Slow-roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes are a 1-ingredient, simple snack made by just roasting sweet potatoes. It's called Yakiimo in Japanese and is widely enjoyed in Japan. Slow-roasted sweet potatoes become so sweet and creamy without adding any sugar, making them the perfect healthy snack with vitamins and fiber.
This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Make a big batch and refrigerate or freeze them to enjoy later. If you have some leftovers, use them up in Sweet Potato Truffles and
Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes.
Slow-roasted sweet potato works great in savory recipes too. Serve it in Viral Hot Honey Sweet Potato Beef Bowl with Cottage Cheese for a healthy weekday meal.
If you saw the viral sweet potato and cheese snack (Thanks to Courtney Cook!), this recipe is perfect for it! She uses a stick of Butterkäse cheese and inserts it into the creamy center of roasted sweet potato. It's a cheery, salty, sweet perfection!
I love enjoying roasted sweet potato and creamy sweet potato with a cup of Japanese matcha green tea or a hojicha latte for a fulfilling snack. Now you know how versatile roasted sweet potatoes are! I make this weekly and keep it in my fridge for an easy snack.
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What is Yakiimo?
Yakiimo or Yaki Imo is a Japanese word meaning roasted sweet potato. "Yaki" means roasting, and "Imo" means potatoes in general. Its meaning seems simple, but its meaning is very specific. Yakiimo is a Japanese sweet potato slowly roasted to maximize its sweetness.
If you've ever been to Japan, you'll know that Yakiimo is widely available everywhere. A lot of grocery stores sell house-roasted Yakiimo, and people wait in line to get some freshly roasted sweet potatoes. There are also food trucks in Japan that specialize in Yakiimo. They slowly go around neighborhoods, attracting people who come out of their homes to get some. When I was a child, I loved the Yakiimo truck and buying some hot Yakiimo for a snack!
Yakiimo is not only sweet and delicious, but they're also nutritious! They are packed with vitamins and fiber and relatively low in fat. It is famous that K-pop idols eat sweet potatoes when they try to lose some weight. Roasted sweet potatoes are healthy and nourishing!
Which sweet potatoes to use
Most traditional ones, especially those found in Japan, are made with only Japanese sweet potatoes. But you can use other varieties too! The outcome is somewhat different, but they are all so delicious in their own way.
Japanese Sweet Potatoes - Slow-roasted sweet Japanese sweet potatoes are so sweet and tender, but firm enough to bite into delicious flesh.
Regular Sweet Potatoes - Regular, also known as orange sweet potatoes, are the ones that are widely available in most of the grocery stores in the US. Their flesh is more moist and tender than Japanese sweet potatoes. They are so soft that you can scoop the flesh with a spoon like creamy pudding, perfect for an easy dessert. They release more juice while baking, so I recommend lining a baking pan to prevent burning on the pan and for easy cleanup.
Purple Sweet Potatoes - While orange sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, purple ones are rich in anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants. The texture is close to that of Japanese sweet potatoes. Great choice if you want bright purple yakiimo.
How to make Slow-Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes
First of all, let's start with cleaning the sweet potatoes. Use a vegetable brush or your hands to scrub the sweet potatoes well under running water.
Pierce some holes with a fork. Sweet potatoes can explode in the oven if you don't pierce holes or cut them, as heated air can't vent from the sweet potato while cooking. I have never experienced the explosion myself, even when I forget to pierce some holes. But I recommend doing so to avoid any potential danger.
Then, wrap the potatoes individually in aluminum foil while the potatoes are still wet. Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the cold oven set to 325°F. No need to preheat the oven beforehand. Slow cooking is the key to the sweetest Yakiimo, so we're starting with cold and gradually cooking them.
Cook until the potatoes are tender. The cooking time depends on factors such as the size, number, and how crowded they are in the baking sheet. For medium-sized potatoes, aim for about 90 minutes of cooking time. For the small potatoes, test the tenderness at 1 hour. For bigger potatoes, cook them longer.
To test the tenderness, pierce a fork into the potatoes. If the fork sinks into the sweet potato smoothly, it's ready! Let them cool and enjoy!
How to eat Yakiimo
While freshly baked Yakiimo is amazing, there are other ways to enjoy them!
Cold Yakiimo is also as delicious as warm.
Adding toppings is also fun! Add butter to warm Yakiimo and drizzle over maple syrup or honey as you would do with pancakes. Add nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, the possibilities are endless!
I enjoyed mine with tahini, almond slices, and cinnamon over orange sweet potato Yakiimo. Be creative and find your favorite combo!
Also, use leftovers to make easy and healthy cacao truffles or breakfast pancakes!
Also serve the roasted sweet potato with taco seasoned beef, cottage cheese, avocado with a drizzle of hot honey, which makes a healthy meal!
Love sweet potatoes? Try this!
- Sweet Potato Truffles
- Sweet Potato Oat Cookies with Marshmallows
- Sweet Potato Peanut Stew with Cauliflower and Kale
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Viral Hot Honey Sweet Potato Beef Bowl with Cottage Cheese
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! Cut them into individual servings, wrap them individually in cling wrap, and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Enjoy within 3 weeks. To enjoy them, remove them from the freezer and let them sit to defrost for 10-15 minutes. Half-frozen Yakiimo tastes like ice cream. Or microwave or cook in the oven to reheat.
Yes absolutely! More moisture in the sweet potato will be cooked off, so the texture won't be as creamy. It's going to have more of a baked potato texture. But the flavor will be condensed, and it will become extra sweet.
How to Make Yakiimo(Slow Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 1 Japanese (or any) sweet potatoes
Instructions
- Scrub the sweet potatoes well under running water. Piece holes with a fork.
- Wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 325°F until potatoes are tender, for about 90-120 minutes depending on the size of the sweet potato. No need to preheat the oven.
- Test the tenderness by piecing a fork into the potatos. Let cool and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
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