Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking?

Soaking sweet potatoes before baking can help reduce surface starches, which encourages better crisping during the baking process—especially helpful if you're slicing them thin or making fries. While it’s not necessary for whole baked potatoes, a short soak can improve texture and even cooking.

Can you double cook sweet potatoes?

Absolutely! That’s exactly what twice-baked sweet potatoes are—a double-cooked dish. The first bake softens the flesh for mashing, and the second bake reheats the filling while crisping up the top. It’s also a great way to meal prep in advance and reheat later without losing quality.

How to make twice baked potatoes Gordon Ramsay?

Chef Gordon Ramsay’s take usually includes flavor-packed fillings with herbs, cheeses, and often a rich creamy base like sour cream or crème fraîche. For sweet potatoes, think garlic, Gruyère, a touch of cayenne, and fresh parsley. Finish with a broil for extra crisp tops, Ramsay-style.

How do restaurants get their baked potatoes so fluffy?

Restaurants typically bake potatoes at high heat directly on the oven rack, which promotes airflow around the skin. They also use large russet or sweet potatoes, prick them to release steam, and avoid wrapping in foil, which traps moisture. The result? Fluffy interiors and crisp, tasty skins.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes – The Best 2025 Comfort Recipe You'll Love

Description

Creamy on the inside and crispy on top, these twice-baked sweet potatoes are the ultimate comfort side dish. Perfect for holidays, meal prep, or a weeknight dinner, they’re endlessly customizable and guaranteed to please every guest at your table.

Ingredients

Scale

4 medium sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or vegan butter)
¼ cup sour cream (or dairy-free yogurt)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or plant-based cheese)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: green onions, crumbled bacon, pecans, or marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash and pierce sweet potatoes with a fork.
Bake sweet potatoes for 45–60 minutes until tender. Let cool slightly.
Slice each potato lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving a ¼-inch border.
Add butter, sour cream, cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the mashed sweet potato. Mix until creamy.
Refill the sweet potato skins with the mash, mounding slightly above the top.
Lower oven to 375°F and bake the filled potatoes for another 15–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and slightly crisp.
Garnish with toppings and serve hot.

Notes

To make these vegan, substitute dairy ingredients with plant-based options. Sweet potatoes can be baked in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 twice-baked sweet potato
Calories: 240
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 310mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 15mg

Keywords: Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Side, Holiday Side Dish