Korean Sweet Potatoes (Candied Sweet Potato)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Sweet and caramelized on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside, these Korean Sweet Potatoes have that ultra combination of sweet and salty, with a touch of spice.

And they are SO YUMMY. I am just so in love with these sweet potatoes. Roasted until crisped on the outside, tossed in a mixture of honey, sugar and gochujang, and baked until perfectly caramelized.

How can you not love something like this? The sweet from the honey and coconut sugar, the spicy, salty umami flavor of the gochujang paired together is just plain heaven, not too different than these Baked Sweet Potato Slices (they have  honey harissa glaze that is incredible).

Sweet and salty is an awesome combo for sweet potatoes in my opinion. We love these savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and this Sweet Potato Hash is the ultimate breakfast food.

They are incredibly easy to make right in the oven (like these roasted Korean Cauliflower Wings). In the authentic version of these potatoes (Goguma Mattang), the potatoes are deep fried, then coated with caramelized sugar.

This version adds a touch of spice from the gochujang, and also cooks the potatoes in the oven instead of deep frying. It’s less messy and I think they come out incredible.

Don’t forget to watch the Korean candied sweet potato story!

Ingredients

You can buy Korean sweet potatoes if you can find them, but any sweet potato will work in this recipe. They all come out great.

Coconut sugar and honey are what gives the potatoes that perfect caramelization on the outside.

Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste that has sweet, savory and spicy flavors. The spice level ranges from pretty mild to extremely spicy, depending on your preference.

Coconut oil is used to coat the sweet potatoes while roasting so they get nice and crisp on the outside.

The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Step By Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 1/2 inch pieces (see photos below).

Toss the potatoes in the coconut oil and place on a parchment paper line baking sheet.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown and caramelized on the outside and can be pierced with a fork.

While the potatoes are roasting, combine the honey, coconut sugar and gochujang in a bowl and heat in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, until the ingredients can be stirred together. DO NOT OVERHEAT OR THE SUGAR WILL BURN.

Place the roasted sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the honey mixture.

Place them back on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, or until bubbling and caramelized on the outside.

Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes then serve.

Serve these alongside these Pork Bulgogi Tacos or with these Instant Pot Korean Ribs.

Expert Tips

1. When tossing the potatoes in coconut oil, be sure to fully coat each potato piece for the best result.
2. If you prefer less spicy, use a mild gochujang or reduce the amount used. You can also eliminate the gochujang all together if you prefer just sweet, caramelized potatoes.
3. If the potatoes aren’t crisp around the edges when roasting, roast for an additional 5-10 minutes until they are.
4. Watch the potatoes when you put them back in the oven with the glaze as they can burn easily. Check them every couple of minutes.

Did you make these Korean sweet potatoes? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how they turned out.