​​The Simplest Way To Make the Perfect Sweet Potato, According to a Food Network Champ

Baked potatoes are one of those comfort foods that should be effortless, but rarely are. They take forever to make, sometimes an hour or more, just to get them soft enough to enjoy. Even then, the results can be wildly inconsistent. One potato cooks perfectly, while the next one is still rock-hard in the center.

Add in the fact that baked potatoes heat up your whole kitchen, tie up the oven and require planning ahead, and this simple side dish becomes way more time-consuming than it has any right to be.

Baked sweet potatoes take the frustration even further. They're denser, tougher, thicker-skinned and often irregularly shaped, which means they can take even longer to bake and are even more prone to cooking unevenly. Sometimes the outside dries out before the inside cooks, or one end gets mushy while the middle stays firm.

So when you come across a hack that promises to cook a sweet potato perfectly, in about five minutes, with no oven, no foil and no mess, you pay attention. At least, that's what I did when I saw the super simple microwave sweet potatorecipe from MacKenzie Smith on her site, Grilled Cheese Social . The two-time Food Network champion (she has double wins on Guy's Grocery Games ), cookbook author, blogger, cheese expert and Executive Chef at Black Dolphin Inn in New Smyrna Beach, FL, shared her go-to method and I knew I had to give it a try.

Read on to learn exactly how Smith cooks her sweet potatoes and find out how the hack worked at my house. Spoiler alert: You may never roast another sweet potato again.

Related: The Easy Way To Make Sweet Potatoes 10x Better

Why You Should Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave

Smith's microwave sweet potato hack is one of those rare kitchen tips that isn't just clever, but it's also genuinely transformative. If you love sweet potatoes but hate the effort they require, this shortcut will become your new weeknight hero.

Using nothing but a microwave-safe plate and a damp paper towel, your sweet potatoes go from raw to perfectly fluffy in about six minutes.

"I first started doing this when my daughter, Poppy, was a baby and was just
starting solids," Smith tells Parade . "At the time, she was absolutely inhaling sweet potatoes like they were the best thing she'd ever tasted, and one day, while my mom was over helping me, she casually said, 'Why don't you just microwave her another one?'
This instantly unlocked a core childhood memory of my mom wrapping potatoes in wet
paper towels and simply microwaving them for dinner."

Smith hadn't "used that trick in forever," so she tried a few different methods before landing on one that worked perfectly.

Related: Taylor Swift's Favorite Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

How To Microwave a Sweet Potato

This hack couldn't be simpler. Wash and scrub your sweet potato, poke holes all over it, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave for 5-6 minutes, flipping it once around the three-minute mark for even cooking.

Test it with a fork or paring knife before you plate it. If it slides in easily, you're done. If not, heat for another minute and test again. That's it!

"It all comes down to steam!" Smith explains. "That damp paper towel traps moisture and
essentially turns your microwave into a tiny steam bath, helping the sweet potato
cook evenly from the inside out. No hard spots, no raw pockets—just fluffy,
sweet perfection!"

How Long Should You Microwave a Sweet Potato?

Not all microwaves or sweet potatoes are the same, so keep in mind that the cook time is more of a suggestion than a precise measurement. For the most even cooking, Smith suggests choosing a sweet potato that's "fairly uniform in shape" if you can.

"Any with a big bulky end or skinny tail will be difficult to cook evenly, no matter what you do," she shares. After the initial cook, give the sweet potato a gentle squeeze to check the softness, then cook in 30-second intervals, flipping as you go.

"It's all about tiny tweaks until it hits that soft, steamy sweet spot," she says. In most microwaves, it will take 5 to 6 minutes to get to that point.

Once you have the timing dialed in, make a note of about how long it took so you'll have a benchmark for the next time. Because microwaves vary in wattage, yours might cook sweet potatoes more quickly or slowly.

Related: The Secret Ingredient for the Easiest-Ever Sweet Potato Casserole

Should You Poke Holes in Sweet Potatoes Before Microwaving?

Smith suggests poking holes in sweet potatoes with a fork before you microwave them to help the steam escape and help them cook more evenly. As the potatoes cook, the water turns to steam, which can cause pressure inside the veggie. If you don't poke holes in the skin before putting the potatoes in the microwave, the skins could burst open and cause a mess.

Related: Here's What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Sweet Potatoes Every Day, According to Registered Dietitians

My Honest Thoughts About Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

This simple method really is a game-changer. This hack gives you a tender sweet potato with steamy, fluffy insides in a fraction of the time it would take to bake the veggie. I added some butter and a little sprinkle of cinnamon for a quick side dish, but there are so many ways you could go with this.

It's a great trick to keep in mind during the busy holiday season when the oven gets busy. I can see it being a great shortcut for making sweet potato casserole or mashed sweet potatoes for your holiday table. It's also a great meal prep solution.

Whether you're trying to keep meals nutritious or if you just need something fast on a chaotic weeknight, a microwaved sweet potato checks every box. It's effortless, consistent and genuinely works, and it might just replace the oven version entirely for me.

The only downside to microwaving is that the potato skin stays soft instead of crisping up. If crispy skin is a priority for you, you'll want to skip the microwave and go for the oven or air fryer instead.
Related: Patti LaBelle's Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes Capture the Essence of Soul Food

How To Serve Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

Once cooked, you can choose your own sweet potato adventure. Most of the time, Smith likes to keep things simple. "Pair it with a dab of salty butter (my go-to brand is Land O'Lakes)," she says. "Then, drizzle honey or maple syrup and a sprinkle of flaky salt. It's so simple, yet delicious!"

Want to head in a more savory direction? Add some sour cream, garlic powder or even cottage cheese for a hit of protein . The sweet-and-savory mash is also a great addition to rice bowls, or do as Smith does and add some mashed sweet potato to a grilled chicken burrito for a quick lunch.

Related: The 'Ridiculously Good and Simple' Sweet Potato Recipe Andrew Zimmern Makes for Thanksgiving—and All Winter Long

How To Store Leftover Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

You can stash the sweet potatoes in their skins in an airtight container in the fridge or you can scoop out the insides, transfer to a container and then refrigerate, which is Smith's usual storage method. They'll keep in the fridge for three to four days.

Related: How To Make a Baked Potato 10x Better

Can You Microwave Other Types of Potatoes?

Once you microwave a sweet potato, you might start wondering about cooking other spuds this way. Smith says you can use this method on other potatoes , but it takes a little longer because they're denser.

"I usually microwave them for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the size. Big russets need the most time, while smaller red or gold potatoes cook a bit faster," she said. "If you're ever unsure about the cook time, you can use the same squeeze test."

Related: How to Make Roasted Potatoes 10x Better, According to Gordon Ramsay

Source:

• MacKenzie Smith , two-time Food Network champion, cookbook author, blogger at Grilled Cheese Social , cheese expert and Executive Chef at Black Dolphin Inn in New Smyrna Beach, FL.

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.