Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Halves with Crispy Caramelized Edges
These Caramelized Sweet Potato Halves are a simple 3-ingredient meal prep staple made by roasting sweet potatoes until tender, creamy, and caramelized. They're easy to make, versatile, and perfect for adding to breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the week.
Servings 4 halves
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes cut in half (lengthwise)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Flakey sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes well, then pat dry. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice each sweet potato in half lengthwise.
- Rub the cut side and skin side of each sweet potato half generously with coconut oil, making sure they are evenly coated. Sprinkle all sides with flaky sea salt.
- Place the sweet potato halves cut-side down on a parchment-lined or foil-lined baking sheet. This helps create caramelized edges while keeping the centers soft and tender. You can also roast them directly on a baking sheet if preferred.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the cut side develops a deep golden-brown caramelization.
- Allow the sweet potatoes to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for easy meal prep throughout the week.
Notes
- For the deepest caramelization, roast directly on the baking sheet. Placing the sweet potatoes cut-side down directly on a bare metal baking sheet creates the most contact with the hot surface, resulting in darker caramelized edges and a richer flavor.
- Parchment paper offers the best balance of convenience and texture. You'll still get beautiful caramelization while making cleanup much easier and preventing any sticking.
- Foil-lined baking sheets work well for easy cleanup, but the sweet potatoes may not caramelize quite as deeply as they would on parchment or a bare baking sheet.
- Always roast cut-side down. This allows the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes to concentrate and caramelize while keeping the inside soft and creamy.
- Don't remove them too early. Even if they're fork-tender, an extra few minutes can help develop those golden brown, caramelized edges that make this recipe so delicious.
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