Ultimate Guide to Sweet Potatoes
Japanese sweet potatoes looking gorgeous!
Sweet potatoes are tubers native to South America that are present in cuisines all around the world. Although they have a similar background and appearance as regular potatoes, the two are only distantly related. In this post, I'll tell you all you need to know about the most common sweet potato varieties!
Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
Beauregard sweet potatoes are the most common variety in the U.S. If you see potatoes labeled only "sweet potatoes," they are likely Beauregards. These potatoes have dark reddish-purple skin and deep orange flesh and tend to be quite large. They are the sweetest orange sweet potato on this list and are plenty juicy, making them a great all-purpose sweet potato.
Jewel Sweet Potatoes
Like Beauregards, Jewel sweet potatoes are v popular in the U.S. Jewels have smoother, lighter copper skin and are slightly less sweet than Beauregards. They have the same juicy, bright orange interior and will work well in any recipe calling for orange sweet potatoes.
Garnet Sweet Potatoes
After Beauregards and Jewels, Garnet sweet potatoes are the third most popular sweet potato in U.S. grocery stores. You can easily identify these potatoes by their reddish-purple skin and orange flesh. They are less sweet than both Beauregards and Jewels but noticeably juicier. This moisture makes Garnets perfect for baked goods and mashing and less well suited for salad or soups.
Hannah Sweet Potatoes
Unlike the orange sweet potatoes above, Hannah sweet potatoes have light tan skin and a white interior. They are also denser, drier and less sweet than the previous potatoes, with a texture similar to Yukon Gold potatoes. These characteristics make Hannahs perfect for roasting in chunks, adding to soups and salad or making fries!
Satsuma-Imo (AKA Japanese Sweet Potatoes)
Satsuma-Imo have similar reddish-purple skin to Garnets but have a light yellow interior. Their dry, russet potato-like flesh is incredibly sweet and more starchy than other sweet potatoes. They taste amazing simply roasted or sauteed. Since their texture differs from other sweet potatoes, they don't work well as an orange sweet potato replacement in most recipes.
Okinawan Sweet Potatoes (AKA Beni-Imo)
Okinawan sweet potatoes have whiteish-purple skin and bright purple interiors. They are only mildly sweet and have a dry, starchy texture similar to Satsuma-Imo. Okinawan sweet potatoes are known for their incredible antioxidant benefits. Eat to your heart's content after slowly roasting, simmering or adding to soups or stews!
Stokes Purple
Stokes purple sweet potatoes are another variety of (you guessed it) purple sweet potatoes. They are slightly juicier than Okinawan sweet potatoes but drier and starchier than most popular orange types. They are subtly sweet and have the same antioxidant benefits as beni-imo. Use stokes purple in pies, mashes and baking for best results!
A Note on Yams
Yams
Although real yams are very uncommon in the U.S., many markets refer to sweet potatoes as "yams." This trend started when orange sweet potatoes came to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Farmers tried to market these sweet potatoes as yams to differentiate them from their better known white counterparts (like the Hannah variety).
Real yams are much (much much) more common in Africa and Asia than they are in the U.S. and Canada. They grow above ground and are longer, starchier and not nearly as sweet as sweet potatoes. Despite these significant differences, many grocery stores continue to market orange sweet potatoes as yams. So if you see "yams" in a U.S. market, they're likely just orange sweet potatoes like Beauregards, Jewels or Garnets.
Ube (AKA purple yam)
You may have seen ube floating around the culinary world, incorporated into all types of gorgeous purple desserts. Ube are yams with dark, rough skin and light, speckled purple insides. Ube are sweeter than many yam varieties, making them the perfect addition to desserts across Asia and Africa. In the U.S., you're highly unlikely to find real ube for sale. However, some grocery stores market their purple sweet potatoes (like Okinawan and Stokes Purple) as ube.