Grilled Sweet Potatoes
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Published May 29, 2019, Updated Jul 05, 2023
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A simple recipe for grilled sweet potatoes with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. They pair perfectly with just about any grilled protein, especially burgers! Vegan and gluten-free.
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, grilled tofu, grilled shrimp skewers and grilled bbq tempeh, but I love experimenting with grilled fruits and veggies too.
We’ve done grilled pineapple, grilled peaches, grilled avocado (so creamy and delicious) and loads of grilled vegetables. Name any veggie and we’ve probably grilled it.
Most recently, I tried my hand at grilled sweet potatoes and they were just as a delicious as I’d imagined!
Why Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse vegetable! They’re packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in antioxidants which help protect your body against free radical damage. Studies have shown that sweet potatoes positively impact gut, brain, eye and immune health. And some studies have shown that certain antioxidants in sweet potatoes may protect against certain cancers. Bottom line? They’re SO good for you and so delicious! No excuses to not incorporate them into your diet. (Source)
Ingredients in Grilled Sweet Potatoes
- sweet potatoes – the real MVP of this recipe!
- olive oil – avocado oil will work as well.
- fresh thyme – this is optional, but really helps to increase the flavor profile!
- sea salt and ground pepper – to season the potatoes.
- garlic aioli dipping sauce – all you need to make this simple dipping sauce is avocado oil mayo, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper.
How to Grill 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 my advice:
Boil potatoes: For grilled sweet potatoes, I recommend partially cooking the sweet potatoes in boiling water first. Leave the potatoes whole with the skin on, otherwise they might start to fall apart on the grill. Boil the potatoes just until they are fork-tender (soft enough to slip a fork into them). This should take around 10 minutes, but it will depend on how large your sweet potatoes are. Don’t overcook them or they will be too soft and fall apart on the grill.
Let cool: Once partially cooked, remove from the boiling water and let cool until the potatoes are cool enough to handle and cut into wedges.
Mix ingredients: In a small bowl, mix together your olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Brush the oil mixture on the sweet potatoes.
Grill: 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 only take 7-8 minutes.
What to Pair With Grilled Sweet Potatoes
These grilled sweet potatoes are the perfect addition to any meal. Here are some recipes that would be delicious with it:
- Tempeh veggie burgers or black bean sweet potato burgers – these veggie burgers would pair perfectly with these sweet potato wedges.
- Spinach and feta turkey burgers – my go-to turkey burger recipe!
They’re all amazing, it just depends on what you’re in the mood for.
More Healthy Grilling Recipes To Try:
All My Favorite Sweet Potato Recipes:
Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Boil potatoes: 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.
- Let cool: Once cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and into wedges.
- Mix ingredients: In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.
- Grill: 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.
- Serve: Serve wedges with a dipping sauce, like ketchup, mustard or homemade garlic aioli.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made them and everyone raved. Very tasty and wouldn’t change a thing.
Yay!! So glad these were a hit, Roy. Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Another perfect EBF Recipe!! I was looking for a new method to prepare sweet potatoes and this didn’t disappoint. I highly recommend throwing this into your summer grilling repertoire.
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Ashlee. I’m so glad you enjoyed these grilled sweet potatoes. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Sooo yummy! The whole family enjoyed these, especially with the dipping sauce!
Ahh yay!! I’m so glad these were a hit with your family, Rachael. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
Outstanding recipe! Cooked it for a casual summer dinner party. grill at 325 for 10-12 mins, turning the wedges as they start to get grill marks on each side. To avoid burning, lace them on tin foil. They still get grill marks and cook very well but are less easily burned. Bumped up flavor with s touch of cumin and lime Thyme.
Sweet potato is my absolute favourite, so I can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks delicious x
Shannon | https://shannonmichelle1.blogspot.com
I learn so much from you as well! Thank you so much for sharing your helpful information. Keep it up.
I’m trying these out tonight! Excited to see how they come out!
Yay! Can’t wait to hear what you think of the wedges, Megan.
I love this recipe. I have used it many times. However, my husband doesn’t like to grill in the winter. Does anyone have adjustments to make this work in the oven? Please share!!
Hi Emmy! I’m so glad that you enjoy this recipe. During the winter months I think you can easily make these in the oven — maybe just cut back on the amount of sweet potatoes (so you can fit the wedges on one pan). I think you can skip the boiling step too. Simply coat the wedges with the oil and spices and then roast at about 400 degrees until tender, about 40-50 minutes. Another recipe you could try during the winter months is this one for coconut oil roasted sweet potatoes. They’re delicious!
These look amazing – I love the photos! Grilling is my preferred method of cooking sweet potatoes, especially with some cinnamon!
Thank you so much Brandy!
Ahhh…boiling them first! Great idea!! Do you think you’d do that with Brussels Sprouts too? I’ve tried grilling them and they burn before they’re cooked! I’ll have to try this method!! Thanks!!
Hi Shaun. Yes, I’ve had the same issue with sprouts. Boiling or steaming the brussels sprouts for a bit before grilling works like a charm!