Grilling Sweet Potatoes: A Tasty Side Dish
Grilling sweet potatoes is easy and makes a delicious and healthy addition to any barbecue spread. Their natural sweetness and smoky flavor make them a crowd-pleasing side dish. From slicing and seasoning to serving suggestions and storage tips, I’ve got you covered.
BBQ Meal Idea: Dry Rub BBQ Pork Chops, Grilled Asparagus, Jazzed Up Condiments, Cucumber Salad
I love when I can make a whole meal on the BBQ. In the photo below we had pork chops, asparagus and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes actually take the longest to grill so put them on first while you get organized and gather all your equipment and grab a drink to enjoy while grilling!
How to Cut and Prepare Sweet Potatoes for Grilling
- Choose medium-sized sweet potatoes with firm texture and unblemished skin.
- Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and scrub off any dirt. Keep the peels on for added nutrition.
- Slice the sweet potatoes into ¼-inch rounds for even cooking.
- You do not need to pre-cook sweet potatoes before grilling.
- Brush the sweet potato slices with oil and sprinkle them with Cajun Seasoning or salt and pepper.
How to Grill Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the sweet potatoes directly on the hot grill grates and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until grill marks appear. Because of the natural sugars in sweet potatoes, grill marks will appear quickly, before the sweet potato is cooked through. Keep an eye on them to get your desired amount of charring.
- Flip the slices using tongs for uniform cooking.
- When you get the desired amount of charring, move the sweet potatoes to a cooler spot on the BBQ over indirect heat so they can continue to cook without over-charring.
- Cooking time varies based on your desired level of tenderness, BBQ temp and thickness of slices.
How to Serve Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Here are a few suggestions for the best tasting grilled sweet potatoes and prevent them from ever tasting dry.
- Brush with a little melted butter or oil and sprinkle on some thyme, lemon thyme, oregano or cilantro.
- Squeeze a fresh squirt of lemon or lime juice over the grilled sweet potato slices. If that’s too much citrus, make a little vinaigrette by mixing the citrus juice with a little oil, salt, pepper and cumin.
- Want to bring out their sweetness? Mix a little honey with lime juice and lime zest and brush the slices with that. Then top it with fresh cilantro, parsley or lemon thyme. Or just a sprinkle of cumin or paprika.
- Get saucy! My two favourite sauces for sweet potatoes are avocado lime sauce (with or without cilantro) and BBQ Mayo (from 15 ways to jazz up condiments).
- Of course, you CAN serve them just the way they are, straight from the grill.
How to Store and Use Leftovers
- Store leftover grilled sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a skillet or microwave when ready to enjoy again.
- Cut the leftovers into cubes and add them to salads for a nutritious and satisfying meal. For example try them instead of butternut squash in this whole grain salad.
- I would not recommend freezing these.
Recipe for Grilling Sweet Potatoes
Grilling Sweet Potato Slices
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Wash and scrub sweet potatoes well. Remove any blemishes but keep peel on.
- Cut into uniform slices about 1/4 inch or 6mm thick.
- Coat slices evenly with oil and season Cajun seasoning or salt and pepper.
- Place slices on grill over direct heat for 3-5 minutes depending on desired amount of charring (it doesn't take long for grill marks to appear). Flip and repeat on other side for another 3 minutes.
- To test for doneness cut or poke into a slice to test tenderness. If not tender enough, move slices to indirect heat and let them continue to cook through without further charring.
- Remove from grill and serve as is, with a garnish of fresh herbs (cilantro, thyme, parsley, oregano) or see some of the sauce ideas in the blog article.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Will you try grilling sweet potatoes this BBQ season? If you do, take a photo, post it on Instagram and tag @getgettys so I can see it and like it!
Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty. Getty is a food educator and Professional Home Economist,who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen. Sign up to get seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox. Learn more about Getty or check out her books and guides.
