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A sweet potato on a plate with butter.
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4.80 from 5 votes

How to Microwave a Sweet Potato

Oil up a sweet potato and cook it in the microwave for 8 minutes for a flavorful and easy meal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time13 minutes
Course: Vegetarian
Cuisine: American
Keyword: How to cook a sweet potato in the microwave
Servings: 1
Author: Linley Hanson

Ingredients

  • 1 medium to large sweet potato washed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt + more for topping
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper + more for topping
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Use a sharp fork or knife to carefully poke holes all over the sweet potato.
    A sweet potato with holes on a plate.
  • Drizzle the potato with olive oil and use your hands to massage the oil into the potato.
  • Season the potato with salt and pepper and massage the spices into the potato.
  • Place the potato on a microwave safe plate and cook the potato on high for 4 minutes.
  • Feel the potato to make sure it isn’t mushy* and then flip the potato and cook on high for another 2 minutes. If after 2 minutes, the potato is fork tender, remove the potato from the microwave. If it isn’t quite ready, cook the potato for an additional 2 minutes.
    A cooked sweet potato on a plate.
  • Remove the potato from the microwave and cut the potato in half. Place the tablespoon of butter in the middle of the potato, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy.
    A sweet potato cut in half on a plate.

Notes

  • We tested this recipe with a medium and large sweet potato and the cook times were similar.
  • Every microwave is different so the cook time may vary based on the sweet potato.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g