Sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious vegetable that is commonly used in cooking. They can be baked, boiled, steamed, fried, and broiled. When cooked, sweet potatoes are usually paired with other foods such as meats and vegetables. They can also be eaten alone as a source of food.
After cooking, sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. However, if you do not plan on eating the food within this time frame, it is possible to freeze it and eat it at a later time. Sweet potatoes can also be cooked and eaten for breakfast as well.
There are several methods that can be used to reheat your sweet potatoes. It depends on how much time you have and how you would like the potatoes to taste when you eat them.
Can You Microwave Sweet Potatoes?
You can reheat your sweet potatoes in the microwave. The microwave is an easy solution to reheating sweet potatoes if you’re short on time, as the process only takes a few minutes.
However, it is important to note that microwaving is not the best method for this process, especially if you want to reheat sweet potato fries, as it can cause them to get soggy. But if you’re going to reheat mashed potatoes, the microwave is actually the right choice.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you can’t eat microwaved sweet potatoes fries. You can still eat them as the flavor won’t be compromised. It is just that the sweet potatoes will lose their crispness and will be soft.
Here’s a short instruction on how to reheat sweet potatoes in the microwave:
Take the sweet potatoes out of the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature. After a few minutes, place them in a microwave-safe dish. Cover the dish with a lid. Set the microwave to high heat for about five minutes or more, depending on how soft you like your sweet potatoes.
How To Reheat Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave
It is pretty simple to reheat sweet potatoes in the microwave. Here is the general process you should follow:
- Take the sweet potatoes out of the fridge.
- Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
- Put them in a microwave-safe dish.
- Cover the dish with wetted paper towels.
- Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
1. Remove the Sweet Potatoes From the Fridge
Your first step is to take your sweet potatoes out of the fridge. If you have frozen them, you may want to thaw them out in the fridge overnight before you actually begin your reheating process.
2. Let Them Sit at Room Temperature
Next, let the potatoes sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. This will cut down on the cooking time of your sweet potatoes. Don’t worry about the possibility of bacteria growing on your potatoes while they are out at room temperature. 10 minutes is not long enough for this to happen.
3. Put the Potatoes in a Microwave-Safe Dish
After you have let the sweet potatoes sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, run your fingers over the potatoes to check if they have been slightly warmed. Then, place the sweet potatoes in a microwavable dish. Ensure that they are not stacked or piled on top of one another; instead, make sure there is room between them.
4. Cover the Dish
Cover the sweet potatoes with a wetted paper towel. The paper towel helps to soak up any excess moisture that may come out of the potatoes. Without it, your potatoes could end up total mush.
But if you plan to season them, don’t cover them up to avoid the flavors from the seasonings getting absorbed by the paper towel.
5. Microwave Until Tender
The last step is to set the microwave to high heat. This time will vary depending on how small or large your sweet potato is, as well as how soft you want it to be. Generally, it will take between three to five minutes for the sweet potatoes to heat through.
How Long Do You Heat Up a Sweet Potato in the Microwave?
The time required to reheat your sweet potatoes in the microwave will depend on the types of sweet potatoes and the number of potatoes you want to reheat.
Sweet potato fries and baked or steamed sweet potatoes can be reheated in 3 to 5 minutes. For mashed sweet potatoes and chopped sweet potatoes, you will need to nuke them for 1 minute.
If you let the sweet potatoes sit out at room temperature first, the time required to reheat them in the microwave will be reduced.
How To Keep Sweet Potato Fries From Getting Soggy?
As mentioned above, sweet potato fries can get soggy in the microwave. To return the crispiness of your sweet potatoes, you can use a microwave crisper pan in place of a traditional microwave-safe plate or bowl. Simply place your potato fries on the pan, and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes on high.
Don’t forget to avoid any touching between the potatoes during cooking. If the fries are touching each other, they will steam instead of crisping up.
Another thing you can do to avoid sweet potato fries getting soggy is by coating them in cornstarch. It will help absorb the moisture and keep them crispy.
If you really want your sweet potato fries to be crispy, consider reheating your fries in an oven or air fryer. They are the best options if you’re going to reheat sweet potato fries and return them to their original crispy state.
How To Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave?
One good thing about baking a sweet potato in the microwave – besides it being a whole lot less messy than baking them in an oven – is that it preserves far more of the nutrients than other types of cooking simply because the quicker you cook something, the less there is for nutrients to be lost.
Here are some simple steps on how to cook a sweet potato in the microwave:
- Clean your potato and scrub it thoroughly to remove any dirt.
- Slightly prick your sweet potato with a fork or thin knife, just enough (5 – 6 times) to allow some steam to escape. If you’re planning to serve your sweet potato whole, you may also want to season it with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seasoning will make the skin taste good, while the inside will be fluffy and flavorful.
- Unlike when you are reheating sweet potatoes, you don’t need to wrap the sweet potato up in a damp paper towel when cooking them, as the skin will act as a barrier to keep the moisture in.
- Place your sweet potato on a microwave-safe dish and cook it for 5 – 10 minutes.
- You’re done cooking your sweet potato when it can be pierced through with a fork, and the flesh is nice and soft. If they are still hard, simply pop them back in the microwave in 30-seconds increments.
Related Questions
1. What if my sweet potato is mixed into a dish, like curry or rice?
In this case, you can simply reheat the dish as you would normally. The sweet potatoes will suck up the flavors from the other ingredients, but this is totally fine as they are a vegetable, and it’s a good way to incorporate veggies into your diet!
2. Can I store reheated sweet potatoes?
I wouldn’t recommend it. You wouldn’t want to eat a meal that was cooked, then saved, reheated, and then eaten again, would you? It’s just not safe because bacteria can grow from leftover food. Your sweet potatoes will also lose some of their healthy nutrients this way as well.
3. What should I top my sweet potato with?
You can top your sweet potatoes with anything you like, but some of my favorite toppings are ground turkey, onion, carrots, tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
Conclusion
The microwaves provide a quick, simple solution to kitchen conundrums involving the preparation of potatoes. Whether you are trying to cook or reheat sweet potatoes, microwaves can be a great way to go, but only if you use good cooking techniques.
If you’re reheating sweet potato fries, you can reheat them on a microwavable crisper pan on high for 3 to 5 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the fries while cooking, and give them a stir midway through to prevent any from getting soggy.
If you’re reheating baked sweet potatoes, wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat them for 2 to 3 minutes.
For mashed potatoes, use a bowl, cover it tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and heat on high for one minute.
