What Should I Put on My Sweet Potato

One press loads a baked sweet potato: a butter or cream, a filling, a topping and a crunch.

All 125

Sour creamA spoonful in the split. Try it with chives and bacon, as on a white potato.Butter or cream
Black beansWarm them with a little cumin. Try them with salsa, avocado and lime.Filling
Shredded cheddarLet it melt on the hot potato. Try it with broccoli, with chili or with bacon.Topping
Crushed tortilla chipsCrush a handful over the top. Try them with black beans, salsa and cheddar.Crunch

Next step Draw a dinner to go beside it Or spin the food wheel

All 125 toppings

Butters and creams 24

Almond butter Drizzle it over the split potato. Try it with banana, or with blueberries and granola.
Brown butter Cook butter until it smells of nuts and spoon it over. Try it with sage, or with pecans.
Butter Split the potato, fluff the inside with a fork and let it melt in. Try it with salt, or cinnamon.
Chili lime butter Butter with chili powder and lime zest. Try it with black beans and cilantro.
Cinnamon butter Butter mashed with cinnamon and a little sugar. Try it with toasted pecans.
Coconut oil A teaspoon melted in, in place of butter. Try it with toasted coconut and lime.
Cottage cheese A scoop in the split. Try it with black pepper and scallions, or with hot sauce.
Crème fraîche A cold spoonful on the hot potato. Try it with chives and black pepper.
Garlic butter Mash soft butter with a grated clove. Try it with chives, or with broccoli and cheddar.
Greek yogurt Plain, a big spoonful. Try it with honey and walnuts, or with lime and cilantro.
Guacamole In place of butter. Try it with black beans, salsa and lime.
Herb butter Butter mashed with parsley, chives or thyme. Try it with black pepper and flaky salt.
Honey butter Soft butter stirred with honey. Try it with cinnamon, or with sliced almonds.
Hummus A big spoonful in the split. Try it with roasted chickpeas and lemon.
Maple butter Soft butter stirred with maple syrup. Try it with walnuts, or with a pinch of flaky salt.
Mascarpone A cold spoonful on top. Try it with honey and toasted hazelnuts.
Miso butter Equal parts miso and soft butter. Try it with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Olive oil A good drizzle and flaky salt, where butter would go. Try it with feta and lemon.
Peanut butter A spoonful melts into the hot potato. Try it with sliced banana and cinnamon.
Ricotta Whip it with a fork first. Try it with honey and pistachios, or with olive oil and pepper.
Sour cream A spoonful in the split. Try it with chives and bacon, as on a white potato.
Tahini Thin it with lemon juice and water and drizzle it over. Try it with chickpeas and parsley.
Vanilla yogurt Cold on the hot potato, like a dessert. Try it with granola and blueberries.
Whipped cream cheese It softens on the hot potato. Try it with scallions, or with crumbled bacon.

Savory toppings 39

Avocado Diced or sliced. Try it with black beans, lime and cilantro.
Baked beans Warmed and spooned over. Try them with cheddar.
Barbecue chicken Shredded and tossed in barbecue sauce. Try it with red onion and cilantro.
Black beans Warm them with a little cumin. Try them with salsa, avocado and lime.
Blue cheese crumbles A little goes far. Try them with buffalo chicken, or with walnuts and honey.
Breakfast sausage Brown it and crumble it. Try it with a fried egg, or with maple butter.
Buffalo chicken Shredded chicken in hot sauce. Try it with blue cheese crumbles and scallions.
Caramelized onions Cooked slowly until brown. Try them with goat cheese and thyme.
Chili Ladle it into the split potato. Try it with cheddar, sour cream and scallions.
Chives Snip them over. Try them with sour cream and black pepper.
Cilantro Chop it over. Try it with lime, black beans or chili.
Coleslaw Cold, on top. Try it with pulled pork or barbecue chicken.
Crumbled bacon Cook it crisp and crumble it. Try it with sour cream and chives, or with maple butter.
Feta Crumble it on. Try it with olive oil, lemon and parsley, or with kale.
Flaky salt and pepper The plainest finish, over butter or olive oil.
Fried egg On top, the yolk still soft. Try it with avocado and hot sauce.
Goat cheese Crumble it on. Try it with caramelized onions, or with honey and walnuts.
Hot sauce A few shakes. Try it with a fried egg, or with butter and nothing more.
Lentils Cooked and seasoned. Try them with yogurt and cilantro, or with caramelized onions.
Lime juice Squeeze a wedge over at the end. Try it with chili powder, or with avocado.
Parmesan Grate it over garlic butter. Try it with black pepper, or with broccoli.
Pepper jack Shred it on. Try it with black beans and salsa.
Peppers and onions Strips cooked soft in a hot pan. Try them with black beans and guacamole.
Pesto A spoonful over the split. Try it with feta, or with spinach.
Pickled jalapeños A few slices. Try them with cheddar and chili, or with black beans.
Pickled red onions A forkful on top. Try them with pulled pork, or with black beans and feta.
Pulled pork Warm it in its sauce. Try it with coleslaw, or with pickled red onions.
Roasted corn Cut from the cob, or frozen, and browned in a pan. Try it with black beans and lime.
Salsa Spoon it on cold. Try it with black beans and sour cream.
Sautéed kale Cook it down in garlic oil. Try it with a fried egg, or with feta.
Sautéed mushrooms Brown them in butter. Try them with thyme and goat cheese.
Sautéed spinach Wilt it with garlic. Try it with feta, or with a fried egg.
Scallions Slice them thin. Try them with sour cream, or with miso butter.
Scrambled eggs Soft, spooned into the split. Try them with cheddar and salsa, for breakfast.
Shredded cheddar Let it melt on the hot potato. Try it with broccoli, with chili or with bacon.
Smoked paprika A pinch over the butter. Try it with sour cream, or with chickpeas.
Spiced chickpeas Warm them in oil with cumin and paprika. Try them with tahini and parsley.
Steamed broccoli Small florets, piled in. Try it with cheddar, or with tahini and lemon.
Taco meat Ground beef or turkey with taco seasoning. Try it with cheddar, salsa and sour cream.

Sweet toppings 20

Blueberries Fresh, or frozen and warmed. Try them with yogurt and granola.
Brown sugar A spoonful over melted butter. Try it with cinnamon and pecans.
Caramel sauce A drizzle, for dessert. Try it with pecans and flaky salt.
Chopped dates Sticky and sweet, so use a few. Try them with almond butter and a pinch of salt.
Cinnamon A shake over butter. Try it with brown sugar, or with apples.
Dark chocolate chips They melt into the hot potato. Try them with peanut butter, or with toasted coconut.
Dried cranberries A small handful. Try them with pecans and maple syrup.
Ground ginger A pinch. Try it with honey, or with maple butter.
Honey A drizzle over butter or yogurt. Try it with walnuts and a pinch of salt.
Maple syrup A drizzle into the split potato. Try it with pecans, or with butter and salt.
Mini marshmallows Scatter them on and broil until they brown. Try them with pecans.
Nutmeg A pinch, grated fresh if you can. Try it with butter and brown sugar.
Orange zest Grate it over. Try it with butter and brown sugar, or with cranberries.
Pomegranate seeds For color and a sour pop. Try them with yogurt and pistachios.
Pumpkin pie spice A shake of the mix. Try it with maple syrup and pecans.
Raisins A small handful, stirred into the mashed inside. Try them with cinnamon and walnuts.
Sautéed apples Dice an apple and cook it in butter and cinnamon. Try it with walnuts.
Sliced banana On top, still cool. Try it with peanut butter and cinnamon.
Vanilla A few drops mashed into the potato with butter. Try it with cinnamon.
Whipped cream A spoonful, for dessert. Try it with cinnamon and candied pecans.

Crunchy things 18

Candied pecans Sweet and crisp. Try them with cinnamon butter, or with whipped cream.
Chopped peanuts A spoonful over the top. Try them with peanut butter and banana, or with lime and cilantro.
Crispy fried onions From a can. Try them with sour cream, or with barbecue chicken.
Crushed gingersnaps Crumble a cookie or two over. Try them with butter and cinnamon.
Crushed tortilla chips Crush a handful over the top. Try them with black beans, salsa and cheddar.
Graham cracker crumbs A spoonful over the top. Try them with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.
Granola A handful on top. Try it with yogurt and blueberries.
Hazelnuts Toast and chop them. Try them with mascarpone and honey.
Pistachios Chop them. Try them with ricotta and honey, or with feta and lemon.
Pumpkin seeds Toasted and salted. Try them with black beans and lime, or with maple syrup.
Roasted chickpeas Roast them dry until they rattle on the tray. Try them with tahini and lemon.
Sliced almonds Toast them until golden. Try them with honey and yogurt.
Sunflower seeds A spoonful over the top. Try them with sour cream and scallions.
Toasted breadcrumbs Fry them in butter with garlic. Try them with Parmesan and parsley.
Toasted coconut Flakes, toasted in a dry pan. Try them with lime, or with chocolate chips.
Toasted pecans Chop them roughly. Try them with maple syrup, or with blue cheese.
Toasted sesame seeds A pinch over the top. Try them with miso butter and scallions, or with tahini.
Walnuts Toast them first. Try them with honey, or with goat cheese.

For fries 24

Avocado crema Avocado blended with sour cream and lime. Try it with chili lime fries.
Barbecue sauce A small bowl for dipping. Try it with paprika and garlic powder.
Blue cheese dip Thick and sharp. Try it with Cajun fries.
Brown sugar and chili Sweet and hot together. Try it with ranch.
Cajun seasoning A spicy shake. Try it with ranch.
Chili powder and lime Chili powder on the hot fries, lime squeezed over. Try them with avocado crema.
Chipotle mayo Mayonnaise with chopped chipotle pepper stirred in. Try it with salted or chili lime fries.
Cinnamon sugar For sweet fries. Try it with marshmallow dip, or with vanilla yogurt.
Cumin and salt A light dusting. Try it with yogurt and lime dip.
Curry powder A light dusting, with salt. Try it with yogurt and lime dip, or with ketchup.
Fry sauce Ketchup and mayonnaise stirred together. Try it with salted fries.
Garlic aioli Garlicky mayonnaise. Try it with rosemary fries, or with Parmesan and parsley.
Honey mustard Sweet and sharp. Try it with plain salted fries.
Hot honey A drizzle over the hot fries, or a small bowl for dipping. Try it with sea salt.
Ketchup The plain answer. Try it with sea salt, or with curry powder.
Lemon pepper A shake on the hot fries. Try it with garlic aioli, or with honey mustard.
Marshmallow dip Marshmallow creme warmed until loose. Try it with cinnamon sugar fries.
Paprika and garlic powder Toss the hot fries in both, with salt. Try them with garlic aioli.
Parmesan and parsley Toss the hot fries with both. Try them with garlic aioli.
Ranch Cool, for spicy fries. Try it with Cajun seasoning.
Rosemary and sea salt Chop the rosemary fine. Try it with garlic aioli.
Sea salt On the fries while they are hot, before anything else. Try it with any dip.
Spicy mayo Mayonnaise with hot sauce stirred in. Try it with sea salt, or with lemon pepper.
Yogurt and lime dip Plain yogurt, lime juice and salt. Try it with cumin or curry fries.

How it works

What should I put on my sweet potato once it is out of the oven? Deal from 125: 24 butters and creams, 39 savory toppings, 20 sweet ones, 18 crunchy things and 24 seasonings and dips for fries.

Read the full guide

Savory or sweet

A sweet potato takes both. For dinner, go savory: something salty, sour or hot against the sweetness, such as sour cream and chives, black beans and lime, or chili and cheddar. For breakfast or dessert, lean into it with cinnamon butter, maple syrup and pecans.

Getting the toppings to stay

Cut the baked potato open along the top, push the two ends toward each other and fluff the inside with a fork. Butter or cream goes in first, so it melts down into the potato. Everything else sits on top of it.

For fries, season while they are hot, so the salt and spice stick, and put the dip in a bowl at the side.

Questions and answers

What spices should I put on my sweet potato fries?

Salt first. Then paprika with garlic powder, chili powder with lime, Cajun seasoning, cumin, or chopped rosemary. For sweet fries, cinnamon sugar.

What should I put on fried sweet potato slices?

Treat the slices as fries: a seasoning, then a dip. Chipotle mayo, garlic aioli and honey mustard are savory. Marshmallow dip goes with cinnamon sugar.

What is good to eat on a sweet potato?

Sour cream with chives, black beans with salsa and avocado, chili with cheddar, or a fried egg with hot sauce. On the sweet side: butter with brown sugar and cinnamon, peanut butter with banana, or yogurt with granola.