Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. I love roasting them into fries, steaming them for baking, or sautéing sweet potato noodles for my stir-fries. They are so delicious and versatile. Now, I am dressing them up with a sweet, umami, and savory maple miso glaze, elevating their flavor complexity to the next level.

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Sweet and earthy sweet potatoes paired with a savory and umami miso glaze create perfect harmony on your palate.

You can enjoy them on their own, serve them as a side dish, or add them to a warm salad bowl.

What Type of Sweet Potatoes To Choose

My favorite variety is Japanese sweet potatoes. They have reddish-purple skin and white flesh. Their nutty flavor and ability to roast beautifully make them stand out. The outside gets caramelized while the inside remains creamy but not mushy.

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are the more common type found in grocery stores. They have a slightly earthier and sweeter flavor. They are also a great option for roasting, but they tend to become mushy on the inside if roasted for too long.

The only type of sweet potato I do not recommend for roasting is the purple variety. These sweet potatoes are better suited for steaming or boiling, as roasting tends to dry them out.

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes before cutting them into even-sized cubes. Uniform sizes ensure even cooking and consistent textures.

Ingredients for Miso Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut into cubes.

Neutral cooking oil for roasting: I like using avocado oil. It has a higher smoking point and a mild and neutral taste.

Maple Miso Glaze is the star dressing for this dish.

Chili Crisp is an optional ingredient if you want to add a little kick to this dish.

How to Make Miso Sweet Potatoes

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes.
Cut them into even-sized cubes.
Toss them in cooking oil evenly.
Spread them out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Make sure to not overcrowd them.
Roast at 425F for 10 – 15 minutes.

Depending on the size you cut the sweet potatoes into, you may need up between 10 to 15 minutes for the first round of roasting sweet potatoes.

Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven. They should still be a little hard to poke through using a fork.

Toss the sweet potatoes in maple miso glaze. Make sure all of them are coated thoroughly.
Put them back on the baking sheet. And roast for another 5 minutes.

Roasting Sweet Potatoes to Perfection

Roasting sweet potatoes might sound easy because it is, but achieving the perfect crispy exterior and creamy interior requires a few techniques:

Flip halfway: Turning the sweet potatoes halfway through ensures even browning.

Even-sized cubes: Cutting sweet potatoes into uniform pieces ensures even cooking. Uneven sizes may result in smaller pieces burning while larger ones remain undercooked, or vice versa.

High oven temperature: A high temperature helps achieve slightly crispy edges while keeping the inside creamy and moist.

Single layer: Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet to allow the outside to crisp and caramelize.

The Art of Applying the Glaze

The glaze should be applied to the sweet potatoes at the perfect time—when they are almost done roasting. Adding the glaze too early could cause it to burn due to its sugar content.

  1. Roast the sweet potatoes for 20 minutes.
  2. Toss them in the glaze, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
  3. Roast for another 5–10 minutes.

The glaze will caramelize during the second roasting, forming a sticky, shiny coating around the sweet potatoes.

How to Serve the Miso Glazed Sweet Potatoes

There are so many ways to enjoy this recipe:

  • Add them to a salad bowl or warm grain bowl.
  • Serve them as a side dish alongside your favorite protein and vegetables.
  • Finish with toppings like toasted sesame seeds, chili oil crisp, or chopped green onions.

You will love these maple miso-glazed sweet potatoes. They are sweet, savory, crispy, and creamy all at the same time. Best of all, they are easy to make. I hope your whole family enjoys this recipe.

Let me know in the comments below how you like them!

Get the recipe:Miso Glazed Sweet Potatoes {20 Minutes}

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Roasted sweet potatoes glazed with a sweet and savory maple miso paste. This easy vegan side dish is so flavorful. My whole family loves it.
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups sweet potaoes cubed, (roughly 3 medium)
  • 2 tbsp Neutral oil for roasting

Maple Miso Glaze

  • ¼ cup miso paste
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup, or honey
  • 1-2 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger, optional
  • 2 tsp chili crisp, optional
  • Sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425F.
  • Peel the skin of sweet potatoes, cut into small to medium cubes.
  • On a greased baking pan, toss the sweet potato cubes evenly in neutral cooking oil.
  • Place the sweet potato in the oven top rack. Roast for 12 – 15 minutes and flip them halfway to ensure they get crispy on all sides.
  • Make the Maple Miso glaze while the sweet potatoes are cooking in the oven.
  • Handle the hot sweet potatoes carefuly (let them cool for 5 minutes if needed) then toss the gently with the miso glaze. Use more or less of the glaze depending on your preference.
  • Place the glazed sweet potatoes back on the baking sheet. Roast for another 5 minutes.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

Overcook the sweet potatoes can result in mushy sweet potatoes.

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang