---
title: "Which Sweet Potatoes Taste Sweetest? Varieties and Cooking Methods"
description: "Compare sweet potato varieties and learn how storage and cooking affect sweetness and texture. No single variety is sweetest in every dish."
canonical: "https://kitchencuddle.com/what-is-the-sweetest-potato/"
author: "Anushree R."
published: "2022-03-23T20:12:59"
updated: "2026-10-30T02:47:02"
---

# Which Sweet Potatoes Taste Sweetest? Varieties and Cooking Methods

![Image of sweetest potatoes](https://kitchencuddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/sweetest-potatoes-1024x576.jpeg)

Did you know that there are over 400 sweet potato varieties in the world? Although their flavors may differ, all of them are starchy vegetables with inherent sweetness. So, if you are drawn to these vegetables because of their delicious sweetness, you may want to know, what is the sweetest potato?

There is no single sweetest sweet potato in every kitchen: cultivar, storage and cooking method affect sweetness. Beauregard, Jewel, Covington and Japanese types can all taste sweet. [LSU reports that its Evangeline cultivar has more sucrose and tastes sweeter than Beauregard after cooking](https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/communications/publications/agmag/archive/2009/spring/a-really-sweet-sweet-potato--thats-evangeline).

Let’s talk about this in more detail now.

## Why Are Sweet Potatoes Sweet?

Most culinary ingredients that taste sweet are fruits. The sweet potato is an exception.

This root vegetable is a rich source of starch, just like regular potatoes. However, they turn very sweet when cooked.

When you heat sweet potatoes, their starch breaks down. Heat also activates certain enzymes in sweet potatoes.

These enzymes convert their chalky starch into maltose. Maltose is a type of sugar that tastes very sweet.

When it’s released, you end up with deliciously sweet and soft sweet potatoes.

Now, the cooking method affects the sweetness of the resulting sweet potato.

Slow cooking or baking at a low temperature will give the enzyme more time to act on the starch and make them very sweet.

Different cooking methods change sugar development and texture; roasting or steaming is not automatically less sweet.

## Which Variety Of Sweet Potatoes Is The Sweetest?

There are a staggering variety of sweet potatoes, and all aren’t created equal.

Depending on the variety, their skin color can be white, red, yellow, purple, or brown.

The inner flesh can also be orange, purple, white, or brown.

Physical differences aside, these sweet potatoes also differ in terms of flavor profile and texture.

The orange-colored varieties are more popular in the West.

Meanwhile, white sweet potatoes find more use in Asia and Middle-Eastern cooking.

Let’s look at the most commonly available varieties amongst these to understand them better.

### Beauregard Sweet Potato

Beauregard is a widely grown orange-fleshed cultivar.

They have reddish skin and rich orange flesh.

They are sweet and very juicy. When cooked, their flesh becomes very soft and loses its bite completely.

These sweet potatoes mash well and work in various recipes.

Beauregard sweet potatoes may not have a complex flavor profile.

Their sweet, moist texture works well in many dishes.

### Jewel Sweet Potato

Jewel is another orange-fleshed sweet potato cultivar; availability varies by region.

Its flavor and texture depend on growing, storage and cooking conditions.

Jewel sweet potatoes are soft and tender. They become watery when cooked but hold their shape when baked or roasted.

Jewel sweet potatoes are best suited for casseroles and in baking.

### Covington Sweet Potato

Covington sweet potatoes are the most widely exported potatoes from the US to Europe.

They have orange flesh; glycemic response depends on preparation and portion size, not the cultivar name alone.

These sweet potatoes are creamy and moist.

They have a distinct malty sweetness that’s unlike the flavors of other sweet potatoes.

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### Garnet Sweet Potato

Garnet potatoes have deep red or purple skin. Their insides have a rich orange color.

Garnet sweet potatoes are more savory than sweet. They have deep, complex flavors and a dense texture.

Garnet sweet potatoes do best as stuffing. You can also use them in casseroles, pies, and soups.

### Purple Sweet Potato

[![Purple sweet potatoes](https://kitchencuddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/purple-potatoes-1024x576.jpeg)](https://kitchencuddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/purple-potatoes.jpeg)

Purple sweet potatoes are a feast for the eyes. Removing their ashy skin reveals vivid purple flesh on the inside.

Although they aren’t super sweet, they have a distinct and interesting flavor.

They add beautiful colors to soups, stews, and other dishes.

### Japanese Satsuma-Imo Sweet Potato

The Japanese Satsuma Imo is different from other sweet potatoes in terms of texture and flavor.

It has a light-yellow flesh beneath ashen-purple skin.

This sweet potato is incredibly starchy, and it becomes sweeter when cooked.

The best way to eat Japanese Satsuma-imo sweet potatoes is by roasting or sautéing them.

### Stokes Purple Sweet Potato

Stokes purple is a purple sweet potato with a delicate sweet flavor.

They’re dry and starchier than most orange sweet potato varieties.

You can use Stokes sweet potatoes in pies. They also taste good when mashed and roasted.

## Which Sweet Potatoes Are Best For Baking?

For baking, choose the texture you enjoy: some varieties are moist and creamy, while others are denser and drier.

The excess moisture will help them remain soft and tender after cooking.

Use the variety’s recipe and check tenderness; a drier texture does not make a sweet potato unsuitable for baking.

Orange-fleshed types often bake to a moist texture, while some white and purple types are drier and denser. Both can be excellent baked; choose the texture you prefer rather than judging baking quality by color alone.

## How To Choose And Store Sweet Potatoes?

Whole sweet potatoes are storage roots that can keep well under suitable conditions.

If you choose good sweet potatoes and store them carefully, they will last for a long time.

When shopping for sweet potatoes, always look for ones without bruises or cracked skin.

Regardless of the variety, the sweet potato should feel firm. The skin should be hard and shouldn’t yield to your touch.

The best way to store sweet potatoes is in a dark and dry space at 55°F to 60°F. They will keep for two to four weeks.

If you keep them in an exposed location at room temperature, they may spoil faster.

Even so, they should last for one or two weeks.

Sweet potatoes may sometimes sprout when kept for too long.

If it has only begun sprouting, you can safely get rid of the sprouted area and consume it as usual.

Keep raw sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, ventilated place rather than the refrigerator; chilling can cause a hard center and unpleasant flavor.

However, you can store cooked sweet potatoes in the refrigerator.

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## Sweet vs. Regular Potatoes: Which Is Better?

Although sweet potatoes have the term “potato” in them, they aren’t entirely related to regular potatoes.

Regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are both starchy vegetables.

They are rich in fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. However, they differ significantly in other ways.

Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes can both contribute nutrients to a meal. Their effect on blood glucose depends on preparation, portion size and the rest of the meal. A sweet taste or orange flesh does not make one a universal choice for blood-sugar control.

Nevertheless, both vegetables can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Potatoes are rich sources of potassium, while sweet potatoes have high Vitamin A levels.

When adding these vegetables to your diet, it’s important to pay attention to how you cook them.

Although they’re healthy on their own, mixing them with calorie-dense ingredients in recipes or choosing cooking methods like deep-frying can offset the benefits of these vegetables.