Skillet Sweet Potatoes are peeled sweet potato cubes cooked on the stove in a little oil until the outsides turn golden brown and crisp at the edges and the insides go soft and sweet. A spoonful of butter at the end gives them a buttery finish. Make them on a busy weeknight next to chicken, pork chops or fish, or at breakfast with eggs.
How to make it: Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add 1/2-inch pieces of sweet potato with a little salt, and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until browned and fork-tender. Stir in the butter and serve.
Why You’ll Love It
- Four ingredients: sweet potatoes, oil, salt and an optional pat of butter.
- No oven needed: everything happens in one skillet on the stove, so the oven stays free for the main dish.
- 30 minutes, start to finish: about 10 minutes to peel and cut, then 20 at the stove.
- Crisp outside, soft inside: browned, crisp edges around tender, sweet centers.
Ingredient Notes
Sweet potatoes: Choose large, firm sweet potatoes that feel heavy for their size. The skin is edible, so you can leave it on if you scrub it well first.
Oil: Avocado oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Vegetable, canola, grapeseed, peanut, olive or coconut oil work too.
Butter: It goes in at the end for a richer, velvety finish. It’s optional, and plant-based butter or ghee works in its place.
Salt: Kosher salt. Start with 1/4 teaspoon while the potatoes cook and add more to taste at the end.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or another neutral oil such as vegetable or canola
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter, optional
How to Make Skillet Sweet Potatoes
1. Cut the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even 1/2-inch pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
2. Heat the oil. Heat the avocado oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with the salt and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until browned on the outside and a fork slides easily into a piece. Stay by the pan: if they brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium and keep cooking until tender; if they look dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons more oil.
4. Finish with butter. Add the butter and stir to coat. Taste, add more salt if you like, and serve warm.
Lid or No Lid: How Long Sweet Potatoes Take
Two things decide how long sweet potatoes take in a pan and how they turn out: the size of the pieces and the lid.
| Pieces | Heat | Lid | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2-inch | Medium-high | Off | 15 to 20 minutes | Browned, crisp edges |
| 1/2-inch | Medium-high | On | About 15 minutes | Soft and tender, less crisp |
| 3/4-inch | Medium | On, then off | 2 minutes covered, then 10 uncovered | Golden and fork-tender |
| Diced cubes | Medium | Off | 20 to 25 minutes | Cooked through, lightly crisp |
Without a lid, the pieces brown on all sides and come out crisp at the edges. That’s the method in the steps above, and it’s the one to choose when you want texture.
With a lid, the heat and moisture stay in the pan, so the sweet potatoes cook through quickly and are less likely to burn. The trade-off is texture: they come out steamed and tender rather than crisp. Keep stirring often, even with the lid on.
A little of both works for bigger 3/4-inch chunks over medium heat. Cover the pan for 2 minutes, stir, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes more, until the pieces are golden and fork-tender.
Whichever way you cook them, the size of the cut matters more than the clock: bigger pieces take longer. Every stove and skillet heats a little differently, so trust the fork and a taste over the timer.
Tips for Success
Why did my sweet potatoes turn out soggy instead of crisp?
The pan was crowded. When the pieces are packed in tight, they steam instead of browning, and they cook unevenly. Use a large skillet and spread the pieces out in an even layer with a little space between them.
Or the lid was on: covered, they steam and come out tender rather than crisp. Cook them uncovered for browned edges.
Why are my sweet potatoes brown outside but still hard in the middle?
The heat was too high, so the outsides browned before the middles softened. Turn the heat down to medium and keep cooking, stirring, until a fork slides in. If you cut bigger 3/4-inch chunks, start them over medium heat.
Is a cast iron or nonstick skillet better for sweet potatoes?
Both work. Cast iron heats slowly and evenly, so turn the heat down once the sweet potatoes sizzle; nonstick may need it a little higher. Either way, use enough oil to coat every piece.
Variations
- Maple cinnamon: stir in 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon along with the butter, until combined and fragrant.
- Rosemary garlic: add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 minced garlic clove with the butter.
- Buffalo: add 1 tablespoon hot sauce with the butter.
- Candied: cook the sweet potatoes in a butter, sugar and milk sauce instead of oil.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil for a few minutes, until they reach 165°F. Don’t reheat them in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve them with honey garlic pork chops, slow cooker ham steaks or a slow cooker whole roast chicken. For a fish dinner, pair them with baked honey lime garlic butter salmon, and add skillet zucchini and mushrooms if you want a green vegetable on the plate too. For the holiday table, try sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook raw sweet potatoes in a skillet?
Yes. Raw, peeled pieces go straight into the hot oil and cook through in the pan. To get ahead, cook a whole sweet potato in the microwave or oven the night before and refrigerate it, then cut it up and brown the pieces in a well-oiled skillet.
Do you need to soak sweet potatoes before pan frying?
No. Soaking isn’t needed for skillet sweet potatoes. Peel, cut and cook them right away.
What seasonings go with sweet potatoes in a frying pan?
Cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, brown sugar and sage all work. For a smokier flavor, sprinkle on ancho chili powder or sweet paprika at the end, or use Cajun seasoning. You can also add 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic with the salt when the potatoes go in.
What can you do with leftover skillet sweet potatoes?
Warm them with eggs the next morning, top them with a fried egg for a quick breakfast hash, or roll them into breakfast burritos. A double batch makes that easy.
Final Notes
Serve them straight from the skillet while they’re hot, when the edges are at their crispest. If you make them, tell me in the comments whether you cooked them with the lid on or off.
Skillet Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil such as vegetable or canola
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even 1/2-inch pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with the salt and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until browned on the outside and a fork slides easily into a piece. Stay by the pan: if they brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium and keep cooking until tender; if they look dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons more oil.
- Add the butter and stir to coat. Taste, add more salt if you like, and serve warm.
