Name: Steamed Sweet Potato
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 to 4 sweet potatoes (about 8-12 oz each); salt and seasonings (to taste)

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A Steamed Sweet Potato is soft, fluffy and delicious. Steaming is a fat-free cooking method that preserves all the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes, keeping their GI low. It’s super easy, takes just 30 minutes, and you don’t even need a steamer!

Poking steamed sweet potato with a golden fork, featuring a creamy, buttery, and fluffy flesh

I eat sweet potatoes almost every day, so I’ve tested every method: oven baked sweet potato, microwave sweet potato, and air fryer baked sweet potato. But when I want to save time or skip the oven heat in summer, steaming is the move.

Why steaming sweet potatoes?
Nutritional benefits
How to steam sweet potato?
How long to steam sweet potatoes?
How to add flavor to steamed sweet potato?
Serving ideas
Meal prep and storage
More sweet potato recipes
Steamed Sweet Potato Recipe

Why steaming sweet potatoes?

You want something fast, healthy, and don’t feel like heating up the whole kitchen. I can relate. Boiled sweet potatoes get too watery and bland. But steamed? They’re perfectly soft and naturally sweet, every time.

Once you learn how to steam sweet potatoes, you might forget baking altogether. For me, it was a game-changer. Here’s why you’ll love them too:

Soft and fluffy
Healthy and fat-free
Quick and easy in 30 minutes
Easy to season or customize
Perfect for meal prepping

Nutritional benefits

Steamed sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of nutrients. They’re rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. Basically a natural multivitamin in a sweet, fluffy package. Plus, steaming uses zero added fat and keeps their glycemic index lower than baking or boiling. The complex carbs will give you steady energy without blood sugar crashes. They’re perfect for both weight loss and muscle building!

How to steam sweet potato?

Here’s a step-by-step guide, with pictures and tips for success. You can find the printable recipe in the recipe card at the bottom.

❶ Choose your sweet potato

What’s your favorite? I love Japanese sweet potatoes, but sadly I can only find orange ones. They’re still delicious, though. Here are the 3 main types. With some little twists, any can be steamed.

2 medium sweet potatoes on a marble background, as the only recipe ingredients.

Orange sweet potatoes (a.k.a. Beauregard ) – They’re the most common in the U.S. and Europe. They have bright orange flesh and a copper-brown skin. Once cooked, they turn super soft, sweet, and creamy.
Japanese sweet potatoes (a.k.a. Satsumaimo) – They have a brownish skin with a white flesh that turns golden once cooked. They’re drier and denser than the orange ones, with a chestnut-like flavor that’s seriously addictive.
Purple sweet potatoes (a.k.a. Okinawan) – They have a purple flesh that will easily catch your attention. They’re starchier than other varieties with an earthly, slightly sweet flavor. Steaming Okinawan sweet potatoes takes a little longer.

❷ Steam sweet potato

Step 1 – Wash sweet potatoes. Wash the potatoes under cool running water, then scrub skins to remove dirt and soil. Here are some tips:

Leave the skin on, it preserves their taste and creates a fluffier inside.
Steaming whole sweet potatoes ensures a sweet taste and fluffy inside (my favorite). But cutting them in halves or chunks speeds things up. Choose as you wish.

Washing medium sweet potato under cool running water before steaming

Step 2 – Prep for steaming. Pour about 1–2 inches of water into a pot, then place the steamer basket inside. If you don’t have a steamer (like me), use a metal strainer, colander, or sieve. It should fit in your pot without touching the water.

Pouring one cup of cold water in a large pot for steaming sweet potatoes

Metal strainer in large pot filled with water, ready to fit sweet potatoes for steaming

Step 3 – Add potatoes. Place whole sweet potatoes in the steamer or metal strainer, spreading them out evenly so they cook uniformly.

Adding sweet potatoes to strainer to steam for 30 minutes until tender

Step 4 – Steam. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and steam for 25–30 minutes.

Covering the pot with steamer with a lid, for steaming

Step 5 – Check for doneness. Check for doneness with a fork or skewer. They’re done when the fork slides in easily.

Step 6 – Let cool. Remove steamed sweet potatoes from the pot, then let cool on a plate for about 5 minutes. They will be soft, fluffy, and ready to enjoy with your favorite toppings. I love them with grass-fed butter and a sprinkle of Himalayan salt!

Slicing steamed sweet potato with a soft and fluffy inside

How long to steam sweet potatoes?

Steaming a medium sweet potato takes 25 to 30 minutes. Precise cooking time depends on their type, size and whether you steam them whole or cut. Check for doneness by poking your potatoes with a fork: it should slide in smoothly.

Type – Orange sweet potatoes steam faster because they’re softer and have higher water content. Japanese and purple varieties are drier and starchier, so they take a few minutes longer to get tender.
Size – Whole sweet potatoes will always take longer, usually around 30 minutes for medium ones. Bigger potatoes might need 35–40 minutes. If you’re in a rush, use smaller ones or steam them in chunks.
Cut vs. whole – Chunked sweet potatoes cook way faster. Steaming cubes or slices takes only 10–15 minutes, depending on how thick you cut them. But if you’re going for that fluffy, mashable inside, nothing beats steaming them whole with skin on.

How to add flavor to steamed sweet potato?

Simple – You can never go wrong with grass-fed butter and a pinch of Himalayan salt. It’s my favorite way to flavor sweet potatoes.
Savory – Mash them with a pinch of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and a drizzle of olive oil. Add some crumbled feta or a dollop of Greek yogurt if you’d like.
Spicy – Season with smoked paprika, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Little hot sauce is also good.
Sweet – Drizzle with a little maple syrup, then add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a spoonful of almond or peanut butter.

Serving ideas

For breakfast – Pair them with baked cottage cheese eggs, over-easy eggs, or a tofu scramble if you’re into savory breakfasts. For a sweet meal, top with Greek yogurt, blueberries, a drizzle of almond butter and honey. Finish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
As a side – Serve them with your favorite protein and veggies. I love them with hard-boiled eggs, baked salmon, grilled chicken, turkey steak, or baked tofu. As vegetables, I recommend wilted spinach, steamed broccoli, or crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts.
Loaded – Chickpeas, ground meat, pulled pork, tempeh. For a Mexican meal, I recommend sweet potatoes loaded with ground turkey, black beans, corn, guacamole, homemade salsa, and a dollop of cottage cheese queso.

Steamed sweet potatoes with soft and fluffy orange flesh, ready for serving

Meal prep and storage

Steamed sweet potatoes are perfect for meal prep. You can cook a big batch at once and use them throughout the week in bowls, salads, or even mashed as a side. They’re super versatile and reheat easily. Pop them 1-2 minutes in the microwave or air fryer until warm.

To store – Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to keep them whole, so they stay soft and fluffy.
To freeze – Let cool first. Place them in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or air fryer.

More sweet potato recipes

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