If you want to bake with sweet potatoes, you will need to transform raw sweet potatoes into a silky smooth purée. Learn how to make sweet potato purée for pies in the microwave with this easy recipe.
This is the technique I use to make sweet potato purée for baking. I used this purée to make this gorgeous maple bourbon sweet potato pie.
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Types of Sweet Potato for Purée
Sweet potatoes range in colour and shape, though in North America, we think most commonly of the orange-fleshed tuber. If you want to make a filling for pies or use sweet potato purée in muffins and cakes, opt for the Jewel or Garnet sweet potato varieties, which have orange-brown or reddish-brown skin and orange flesh. These create a flavourful purée that isn't too wet nor too dry.
Some of the Japanese varieties of sweet potato that are white inside tend to be drier and firmer. They are delicious but more suitable for chopping up for stews or soups, not great for baking or making pies.
- Raw sweet potatoes—opt for unblemished sweet potatoes that are firm and aren't wrinkling excessively (from age). Pick either Jewel or Garnet varieties which are best for baking with. Don't use Japanese varieties that are less sweet and more firm. These are not the best for making purées.
See the recipe card for exact quantities and ingredients.
Substitutions and Variations
I prefer the flavour of homemade sweet potato purée to the purée in a can. But if you are short on time, you can purchase canned sweet potato purée for baking.
And if you can't find canned sweet potato, the best substitute is canned pumpkin, but obviously you will be making pumpkin muffins and pies if you go that route!
Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Purée
There are many ways to cook sweet potato and you should pick the method that works best for you.
- Microwave—Pierce the flesh through the skin to make air holes in the tubers, then place them in the microwave. Microwave them on high for five minutes, pausing to check on them every so often. Microwave until soft, testing with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife to make sure the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
- Roast—Roast them whole. You want to roast until soft.
- Boil (least preferred method)—Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and cut it into big pieces, then boil until tender. Drain well and pat until perfectly dry before blending in a food processor until smooth
Making Sweet Potato Purée in the Microwave
Start with unblemished sweet potatoes that you've washed and scrubbed to remove any dirt. This is how I like to make sweet potato purée using the microwave:
Step 1—Pierce the flesh through the skin to make air holes in the tubers (image 1). Place the sweet potatoes in the centre of the microwave oven. Microwave them on high for about ten minutes, pausing to check on them every so often. Microwave until soft, testing with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife to make sure the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
Step 2—When the sweet potatoes have cooled down enough that you can handle them, slice them in half, lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving behind the peel (image 2).
Step 3—Transfer the flesh of the cooked sweet potatoes to a food processor and process them until smooth (image 3), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Alternatively, you can use a masher or even a food mill if you have one. I find the food processor makes a very smooth purée and breaks down the fibres really well so that's what I prefer to use.
Tip: Unlike homemade pumpkin purée for pies that requires straining through a cheesecloth to remove excess moisture (or cooking down on the stove), sweet potato purée doesn't have so much moisture. You can bake with homemade sweet potato purée right away without any extra steps!
Storage
Sweet potatoes are low acidicity, with a pH above 4.6. For this reason, it is not acidic enough for home canning processes as is. When you make a batch of homemade sweet potato purée, you have to store it in the fridge for short periods, or in the freezer for longer periods. Store in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap directly applied to the surface of the purée, or in a freezer bag, pressed flat, with the air removed.
Other Baking Techniques to Explore
Looking for other useful baking techniques and tricks like this? Try these:
If you tried this recipe for homemade sweet potato purée (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Purée
Equipment
Ingredients
- 760 grams sweet potato
Instructions
- Wash and scrub your sweet potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Pat dry.
- Using a fork, prick the sweet potatoes several times on all sides.
- Place the sweet potatoes in the microwave and microwave on high power for 10 minutes. Stop the microwave halfway through to check on them and flip the potatoes if you feel like they are heating more on one side than the other.
- When the sweet potatoes are very soft (test them with a fork or a pairing knife), remove them from the microwave and set them on a cutting board to cool completely.
- Once cool enough to handle, slice the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh, leaving behind the peels.
- Process the sweet potato into a purée in a food processor (or using a food mill or with a masher). The food processor will yield a very smooth purée.
Notes
- Use Jewel or Garnet sweet potato varieties with a brownish-orange or brownish red-skin and orange flesh.
- I usually get about 470 grams of sweet potato purée from 770 grams of raw sweet potatoes, but the yield will vary. I like to buy extra sweet potatoes to ensure I have enough purée to bake with.
- The microwave time will vary according to your microwave brand and model. Microwave the sweet potatoes for long enough that they are cooked through, testing for doneness by poking them with a fork or a pairing knife. The flesh will be very soft when they are cooked.
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