What Are Sweet potatoes, or yams and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about sweet potatoes, or yams and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 365 recipes to cook tonight.

Nutrition

Where found

Sweet potatoes, or yams are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Sweet potatoes, or yams are a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much do sweet potatoes, or yams weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using sweet potatoes, or yams

There are 365 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Asian Salad Nicoise

This Nicoise Salad is a beautiful play off its French counterpart. It keeps the traditional string beans, potatoes, boiled eggs and tuna, but it adds an Asian inspired dressing that elevates this salad to the next level. By changing the usual white potatoes to sweet potatoes, it becomes a healthier version of the recipe. Sweet potatoes provide more vitamins and minerals than regular potatoes and they have fewer calories. Add in the Omega-3 benefits in the tuna, the protein of the eggs, and fibre-packed beans, and you have got a power packed lunch that tastes like a million dollars. This recipe will certainly be singing to your taste buds tuna.

Mud Crab & Smoked Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Mud Crab seasoned Alpine Pepper and served with smoked sweet potato gnocchi

Jimmy's Butternut Squash Chowder

Vegan butternut squash chowder made creamy without a drop of dairy. Blended squash, sweet potato, and carrot form a velvety base, brightened with garlic, rosemary, and thyme and topped with toasted almonds.

Crockpot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes wit apple cider, cinnamon and bacon for your slow cooker.

Vegetable Curry

Vegetable Curry recipe

Apple & Fennel Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cranberry Chutney

Apple and Fennel Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cranberry Chutney

Mary's Two Potato Soup

Creamy blended soup combining white and sweet potatoes with curry, turmeric and fresh mint, sautéed with leeks for a vibrant, high-fiber vegetarian soup.

Chick Pea & Yam Stew

Nothing is more cozy and satisfying than a bowl of hearty and warm stew on a chilly day. Chick pea and sweet potatoes are super delicious and filling, and it is totally vegetarian and vegan friendly too.

Lentil Sweet Potato Burgers

These hearty, plant-based Lentil Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers combine earthy lentils, nutty rice, and sweet potatoes with savory mushrooms and spinach. Perfect for a wholesome meal, they’re easy to prepare and grill to a crisp, golden finish. Serve with fresh greens or your favorite toppings for a satisfying, nutrient-packed burger.

Homemade Potato & Sweet Potato Hash-browns

This easy recipe will for sure make you ditch the store-bought frozen hash browns, because there is no comparison with the homemade version.

Vegetable Porridge

Might want to eat it with a blindfold. It tastes a hell of a lot better than it looks.

Comfy Winter Squash & Apple Soup

Vegan winter squash and apple soup with butternut squash, sweet potato, apples, and a Chinese five-spice kick. Eight ingredients, naturally creamy, perfect fall comfort food.

Black Bean Coffee Brownies

The combination of black beans and sweet potato gives these brownies a moreish, moist quality. These are great for kids as they contain no added sugar or trans-fats (you may wish to omit the coffee and substitute cacao powder if serving to youngsters, though).

Black Bean Sweet-Potato Chili

This chili was filling, tasty and wholesome. Nothing is like a bowl of warm chili on a cold and snowy winter day.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Yogurt Dip

Instead of potato fries, try these oven baked sweet potato fries. They are sweet and creamy in the inside, golden and crispy on the outside. Dip them into this creamy and tangy chipotle yogurt dip, delicious.

Sweet Potato, Zucchini & Tomato Quesadillas

Vegetarian quesadillas packed with roasted sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, and scrambled eggs, all melted together with mozzarella. A hearty, veggie-forward meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Creamy Sweet Potato & Red Pepper Pasta

Load up on your power vegetables, sweet potatoes and sweet red bell pepper in this satisfying pasta main dish.

Asian Carrot Soup

Asian carrot soup blends carrots, sweet potato, scallions, and fresh ginger into a silky vegan puree finished with sesame oil. Naturally low-fat and freezer-friendly.

Garlicky, Sweet & Salty Sweet Potato Wedges

Loaded with sweet and salty flavor from mirin and soy sauce. Garlic and sesame oil add more deliciousness. A bit cilantro and sesame seeds are sprinkled on top just before serving.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Hummus & Crispy Kale

Sweet potatoes topped with sweet caramel onions, creamy hummus and crispy kale chips. It's even vegan and vegetarian but beefy enough to satisfy even the meat lovers.

Kangaroo Striploin Tartlet with Sweet Potato & Bush Tomato Jus

Kangaroo striploin tartlet served with sweet potato (or kumara) and Australian Bush Tomato jus.

Sweet Potato, Kale, & Feta Tart

This savory tart is a delicious way to cook with your leafy-greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, collards and sweet potato or squash. The balsamic vinegar is used on both cooking greens and caramelizing the onions, which really adds a delicious hint, the feta cheese adds the nice cheesiness and well-balanced saltiness. It can be served as a main dish or a side dish!

Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Steak Fries

Spicy baked sweet potato steak fries tossed in olive oil and a sweet-heat rub of brown sugar, kosher salt, and cayenne. Oven-roasted into thick, tender wedges with crisp, browned edges, no deep fryer needed.

Whole Grain Sweet Potato Biscuits

Whole grain sweet potato biscuits made with mashed yams, whole wheat flour, and a touch of brown sugar. Tender, faintly sweet, and built for honey butter or sausage gravy.

Asian Miso Soup

Love miso, the fermented flavor gives the dish incredibly delicious taste. I developed this recipe, and use miso and water as the base, add fresh Asian vegetables, and let boil for a few minutes. I always have the soup with some Korean Kimichi. Here the recipe is.

All 365 recipes