Different Types Of Sweet Potatoes For Southern Dishes

Using the right potato is the secret to a great potato salad and certain varieties are best for baked potatoes. It’s also crucial to choose the right type for the dish when it comes to sweet potatoes. 

“[Sweet potatoes] are a unique powerhouse food, that can be prepared with sweet or savory flavors, any time of day, and can take on a variety of textures,” says Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN, owner of Bucket List Tummy and dietitian for North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. “We love them in burgers, meatballs, soups and chilis, energy bites and more.” (NC SweetPotatoes believes sweet and potato should be combined into one word.)

Learn about the different types of sweet potatoes and get expert tips on which one to choose for your recipe.

What Are Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), and they are not potatoes. They are starchy, sweet root vegetables distantly related to potatoes since both belong to the order Solanales. Sweet potatoes are native to South America and grow on vines, with their leaves and flowers resembling those of the morning glory.

Types Of Southern Sweet Potatoes

At first glance, you might assume that all sweet potatoes are created equally, but that’s not the case. According to the United States Sweet Potato Council, there are hundreds of varieties, such as Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewel, and each has a unique flavor and texture. Even so, they can all be divided into five basic types:

Some varieties have deep roots in the South—North Carolina is the number one sweet potato-producing state in the U.S. and has been since 1971. The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission, a nonprofit corporation made up of over 400 sweet potato growers, is especially proud of three homegrown favorites:

Covington

Covington sweet potatoes were created by North Carolina State University for the state’s soil and climate. “It is our most widely distributed variety both domestically and internationally,” says Michelle L. Grainger, executive director, North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. “Most, if not all, Southern states should have access to this variety.”

Bonita

This variety is produced in not only other parts of the country, but also in other regions of the world. “The white sweet potato is preferred by many cultures, and we are seeing a resurgence of preference by consumer and culinary professional alike,” says Grainger, noting that the university’s breeding program ensures growers have access to plants and seed potatoes that use the purest genetics. “While NC State did not create the Bonita sweet potato, they ensure that our growers who produce it are utilizing the highest quality of seed available for production.”

Purple Majesty

The regal Purple Majesty was also created by NC State for North Carolina soil and climate. “As it is a newer variety, and appreciating that the Covington production percentage is so high, the availability is a bit more limited for this variety,” explains Grainger. “That said, awareness of this beauty is becoming stronger, therefore indicating that we should expect a higher percentage produced in coming years along with a wider availability across the Southern states.”

When To Use Different Types Of Sweet Potatoes

Whether you’re looking to make one of these sweet potato recipes, baking a Sweet Potato Pound Cake for dessert, or have a hankering for Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, there’s a sweet potato variety to match.

Choose Covington For Most Recipes

Lean on the Covington sweet potato, with its rose skin and orange flesh, for just about anything. “This one stars in nearly any type of recipe, and is great for baking, canning, roasting, grilling or frying,” says Schlichter. “When baking sweet potatoes to eat whole, this is the most popular variety as well as the typical star of the show for Thanksgiving side dishes.”

Executive Chef Dan Herget of Perry Lane Hotel’s Emporium Kitchen in Savannah, Georgia, grows his own sweet potatoes and especially likes Covingtons for roasting or mashing because they are hearty and stand up well to high heat, but they also have enough starch to mash or create super silky purees.

Bake With Purple Majesty

Whipping up a sweet dish with sweet potatoes? Some bakers use the purple varieties in baking pies because they are looking for both a different color and taste.

“The purple varieties are used often in cheesecake recipes for purple sweet potato cheesecake, as well as ice cream,” says Grainger. “They do have more nutty, earthy flavors to them, so while some use them on their plate as sides, it is generally done in combination of other root vegetables, even additional sweet potato varieties.” Schlichter also likes Purple Majesty for adding a pop of color to stir-fries, salads, and savory dishes. 

Use Bonita For Soups And Stews

The Bonita sweet potato has a pale copper skin and a sweet and creamy white flesh, which Schlichter says makes it ideal for soups, stews, and simple baking. Consider this variety for sweet potato biscuits or Sweet Potato-Carrot Soup.

Choose Garnet For Holidays

Dark orange-red skin surrounds the bright orange flesh of these sweet, moist sweet potatoes. These are one of the most common varieties besides Jewel and Beauregard, and they’re great for making mashed sweet potatoes and baking holiday dishes like pies and casseroles. They also keep their bright color after cooking, adding color to any meal.

Roast With Hannah

These white sweet potatoes have light skin and firm, dense, creamy flesh similar to a baking potato. Because of their firm texture, they are a good choice for cutting into chunks or wedges and roasting and baking. They taste slightly sweet, but they aren’t a good substitute for orange sweet potatoes in recipes because they are dense and don’t have the moisture the recipe may require.

Mash With Beauregard

Beauregard sweet potatoes are very common, and this is the type you are most likely buying at the grocery store. Purple to red skin surrounds bright orange flesh. They’re juicy, have a sweet flavor, and can have a stringier texture than other varieties, which makes them good for mashing. Use these for candied yams, pies, biscuits, or any other dish that uses mashed sweet potato.

Which Sweet Potatoes Are The Healthiest?

Sweet potatoes are naturally nutritious. They are a good source of complex carbohydrates that help with cell function, as well as vitamins A, B, and C, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Different colors of sweet potatoes provide different nutrients. Orange and purple sweet potatoes are the healthiest. Those with orange flesh are rich in beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Purple sweet potatoes contain antioxidants like anthocyanins, which can boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.

Which Sweet Potato Is The Sweetest?

While it comes to personal preference, orange- or red-skinned sweet potatoes tend to be the sweetest. Jewel and Covington are known for being sweet, all-purpose sweet potatoes. Purple and white sweet potatoes tend to be less sweet than orange-fleshed ones. Japanese sweet potatoes are the sweetest, though they are not as easily found as other varieties.

What’s The Difference Between Sweet Potatoes And Yams?

The candied yams on your Thanksgiving table are not, in fact, yams. They are sweet potatoes. While you may hear these terms used interchangeably, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. Sweet potatoes have firm, sweet flesh, smooth skin, and grow to about 5 to 7 ounces. Yams are not as sweet and have drier, starchier flesh than sweet potatoes. They also have brown, scaly, bark-like skin and can grow up to 7 feet long. They’re more similar to a regular potato or yucca and can be roasted, baked, or fried like a basic potato. Yams are native to Africa and Asia, and can be found at grocers that sell African, Asian, or Caribbean foods.

How To Choose Sweet Potatoes

Because they are more perishable than white potatoes, the United States Sweet Potato Council suggests taking extra care when selecting sweet potatoes.

“Make sure they are firm and do not have any wrinkles in the skin,” says Herget. And it’s also best to select sweet potatoes of a similar size if you plan on baking them whole so they cook more uniformly. Avoid sweet potatoes with signs of decay.

How To Store Sweet Potatoes

If you won’t be using them right away, store sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place (think garage, pantry, root storage box, cellar, or basement) and never in the refrigerator, says Grainger. The goal is to keep them below 80°F, so your kitchen countertop may be acceptable if you can control the temperature and avoid direct sunlight.

Sweet potatoes should last a couple weeks or longer when stored properly. This means not washing them until you’re ready to use them, which is one of the ways you might be storing sweet potatoes wrong.

How To Freeze Sweet Potatoes

Need a little more shelf life? Schlichter says you can freeze sweet potatoes in a variety of ways (just be sure to peel them beforehand if you’re going that route). For example, after baking or boiling, let them cool to room temperature, and then wrap them in foil before freezing. Or you can freeze the sweet potato mash or cubed, pre-cooked sweet potatoes as well.

To reheat in the oven, remove foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F, or cook in the microwave for three to five minutes, until thawed.