How to Peel Sweet Potatoes Using 2 Simple Methods

You can clean sweet potatoes much as you would clean a regular white potato. Simply place them in a colander beneath running cold water and scrub away any dirt. Warm water works, too, but avoid using hot water, which can cook parts of the potato. Only wash potatoes when you are ready to start cooking. Otherwise, they may absorb excess moisture and develop rot. You can peel sweet potato skins in one of two ways: the old-fashioned way with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, or by baking them first. 1. __Peeling the old-fashioned way__: Start by washing raw sweet potatoes in cold water and thoroughly drying them. Set a sweet potato on a cutting board and slice off the bottom so that it has a flat surface you can push down on. Then, taking a vegetable peeler, peel in a downward motion, much as you would do with a regular white potato. You can touch up your work with a paring knife, or you can use that knife to peel the entire potato in place of a peeler. 2. __Peeling a baked sweet potato__: The skin of a baked potato slides off easily, which makes peeling them a lot simpler than peeling a raw sweet potato. To do this kitchen hack, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke holes in each potato to keep it from exploding. Place your sweet potatoes on the top rack for forty-five minutes. Pull out the sweet potatoes and let them cool. Once they’re cool enough to touch, use your hands to peel away the skins easily. If you were already planning to cook sweet potatoes for a puree or roasted sweet potato cubes for a side dish, you've already done a good deal of the prep work. Keep these cooking tips in mind when peeling sweet potatoes. 1. __Consider nutrition__. Before you peel sweet potatoes, take note that most of the vegetable's nutrients are found in its skin, while most of its carbohydrates and calories are found in its flesh. By peeling, you will lose a great deal of vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium from your sweet potato dish, while retaining nearly all of the carbs. Whole roasted sweet potatoes or boiled sweet potatoes can be a more nutrient-rich alternative. You can also toss the peeled skins in olive oil and roast them in the oven for a nutrient-rich snack. 2. __Plan carefully before peeling__. Before you peel sweet potatoes, think about exactly how you plan to use them in your final dish. If you want to make evenly-sized sweet potato cubes to glaze in brown sugar, you might want to peel the raw sweet potatoes and carefully slice them, as this will be more accurate than slicing an already baked potato. However, if you plan to mash the sweet potatoes into a side dish of candied yams or work them into a vegetable puree, precision will matter less. In this case, it probably makes sense to use the baked potato hack, which makes the sweet potatoes easier to peel and gives you a head start on the cooking process. Consider trying one of these popular sweet potato recipes. 1. __Mashed sweet potatoes__: Swap out Yukon potatoes for sweet potatoes to give a classic [mashed potato recipe](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pureed-and-mashed-potatoes-with-thomas-keller) a sweet twist. 2. __Sweet potato fries__: Spice up your weeknight dinner with an easy recipe for Mediterranean baked [sweet potato fries](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/zaatar-sweet-potato-fries-recipe)—no deep fryer or air fryer required. 3. __Sweet potato chips__: For an easy, homemade snack, bake thinly sliced sweet potatoes in your oven or air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they are crisp. 4. __Candied sweet potatoes__: [Candied sweet potatoes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/candied-sweet-potato-recipes) are a Southern side dish of caramelized sweet potatoes steeped in warming spices. 5. __Sweet potato pie__: Pair a freshly baked [sweet potato pie](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sweet-potato-pie-recipe) with pecans and ice cream for an extra-special treat. Become a better chef with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more. Learn how to peel sweet potatoes the easy way by following a few simple steps.