Learn How to Make the Base Recipe
This is a variation of our roasted sweet potato wedges base recipe. We love roasting sweet potatoes, but we recognize that they can take a long time to cook! An easy way to speed up the process while still getting that delicious caramelized taste is to cut them into quarters. Spicy sweet potato wedges require little effort and cook in one quarter of the time!
Must-Know Cooking Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Learn how to create sweet potato wedges like a pro in our knife skills 101 course!
Culinary Tips for Making Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
We use weight instead of volume for baked sweet potato wedges because sizes can be highly variable. Weigh at the store or use a simple kitchen scale. If your sweet potato is significantly smaller or larger than indicated in the recipe, just adjust the time! Add more time for larger potatoes, and subtract time for smaller ones.
This recipe easily scales up. For each sweet potato, use ½ Tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and a dash of garlic powder and cayenne.
For best results when roasting, use our memorable acronym: ROAST WELL.
Right Temp
Set your oven to a high cooking temperature to achieve optimal caramelization. In general, anywhere between 400ºF and 500ºF is considered a roasting temperature.
Oil Generously
Don’t be afraid of oil! Healthy oils add nutrition, satiety, and great flavor to roasted vegetables. Make sure every piece is thoroughly coated with oil; it’s better to use a little too much than not enough. Use oils with high smoke points, such as canola or avocado oil.
Alike Items
If you want to roast an assortment of vegetables at the same time, select ones that are similar and will cook in the same amount of time. Potatoes and carrots are both root vegetables that roast in about the same amount of time.
Skip Pan Liners
For best caramelization and browning, place the oil-coated vegetables directly onto the pan. Although parchment paper and foil make clean-up easier (we get it!), your vegetables won’t be quite as delicious.
Traditional Sheet Pan
When roasting, be sure to use a traditional sheet pan, with no more than a 1-inch rim along the sides. Deeper dishes cause vegetables to steam rather than roast – not optimal when trying to make crispy veggies! A metal pan also ensures browning.
Wash and Dry
You should always wash fresh produce before eating or cooking, but another important step when roasting is to make sure your vegetables are dry. Water generates steam, and again, we want to avoid steam to ensure the vegetables turn brown and crispy.
If you covered the potatoes in water for later use, be sure to drain them thoroughly and then dry them well with a dish towel or paper towel(s).
Even Cuts
It is important to make your pieces approximately the same size to ensure even cooking. Small pieces cook faster than large pieces.
Leave Space
Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan and leave plenty of space around each piece. If you overcrowd the pan, the vegetables will steam. Are you noticing a trend here? Steam is the enemy when trying to create crisp, roasted veggies!
When in doubt, use two pans. Yes, that might mean more dishes to clean, but we promise that it will be worth it!
Let them Cook!
Cooking requires patience. While it can be tempting to pull the vegetables from the oven once they are soft, make sure that they get that nice, brown exterior. You can stir the potatoes halfway through the cook time to brown on all sides, but it’s not totally necessary.
Learn more about how to roast vegetables in this article!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes: use any variety – orange, white, or even purple!
- Canola or Avocado Oil: substitute a lower-quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Chili Powder: use store-bought or try making your own.
- Garlic Powder: substitute ½ teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon garlic flakes, or ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic.
- Cayenne Pepper: substitute a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Recipe Variations
Substitute half of the chili powder with smoked paprika for less heat and a more smoky flavor.
Want some roasted potato recipe inspiration?
Use our roasted sweet potato wedges base recipe to make it your own, or check out these other tasty variations!
Equipment Recommendations
For recipe success, use the following pieces of equipment:
Are these sweet potato wedges healthy?
Americans love potatoes, but white potatoes are the more popular variety. Why not mix it up with nutritious and delicious sweet potatoes? Eating a variety of colors, like orange from sweet potatoes, is great for your health. This recipe features sweet potatoes, healthy cooking oils, and spices.
Sweet Potatoes
The sweet potato is a root vegetable in the morning glory family. Sweet potatoes are a great source of important nutrients, such as beta carotene and anthocyanins which are naturally-occurring phytonutrients. These phytonutrients help with disease prevention.
Canola or Avocado Oil
Both canola and avocado oil contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They also have high smoke points, making them ideal for high-heat cooking methods, such as roasting.
Spices
Spices provide flavor without providing excess calories or sodium. Additionally, many spices contain antioxidant properties which can help reduce inflammation in the body. Cayenne pepper in particular may promote a healthy metabolism and aid weight loss for obese individuals.
Learn more about the health benefits of spices in this article.
How to Serve Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges
Make a balanced plate by serving roasted sweet potato wedges with a green salad and a healthy protein, such as roasted fish or simple turkey meatballs. They also make a great substitute to fries and are perfect alongside one of our healthier burger options!
Storage Tips
Allow sweet potatoes to cool, then store in an airtight container.
Leftovers will last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, but they will definitely lose some crispness as they sit. Reheat sweet potato wedges in the oven for best texture.
Want more roasted vegetable recipes?
Try out these flavorful favorites!
Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato (~10-12 ounces)
- ½ Tablespoon canola or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Clean and scrub potatoes well. Do not peel. Cut thin piece off one side of your potato, making a flat side for safest cutting. Lay sweet potato on flat side.
- Cut potato in half. Lay potato halves on flat side and cut into halves one more time. If your potato is larger than suggested or is extra wide, cut into thirds.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Add potato wedges to bowl, and using a spatula or clean hands, toss to evenly coat with oil mixture.
- Spread potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, flat side down. Roast 20-25 minutes or until potatoes begin to brown and are easily pierced with a fork. Enjoy!
