A sweet potato (*Ipomoea batatas*) is a root vegetable belonging to the morning glory family and native to tropical regions of the Americas. It’s smooth, outer skin ranges in color from dusty orange-brown, to vibrant red, to light yellow-beige, while the insides range from an immediately recognizable orange flesh to purple and even pale white. Sweet potatoes are the official vegetable of North Carolina. 

There are over 400 varieties of sweet potato around the world, including: 

1. __The Korean purple sweet potato__, which features a chestnut flavor when boiled.
2. __The Creamsicle sweet potato__, whose pale white outer skin hides a sweet, sugary orange interior.
3. __The Okinawa sweet potato__, a Japanese varietal with a vibrant violet flesh.
4. __The Beauregard sweet potato__, one of the most familiar sweet potatoes on US shelves, with a rusty red outer flesh.

A yam is an edible tuber from the flowering plant of the genus Dioscorea, native to Africa and Asia, with 600 varieties worldwide. Wild yams, or *Dioscorea villosa*, are native to North America but their roots are not consumed: instead, their leaves and vines are used as a medicinal herb. 

Most frequently found in international markets, true yams can be identified by their large size and blackish-brown, bark-like skin (though not unlike the sweet potato, they also may also have white, purple, and reddish flesh). Yams are a staple food in Caribbean diets, and a purple yam called *ube* is a cornerstone of Filipino cuisine, primarily in desserts. Yams bear a slight visual similarity to cassava (also known as manioc), a woody shrub often ground into flour or used to make tapioca. 

While they may sometimes look alike, sweet potatoes and yams are indeed different root vegetables. They do, however, share some commonalities:

- __Richness of flavor__. Both root vegetables feature in sweet and savory preparations where they are consumed, acting as a flavorful base for ingredients like maple syrup and marshmallows as well as herbs and spices. 
- __Preparation method__. Like most root vegetables, sweet potatoes and yams are best roasted until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They can also be boiled or steamed, but can turn mushy. 

There are a few key differences between sweet potatoes and yams: 

- __Texture__. Yams tend to be starchy and dry, with more of a mild taste compared to the sweeter, creamier flesh of a sweet potato. 
- __Nutritional value__. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fiber and a multitude of vitamins and minerals, including iron and vitamin C. They’re also high in beta-carotene, a beneficial antioxidant that delivers vitamin A once digested. Yams have lower levels of beta-carotene, but are an excellent source of energy, thanks to its suite of B vitamins like B6 and B1. They can also help to lower cholesterol levels. 

The answer has to do with the history of both vegetables in the United States.

Hundreds of years ago, when slaves were brought to the U.S. from Africa, they referred to American sweet potatoes as “nyami,” which translates to “yam” in English. This is because local sweet potatoes reminded them of true yams, a food staple they knew in Africa. To add to the confusion, the familiar dark-skinned, orange-fleshed Beauregard sweet potato cultivar was only introduced to the U.S. several decades ago. In order to set it apart from paler-skinned, native sweet potatoes, producers of the time decided to label them “yams.”

Today, the term “yam” is now more of a marketing term for producers to distinguish between the two types of sweet potatoes—in fact, true yams are quite uncommon in U.S. supermarkets.

Outside the U.S., other common vegetables are frequently mistaken for yams, including:

- __Oca__. In New Zealand, a local sweet potato varietal called the *oca* is often called a yam.
- __Taro__. The tropical root plant taro is often mistaken for yams in Malaysia and Singapore. Though it’s similar to yams in size, shape, and starch content, taro actually belongs to the arum family. 

Here are four winning recipes to help you get to know sweet potatoes as an ingredient.

1. __Healthy sweet potato “toast” recipe__: A popular substitute for bread among the wellness set is a thick slice of <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-roast-sweet-potatoes' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-roast-sweet-potatoes","linkCopy":"roasted sweet potato","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>roasted sweet potato</a> with various toppings. Toast slices in a toaster or oven until lightly browned, then top with everything from lemony mashed avocado and sliced radishes, almond butter and chopped almonds, or even lox, red onion, and capers. 
2. __Homemade oven sweet potato fries recipe__: Wash sweet potatoes and slice lengthwise into halves, then again into 1-inch wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and easily pierced with a fork. This can also be done with diced sweet potato for an easy addition to grain bowls or kale salad. 
3. __Easy sweet potato pie recipe__: This cousin of pumpkin pie is popular in the American South, and features all the familiar notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, with a slightly firmer filling traditionally provided by garnet sweet potatoes. Boil 1 pound of whole sweet potatoes until soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool, and remove the skin. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potato with ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature until well-combined; stir in 1 cup sugar, ½ cup milk, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until mixture is smooth and transfer to an unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes, until tester comes out clean.
4. __Candied sweet potatoes recipe__: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Pour over sliced wedges or cubed sweet potato (about 4 medium) and place in a baking dish; cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are caramelized, crisp and golden brown. 

If you’re fortunate enough to get your hands on true yams, here are three recipes to try.

1. __Ube pancakes recipe__. In a large bowl, combine 1 ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 4 tablespoons superfine sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 2 cups buttermilk and 1 beaten egg, and mix until well combined. Add 1 cup grated purple yam, and mix. Cook pancakes in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 3 minutes each side. 
2. __Simple, roasted white yams__. Halve yams lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, then roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. __Battered yam fries recipe__. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup rice flour, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups club soda until batter comes to preferred consistency. Meanwhile, lightly cook yams in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, until just tender. Let cool and slice into wedges, then dredge in batter and fry in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until crispy and cooked through. Remove from pan, season with salt, and repeat with remaining yams.

Learning to cook at home with fresh, local produce takes knowledge, delicate care, and a little experimentation. No one knows this better than [Alice Waters](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/alice-waters-teaches-the-art-of-home-cooking), who started America’s farm-to-table revolution. In Alice Waters’s MasterClass on the art of home cooking, the James Beard Award-winning chef opens the doors of her home kitchen to teach you how to pick seasonal ingredients, create healthy and beautiful meals, and change your life by changing the food you make. You’ll learn how to shop at the farmer’s market and how to follow the rhythms of nature in your own cooking. 

Want to learn more about the culinary arts? [The MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) provides exclusive video lessons from master chefs including Alice Waters, Dominique Ansel, Massimo Bottura, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, and more.

Though commonly mistaken for one another (and often mislabeled in grocery stores throughout the United States) sweet potatoes and yams are two completely different species of root vegetables. 

Neither are related to the standard white potato, either—though all three different vegetables can stand in for each other with varying degrees of success.

Though commonly mistaken for one another (and often mislabeled in grocery stores throughout the United States) sweet potatoes and yams are two completely different species of root vegetables. 

Neither are related to the standard white potato, either—though all three different vegetables can stand in for each other with varying degrees of success.

What Is the Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams? Types, Characteristics, and Easy Sweet Potato and Yam Recipes

A sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a root vegetable belonging to the morning glory family and native to tropical regions of the Americas. It’s smooth, outer skin ranges in color from dusty orange-brown, to vibrant red, to light yellow-beige, while the insides range from an immediately recognizable orange flesh to purple and even pale white. Sweet potatoes are the official vegetable of North Carolina.

What Is a Sweet Potato?

There are over 400 varieties of sweet potato around the world, including: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. The Korean purple sweet potato, which features a chestnut flavor when boiled. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. The Creamsicle sweet potato, whose pale white outer skin hides a sweet, sugary orange interior. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. The Okinawa sweet potato, a Japanese varietal with a vibrant violet flesh. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. The Beauregard sweet potato, one of the most familiar sweet potatoes on US shelves, with a rusty red outer flesh. </li></ol>

4 Different Types of Sweet Potato

A yam is an edible tuber from the flowering plant of the genus Dioscorea, native to Africa and Asia, with 600 varieties worldwide. Wild yams, or Dioscorea villosa, are native to North America but their roots are not consumed: instead, their leaves and vines are used as a medicinal herb. Most frequently found in international markets, true yams can be identified by their large size and blackish-brown, bark-like skin (though not unlike the sweet potato, they also may also have white, purple, and reddish flesh). Yams are a staple food in Caribbean diets, and a purple yam called ube is a cornerstone of Filipino cuisine, primarily in desserts. Yams bear a slight visual similarity to cassava (also known as manioc), a woody shrub often ground into flour or used to make tapioca.

What Is a Yam?

While they may sometimes look alike, sweet potatoes and yams are indeed different root vegetables. They do, however, share some commonalities:<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Richness of flavor. Both root vegetables feature in sweet and savory preparations where they are consumed, acting as a flavorful base for ingredients like maple syrup and marshmallows as well as herbs and spices. </li><li class="">Preparation method. Like most root vegetables, sweet potatoes and yams are best roasted until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They can also be boiled or steamed, but can turn mushy. </li></ul>

Are Sweet Potatoes and Yams the Same?

There are a few key differences between sweet potatoes and yams: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Texture. Yams tend to be starchy and dry, with more of a mild taste compared to the sweeter, creamier flesh of a sweet potato. </li><li class="">Nutritional value. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fiber and a multitude of vitamins and minerals, including iron and vitamin C. They’re also high in beta-carotene, a beneficial antioxidant that delivers vitamin A once digested. Yams have lower levels of beta-carotene, but are an excellent source of energy, thanks to its suite of B vitamins like B6 and B1. They can also help to lower cholesterol levels. </li></ul>

What Is the Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams?

The answer has to do with the history of both vegetables in the United States.Hundreds of years ago, when slaves were brought to the U.S. from Africa, they referred to American sweet potatoes as “nyami,” which translates to “yam” in English. This is because local sweet potatoes reminded them of true yams, a food staple they knew in Africa. To add to the confusion, the familiar dark-skinned, orange-fleshed Beauregard sweet potato cultivar was only introduced to the U.S. several decades ago. In order to set it apart from paler-skinned, native sweet potatoes, producers of the time decided to label them “yams.”Today, the term “yam” is now more of a marketing term for producers to distinguish between the two types of sweet potatoes—in fact, true yams are quite uncommon in U.S. supermarkets.Outside the U.S., other common vegetables are frequently mistaken for yams, including:<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Oca. In New Zealand, a local sweet potato varietal called the oca is often called a yam. </li><li class="">Taro. The tropical root plant taro is often mistaken for yams in Malaysia and Singapore. Though it’s similar to yams in size, shape, and starch content, taro actually belongs to the arum family. </li></ul>

Why Do People Confuse Sweet Potatoes and Yams?

Here are four winning recipes to help you get to know sweet potatoes as an ingredient.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Healthy sweet potato “toast” recipe: A popular substitute for bread among the wellness set is a thick slice of <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-roast-sweet-potatoes' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-roast-sweet-potatoes","linkCopy":"roasted sweet potato","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>roasted sweet potato</a> with various toppings. Toast slices in a toaster or oven until lightly browned, then top with everything from lemony mashed avocado and sliced radishes, almond butter and chopped almonds, or even lox, red onion, and capers. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Homemade oven sweet potato fries recipe: Wash sweet potatoes and slice lengthwise into halves, then again into 1-inch wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and easily pierced with a fork. This can also be done with diced sweet potato for an easy addition to grain bowls or kale salad. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Easy sweet potato pie recipe: This cousin of pumpkin pie is popular in the American South, and features all the familiar notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, with a slightly firmer filling traditionally provided by garnet sweet potatoes. Boil 1 pound of whole sweet potatoes until soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool, and remove the skin. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potato with ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature until well-combined; stir in 1 cup sugar, ½ cup milk, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until mixture is smooth and transfer to an unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes, until tester comes out clean. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Candied sweet potatoes recipe: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Pour over sliced wedges or cubed sweet potato (about 4 medium) and place in a baking dish; cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are caramelized, crisp and golden brown. </li></ol>

4 Sweet Potato Recipe Ideas

If you’re fortunate enough to get your hands on true yams, here are three recipes to try.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Ube pancakes recipe. In a large bowl, combine 1 ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 4 tablespoons superfine sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 2 cups buttermilk and 1 beaten egg, and mix until well combined. Add 1 cup grated purple yam, and mix. Cook pancakes in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 3 minutes each side. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Simple, roasted white yams. Halve yams lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, then roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Battered yam fries recipe. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup rice flour, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups club soda until batter comes to preferred consistency. Meanwhile, lightly cook yams in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, until just tender. Let cool and slice into wedges, then dredge in batter and fry in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until crispy and cooked through. Remove from pan, season with salt, and repeat with remaining yams. </li></ol>

3 Easy Yam Recipes

Learning to cook at home with fresh, local produce takes knowledge, delicate care, and a little experimentation. No one knows this better than <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/alice-waters-teaches-the-art-of-home-cooking' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/alice-waters-teaches-the-art-of-home-cooking","linkCopy":"Alice Waters","category":null}'>Alice Waters</a>, who started America’s farm-to-table revolution. In Alice Waters’s MasterClass on the art of home cooking, the James Beard Award-winning chef opens the doors of her home kitchen to teach you how to pick seasonal ingredients, create healthy and beautiful meals, and change your life by changing the food you make. You’ll learn how to shop at the farmer’s market and how to follow the rhythms of nature in your own cooking. Want to learn more about the culinary arts? <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/","linkCopy":"The MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>The MasterClass Annual Membership</a> provides exclusive video lessons from master chefs including Alice Waters, Dominique Ansel, Massimo Bottura, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, and more.

Want to Become a Better Home Chef?

Though commonly mistaken for one another (and often mislabeled in grocery stores throughout the United States) sweet potatoes and yams are two completely different species of root vegetables. Neither are related to the standard white potato, either—though all three different vegetables can stand in for each other with varying degrees of success.

Though commonly mistaken for one another (and often mislabeled in grocery stores throughout the United States) sweet potatoes and yams are two completely different species of root vegetables. 
Neither are related to the standard white potato, either—though all three different vegetables can stand in for each other with varying degrees of success.
