83 Delicious Ways to Use Sweet Potatoes This Fall

Piled high with fresh and spicy toppings, these supper-worthy spuds make a satisfying meatless main dish. Quinoa and black beans join forces to keep you full with fiber and protein; the quick sheet pan–roasted salsa steals the show with its balance of fresh and charred flavors. If you can’t find Cotija cheese at your market, crumbly queso fresco or goat cheese would make delicious substitutes.

We spiced up plain-Jane lentil soup with the addition of tender sweet potato chunks, fire-roasted tomatoes, and bacon. This rich, comforting, smoky soup is perfect if you are planning a tailgate event or weekend party because it can be prepared up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It tastes even better when the flavors have had a chance to marry.

This hearty sheet pan supper is a cinch to make, even on the busiest weeknight. The secret to crisp, breaded pork chops? Dredge only one side of each pork chop in the panko mixture to keep the underside of the meat from becoming soggy.

Baked sweet potatoes are terrific with just a little butter and seasoning. Purists will love this recipe but if you need a little something extra, try sprinkling brown sugar or ground cinnamon over the top for a finishing touch.

This colorful and ultra smooth hummus has added sweetness from roasted sweet potatoes. Serve with your favorite pita chips and crudités for a fun and tasty snack you can feel good about eating.

Enjoy the taste of sweet potato casserole in soup form by topping pureed sweet potatoes with unsalted peanuts and mini marshmallows. 

Smart shortcuts deliver a frittata that’s perfect for a busy weeknight or headlining a weekend brunch menu. Microwaving the sweet potatoes helps them cook faster; Canadian bacon adds flavor with half the saturated fat of regular bacon.

Sweet potatoes make the perfect gluten-free crust for this custardy quiche. Brown the mushrooms with garlic to deepen their meaty flavor.

Want to wow your family at the table? These stuffed spuds will do the trick. You can prepare the recipe through step 3 up to two days ahead; reheat potatoes at 375°F, then turn up the heat to brown the topping in step 4.

Our delicious casserole has 5 fewer teaspoons (20g) of added sugar per serving than traditional versions.

Sweet potatoes make a wonderful base for a creamy dip, creating a smooth texture and faintly sweet flavor. Toasting the curry paste in the first step helps to deepen the flavor and is worth the extra couple of minutes.

If you make this dish ahead, bring it to room temperature before baking so it will reheat evenly.

Yes, you can make sweet potato pancakes with just two ingredients (give or take)! If you’re a little skeptical, you’ll become a believer after biting into them. They’re simple enough for weekdays, yet feel indulgent enough for weekend brunch. We’ve included a delicious topping that only three more ingredients. Roast a couple of sweet potatoes ahead of time, and try it this weekend!

Sweet and comforting, this soufflé is the perfect holiday dish. The topping provides the perfect contrast in texture to support the soft and creamy soufflé.

All the fall flavors you could possibly want in one simple dessert.

Honestly, these gluten-free sweet potato tortillas are reason enough to make tonight taco night. Especially if you serve them with our Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas.

Jazz up your sweet potato game with these cumin and coriander–seasoned sweet potato fries. Don’t skip the cornstarch—it absorbs moisture as the fries bake and helps crisp them up. And, don’t try to get all of the fries onto one baking sheet. If you put too many on the pan, they just steam each other and you’ll end up with sad, soggy fries. Serve with an avocado-topped burger or as a side with black bean and cheese quesadillas.

Be sure to dice the sweet potato into relatively similar-size small pieces to ensure quick, even cooking. This one-pot cooking method shows how easy it is to cook potatoes and greens to the perfect doneness in the same pot—just start the potatoes a few minutes ahead, then add the chard. While the potatoes and chard cook, warm precooked farro in the microwave, or make a batch of quick-cooking farro on the stovetop. For the best flavor, use tarragon vinegar, which is infused with fresh tarragon flavor. In a pinch, use white wine vinegar.

Ditch the sodium-bomb seasoning packets and sour cream-and-mayonnaise–laden dip (which can pack a small meal’s worth of calories and sat fat into a single serving) for our homemade dip. And be patient with the caramelizing process—slowly sizzled onions have noteworthy sweetness and concentrated umami. You’ll know the onions are done when they become deep chestnut in color and nearly melt-in-your-mouth tender. And because no dip is complete without a dipper, baked sweet potatoes will satisfy your chip craving for half the calories of most bagged varieties. Dehydrating the potatoes in the oven before roasting helps them develop crispy edges and tender centers. With big flavor and less heft, our healthier ode to the classic is a delicious way to sneak in extra vegetables.

Skip the casserole and the pie and go straight to the cobbler to get your sweet potato fix. Complete with a homemade streusel topping, this recipe is unbelievable.

Side dish or snack? We say both! If you think sweet potatoes are just for Thanksgiving, give these spicy wedges a try. The smoky spice blend is easy to whip up ahead of time, but the potatoes are best eaten while hot. Though it’s tempting to crowd the air fryer basket and cook everything in one batch, resist the urge—air flow is crucial for maximum crispiness. Not a fan of cilantro? Try basil, parsley, or fresh thyme leaves.

This healthy dinner for one is loaded with big flavor and couldn’t be easier to throw together. Bonus: It’s made entirely in the microwave.

This comforting baked brisket and sweet potatoes make a delicious fall meal when the temperature starts to drop.

These cranberry-speckled scones make the perfect food gift to bake for friends and family alike this holiday season. Seasonal flavors come together for a pastry as festive and mouthwatering as a hearty dollop of that Molasses-Orange Butter. These scones look great and travel well when tucked in a bowl wrapped up in a large linen kitchen towel. While you can enjoy these scones sans the sweet, citrus butter, we can’t think of a better way to complement the not-too-sweet scone. Not to mention, orange and cranberry work so well together!

When the chip craving strikes, look no further than these healthy, homemade chips. Pro tip: You'll need a mandoline to slice the potato thin enough to crisp.

Blend everyone’s favorite low-carb spud with floral lemongrass, fresh ginger, and creamy coconut milk for a Caribbean dish to warm even your coldest winter nights. Ladle into dark bowls for a bold contrast to the sunset-orange color (thanks, turmeric!), then give it a Pollock-like drizzle of coconut cream.

This loaded veggie bowl gets a touch of smoke from the chili-spiced sweet potatoes and roasted bell pepper and plenty of zing from fresh lime. Chili powder and lime also give toasted almonds an addictive crust; make extra and enjoy as a snack. Cotija cheese has a dry, crumbly texture—it won’t melt or disappear into the bowl. Use it to top tacos, stir into whole-grain salads, or top roasted broccoli.

Hashes are a great way to incorporate vegetables into the first meal of the day. Here we’ve added a Southwestern spin with chili powder and cumin. Give the potatoes a head start by microwaving them until just shy of tender, then finish them off in the skillet for that coveted crispy texture. Use the leftover black beans to boost protein and fiber in salads, soups, or grain bowls.

In addition to getting the food into the oven in stages, you should also prep the food in stages to make most efficient use of your time. As the oven preheats, skin and bread the chicken; when the chicken goes in, prepare the sweet potatoes. Once those go in, get the broccoli ready. To easily skin the drumsticks, use a paper towel to grab an edge of the skin on the fat end, then pull down. Keep in mind that drumsticks can vary in size, and the cook time is calculated for 31/2-ounce ones; we had good luck buying organic drumsticks, which tended to be smaller than conventional.

Gina Homolka is the founder of skinnytaste.com and @skinnytaste.

The meaty texture of fresh cherries holds up in a salsa that goes well with the charred sweet potatoes.

Leaving the peels on the sweet potatoes has three benefits: Prep is faster, you add more fiber, and the potatoes hold their shape better after the 7-hour simmer. Besides, the peels get so tender that you barely notice they're there. If you'd like to change things up, try parsnips in place of the sweet potatoes; they have a similar sweetness and earthier flavor. For less sweetness, you can try small red potatoes or baby Yukon Golds. You don't need to fully cook the ground beef before it goes into the slow cooker; just cook it enough to "set" the shape of the crumbles.

This holiday season, skip the usual marshmallow-topped casserole and serve this Savory Sweet Potatoe Casserole for a change of pace. Because sweet potatoes are so naturally sweet, they are nicely balanced by this savory Parmesan-herb streusel topping. The topping is made with day-old sourdough bread, but you can use another type of stale white bread such as country white, if you prefer. To cut down on sticky clean up, place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet before roasting them. We promise, no one will miss the marshmallows.

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Not without a sweet potato casserole. Here’s a fun twist on the traditional sweet potato casserole. These thinly sliced potatoes bake in a creamy brown sugar sauce to until tender on the inside and crispy around the edges. For the most even results, choose fat, round sweet potatoes that weigh six to seven ounces each. You can prepare this casserole the day before Thanksgiving.

Mix up your weeknight dinner with this savory bowl made with tender, fluffy farro—a nutty, ancient wheat grain that is equally tasty when whipped into risottos or tossed into salads—and roasted vegetables made ever more flavorful with curry powder. The hearty grain bowl is finished with toasted pecans for a great crunch and a creamy dollop of tangy yogurt sauce to diversify the textures. While roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes would be delicious seasoned with salt and pepper alone, the addition of garlic and curry powder adds a dynamic flavor palette that is needed to complement the neutral grain base and simple toppings. Overall, the result is a filling and healthy dinner option you can whip up in less than an hour. Even better, the farro can be prepared up to two days in advance. Just store it covered in the refrigerator, and then reheat before serving. We think this grain bowl would be wonderful topped with grilled or roasted chicken flavored with curry powder, garlic, salt, and pepper to add more protein if desired.

Everyone will gobble up these spicy grilled sweet potato fries topped with honey and salty queso fresco. Serve them as a fun appetizer or alongside burgers or your favorite grilled protein. Microwaving the sweet potatoes before they hit the grill ensures the fries will be tender throughout and helps them cook up quickly.