Sous Vide Sweet Potatoes

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These Sous Vide Sweet Potatoes are ultra sweet and tender with irresistible caramelized edges and a hint of smoky flavor. They’re simple to prepare and make the perfect side dish for busy weeknights or holiday gatherings!

Who doesn’t love sweet potatoes!? They’re one of the most versatile veggies as they work in sweet, savory or spicy recipes and can be prepared in so many different ways!

For a super simple side dish, we love these air fryer sweet potatoes, but we also enjoy candied sweet potato, baked sweet potato slices and sweet potato hash!  

Oven roasted sweet potatoes are also a favorite. So I’m excited that this sous vide recipe actually gets oven roasted results without even turning on the oven!

That’s right! The sous vide method results in perfectly sweet, tender and buttery sweet potatoes (just like the oven). And for those caramelized edges, you just need to brown the potatoes in a skillet for a few minutes before serving!

Check out the sous vide sweet potatoes story!

Why this recipe works

1. The sous vide method enhances the sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes. As the potatoes cook in a vacuum sealed bag, the seasoning and moisture are locked in, so the natural sweet flavor intensifies as the potatoes cook. 
2. The sous vide also ensures the sweet potatoes turn out perfectly tender. The controlled temperature of the water bath takes the guesswork out of cooking and ensures your sweet potatoes are never mushy or dry.
3. You don’t need to use your oven! If you’re cooking a big meal and your oven is occupied with your main dish or other side dishes, you can still enjoy sweet potatoes with oven roasted flavor by using the sous vide.

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking."

What is the Water Displacement Method?

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

Tools Used

• Anova Precision Sous Vide Cooker
• 12 quart container
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum seal bags

Other sous vide recipes

• Sous Vide Potatoes
• Sous Vide Brussels Sprouts
• Sous Vide Carrots
• Sous Vide Green Beans
• Sous Vide Broccoli

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card below.

You’ll need 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2” cubes. While sweet potatoes come in different varieties, and you can use any type in this recipe, I prefer traditional sweet potatoes with reddish skin and orange flesh. They turn out perfectly sweet and tender in this recipe.

The potatoes are tossed with a sweet and savory mix of ingredients including salt, brown sugar, nutmeg, smoked paprika, black pepper and sage. 

For the brown sugar, you can substitute coconut sugar or even maple syrup. 

I highly recommend fresh sage but you can use dried sage in a pinch, just reduce the amount to one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh. 

Also, make sure you’re using smoked paprika to get that smoky flavor. Regular paprika does not have the same flavor.

To help the sweet potatoes tenderize and add a rich, buttery flavor, you’ll want to add a tablespoon of butter to the potatoes. You can also use a good quality olive oil instead of butter.

Before serving the potatoes, you’ll want to brown them in a skillet with some avocado oil to get those caramelized edges. I like avocado oil as it has a high smoke point, but you can use olive oil or butter if you prefer.

Step by step instructions

Heat a sous vide water bath to 185F degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the avocado oil and toss to coat the potatoes.

Place in a vacuum seal bag (or ziplock freezer bag if using the water displacement method) and seal airtight.

Place in the water bath and cook for 1 hour. Remove the bag from the water and open.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Heat until shimmering.

Pour in the sweet potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until caramelized around the edges.

*Be careful they don’t burn as the sugar will burn quickly. 

Expert tips

1. You’ll want to remove the air from the bag when vacuum sealing the potatoes. This helps keep bacteria out of the bag. 
2. If the bag fills with air before the potatoes are cooked, just open the bag, let the air out and reseal it.
3. In order to cook in the allotted time, make sure the bag of potatoes is fully submerged in the water bath. 
4. If the bag floats, weigh it down with something heavy like a wet towel, heavy bowl or sous vide weights.
5. To ensure even cooking, cut the potatoes in roughly the same size cubes and organize the potatoes in a single layer in the sealable bag.
6. If you cut the potatoes into larger cubes, they will take longer to cook.
7. Make sure you only pan sear the potatoes for 2-3 minutes per side. If you brown them for too long, they will burn and could even over cook and get mushy.

Common questions

Make ahead instructions

You can make sous vide sweet potatoes in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

To do this, once the potatoes come out of the water bath, you’ll want to immediately place them in an ice bath to bring their temperature down quickly. Once cooled, keep them in the sealable bag and store them in the fridge.

To reheat, place the bag of potatoes in a 185F degree water bath for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Brown the potatoes in a skillet and serve.

I don’t recommend freezing these sweet potatoes as they can get mushy once defrosted.

Serving options

We love these caramelized sweet potatoes as a side dish with buttery roasted turkey thighs, honey baked ham or sous vide whole chicken.

Other side dishes that taste amazing with sweet potatoes include honey balsamic Brussels sprouts, roasted parmesan cauliflower and Instant Pot broccoli.

If you’re serving these sweet potatoes for the holidays, don’t forget the traditional stuffing and cranberry chutney!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!