.
Extra crunchiness:
- Pecans: sweet potato + toasted pecans = a dream side.
- Chopped walnuts: mini crunch in every creamy bite-sign me up.
- Corn Flakes: you know that crispy texture we all love? It actually makes the finest topping, just like we love on sweet potato casserole.
Dessert-worthy:
- Marshmallow: we all love this Thanksgiving tradition, so let’s eat it more!
- Berries: colorful, and an easy way to use leftover fruit.
- Sliced bananas: indulge in this healthy, dessert-like experience!
- Honey or maple syrup: naturally sweet and perfectly creamy.
- Almond or peanut butter: drizzle over the top with honey, cinnamon, or your favorite spices.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes Fast
To bake sweet potatoes in the oven, rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the potatoes individually and place in a 425F oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender through the center.
For the crockpot method, rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the potatoes individually and place them in the slow cooker dish. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until tender when poked with a fork.
To microwave sweet potatoes, cook on high power for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, in 1-minute intervals, pausing in between each interval to check for doneness.
It can take only 30 minutes to bake sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes.
With the air fryer method, set it to 400F; the sweet potatoes will be cooked in 35 to 45 minutes.
Regardless of the method used for cooking the sweet potatoes, start with medium-sized potatoes, washed and poked with a knife so steam can escape during cooking.
Baked Sweet Potato Recipes
Here are a few ways to combine popular sweet potato toppings, including some of the ones you’ll see in the video below:
Savory combos:
- Taco Sweet Potato: All your favorite taco stuffings loaded onto a potato. Ground taco meat, guacamole, cheese, and topped off with sour cream.
- BBQ Chicken Potato: smoky and sweet shredded BBQ chicken, shredded Cheddar, and a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
- Southwest Potato: a vegetarian meal packed with flavor and protein. Black beans and corn, salsa, diced avocado, and sour cream. Feeling fancy, give it a drizzle of Cilantro Lime Ranch.
- Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato: a new and healthier way to enjoy buffalo chicken. Top a sweet potato with shredded buffalo chicken, blue cheese crumbles, a drizzle of Ranch dressing, and green onions.
- Breakfast Potato: the perfect breakfast for dinner dish with 4 ingredients: cooked bacon, diced avocado, a fried egg. Feel free to add cheese or pico de gallo.
- Broccoli & Cheddar: classic potato toppings but over a sweet potato, it’s cheesy, savory, sweet, and pure goodness.
- Shakshuka Potato: baked eggs in a savory tomato sauce over a sweet potato.
Sweet combos:
- PB & J: sweet and savory with peanut butter and fresh berries.
- The Elvis Potato: try this epic combination of peanut butter, chocolate chips, and sliced bananas over a baked sweet potato for a better-for-you dessert.
- Sweet Potato Pie: want to keep it simple? Top a baked sweet potato with butter, cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Classy, easy, and oh so good!
- Protein Potato: pack on the protein in a creamy, delicious combination with Ricotta or cottage cheese and fresh berries.
- Roasted Apples & Cinnamon Potato: the combination of sweet potato with apple pie filling is another wholesome dessert that’s out of this world.
These ideas aren’t the only way I enjoy loading sweet potatoes, there are also some delicious ways to enjoy sweet potatoes as toast. My favorite: mashed avocado, topped with a fried egg- it’s heavenly.
Make-Ahead Baked Sweet Potatoes
Prepping baked potatoes ahead is another bonus to making incredible meals fast. Bake them in the slow cooker, oven, or microwave until cooked through, wrap them with foil, and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. This way, you have perfectly cooked potatoes ready to be reheated, stuffed, and eaten.
36 Baked Sweet Potato Topping Ideas
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, baked
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- Salsa
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Slice each baked sweet potato, lengthwise. Open and use a fork to separate the sweet potato meat from the skin.
- Top with black beans, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream.
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Kimberly says
So many good options for stuffed sweet potatoes!
Emma says
I will never get tired od baked potato with all these delish toppings!
Ron says
Loved some of these on my potatoes. My favorite is Hollandaise sauce for baked sweet potato.
Laura Fuentes says
Great one!
Larry Russell says
Thanks for sharing new ideas for sweet potatoes topping and I can’t wait to try PB&J
Laura Fuentes says
It’s a crazy-good combination that I hope you enjoy it!
kimy says
drool-worthy baked sweet potatoes. YES PLEASE