This easy grilled sweet potatoes recipe makes the perfect summer side dish for just about any meal! It cooks up in under 20 minutes and is delicious served with your favorite dipping sauce.
Grilling gives food a ton of flavor, so when the weather is nice I try to convince Isaac that we should grill just about everything! Throughout the summer months, we fire up the grill almost daily.
When it comes to grilling, we’re all about the classics… lots of grilled protein like turkey burgers, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp skewers, my fave cilantro and lime chicken burgers and then we love making these grilled sweet potatoes for a side dish. They’re so easy to prepare and you can toss them on the grill while your protein cooks!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Grilled sweet potatoes might just become your new favorite summer side! Here’s why I’m obsessed with them:
- Perfect texture – Boiling the potatoes before grilling gives you the perfect texture of soft on the inside and charred on the outside.
- Simple ingredients – You just need sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings if you’re feeling fancy!
- Quick and easy – This recipe cooks up in under 20 minutes!
- Customizable – Enjoy them as-is or dip them in your favorite sauce (the garlic aioli recipe below is a must-try!).
Ingredients Needed
You only need five simple ingredients to make these grilled sweet potatoes. They’re probably already in your kitchen!
- sweet potatoes – the star of the show! I like using large sweet potatoes and cutting them into wedges. Boiling them first helps get that soft, creamy center.
- olive oil – helps the potatoes crisp up and gives that golden, charred finish on the grill.
- fresh thyme – totally optional, but adds a lovely earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes.
- sea salt and black pepper – two essentials to bring everything together!
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
These grilled sweet potatoes are super easy to work with. Here are a few ways to switch things up:
- No thyme? Feel free to skip it or use another herb like rosemary or parsley. Dried herbs will work in a pinch too, but fresh gives the best flavor.
- Swap the oil: I like olive oil for the flavor, but avocado oil is a great high-heat alternative.
- Add a spice blend: Want a little extra flavor? Try sprinkling on smoked paprika, cumin, or a chili-lime seasoning before grilling.
- Make them spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne to your oil mixture if you want a little heat.
How to Make Grilled Sweet Potatoes
When it comes to grilling quick cooking veggies (like zucchini or asparagus), the process is pretty straight-forward, but for hearty vegetables (like potatoes) there’s a little prep work involved.
If you simply place a raw sweet potato on the grill, the exterior will get crisp and burnt before the sweet potato is cooked through on the inside, and it will be quite raw and crunchy. I don’t know about you, but I despise undercooked sweet potatoes, so here’s how to make grilled sweet potatoes:
Step 1: Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp knife or fork, about 10 minutes. Drain well and allow to cool.
Step 2: Once cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and into wedges.
Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, thyme (if using), salt, and pepper. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.
Step 4: Heat grill to medium-high, lightly oil grill rack and grill potatoes until grill marks appear and potatoes are cooked through, flipping once. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
My Tips For The Best Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Here are a few helpful tips to make sure your grilled sweet potatoes come out perfect every time:
- Boil potatoes whole: You want to leave the potatoes whole with the skin on while boiling, otherwise they might start to fall apart on the grill.
- Don’t over-boil: You want the potatoes tender but not falling apart. They’ll continue cooking on the grill, so it’s okay if they’re still a little firm after boiling. Boiling should take about 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- Let potatoes cool: Slicing into hot sweet potatoes can be tricky. Letting them cool makes them easier to handle (and helps them stay intact).
- Use a grill basket: If you’re worried about the wedges falling through the grates, a grill basket or grill mat can make flipping and cleanup easier.
- Oil the grill grates: A quick brush of oil before grilling helps prevent sticking and gets you those pretty char marks.
What to Pair With Grilled Sweet Potatoes
These grilled sweet potato wedges are the perfect addition to any meal. Here are some recipes that would be delicious with it:
How to Store
Leftover grilled sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, just pop them in a toaster oven, air fryer, or skillet to bring back that crisp edge. You can also enjoy them cold straight from the fridge — they’re surprisingly tasty that way too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Boiling first helps soften the sweet potatoes so they cook evenly and don’t burn on the grill. It also gives you that creamy inside with crispy edges. If you skip this step, the outside may char before the center is fully cooked.
Totally. A grill pan on the stovetop or an indoor electric grill will work too. You can even roast them in the oven at 425°F for a similar effect — they just won’t have the smoky flavor.
Yes! Just give the potatoes a good scrub before boiling. The skin adds texture and holds the wedges together well during grilling.
They’re great with garlic aioli, ketchup, mustard, or even spicy hummus. You can also drizzle them with tahini or a creamy dressing for something a little different.
More Grilling Recipes To Try:
More Sweet Potato Recipes:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.
Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce
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Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp knife or fork, about 10 minutes, depending on size. Drain well and allow to cool.
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Once cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and into wedges.
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In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, thyme (if using), salt, and pepper. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.
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Heat grill to medium-high, lightly oil grill rack and grill potatoes until grill marks appear and potatoes are cooked through, flipping once. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
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Serve wedges with a dipping sauce, like ketchup, mustard or homemade garlic aioli.
Prevent your screen from going dark
- Storage: Leftover grilled sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, just pop them in a toaster oven, air fryer, or skillet to bring back that crisp edge. You can also enjoy them cold straight from the fridge — they’re surprisingly tasty that way too!
- Garlic Aioli Sauce: If you want to make a homemade garlic aioli sauce here is the recipe:
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayo
- Juice from 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Serving: 1potato | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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