25 Sweet Potato Vegan Recipes {Oil-Free}
Sweet potatoes are such a healthy and versatile root vegetable. They are easily stored and can be eaten at any time of the day. Whether you plan to make them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack, we’ve got you covered with these 25 amazing Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes with everything from soup and muffins to pancakes and chili!
Many people think of sweet potatoes as a fall vegetable, but my family eats them all year round because they are easily accessible, inexpensive, easy to store, healthy, and absolutely delicious. It’s kind of like squash which we also eat all year round for the very same reasons.
What’s not to love about sweet potatoes? They can be baked, made in an Instant Pot, steamed, boiled, and made into just about any dish you can imagine. I even love to cook them in my air-fryer for a nice and crispy baked potato.
Sweet potato benefits
This sweet starchy root vegetable is a powerhouse of nutrition that is loaded with fiber, beta carotene, and lots of other phytonutrients and antioxidants. Many people are surprised to learn that there are 4 grams of protein in only 1 cup of sweet potatoes.
Some studies are showing that an antioxidant found in sweet potatoes actually helps fight cancer by slowing the growth of certain types of cancer cells.
Best cooking methods
There are many different options for cooking sweet potatoes, but my personal favorite is the low-and-slow method in my oven. With any method that you use, always wash the potatoes first.
- Baking Method– Wrap them in parchment paper and foil, and bake them in the oven at 400°F for about an hour.
- Instant Pot- Poke a few holes in the potatoes, add 1 cup water to the pot, add the trivet to the Instant Pot, and arrange the potatoes on the trivet. Lock down the lid and set the valve to SEAL. Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes and then allow for a natural release for 10 minutes. Carefully, adjust the valve to VENT to release any additional steam. Instant Pot Recipes are just so easy.
- Crock Pot- When I need to make a lot of sweet potatoes, this is the method I use. There’s no need to wrap them. Simply place the clean potatoes in a crockpot or slow cooker, add about 1/2 cup water, and cook on low for approximately 3-4 hours. Or, cook on high for 1.5 hours. Crock Pot Recipes just make things easier with their low and slow method of cooking.
- Boil- Place whole clean potatoes in a boiling pot of water and allow to cook uncovered for approximately 30 minutes. If preferred, the potatoes can be peeled and diced before cooking. By dicing, the cooking time can be reduced by about 5-10 minutes.
- Steam- Place a steaming basket in a large stockpot and add enough water to reach about 1″ below the basket. Add the whole potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium. Allow to cook for approximately 30 minutes or until tender.
- Air Fryer- Use a fork or knife to poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes. Place them in the air fryer and cook at 400°F for approximately 45 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. Did I mention how much I like to make these other Air Fryer Recipes in my air fryer?
Types of sweet potatoes
There are many types of sweet potatoes each having a little different shade. By far, the one most used in my kitchen has bright orange flesh and cooks up sweet and fluffy.
We also love to bake Okinawan Purple Sweet Potatoes that we find in our local Asian markets. They are very distinct and pair well with other Asian dishes like my Peanut Vegetable Stir-Fry.
25 Sweet Potato Vegan Recipes {Oil-Free}
If you have a few sweet potatoes in your cupboard right now, what are you waiting for? Pull those beauties out and get to cooking with some of these fabulous sweet potato vegan recipes that are completely oil-free! Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
Fluffy and moist sweet potato batter swirled with apple sauce, raisins and cinnamon makes a dozen muffins that are packed with beta carotene and fiber.
This White Bean Chili satisfies the craving for chili but cuts out all of the unhealthy ingredients found in many other chili recipes. Loaded with chunks of sweet potatoes, tender white beans, celery, onions, and spices, this dish is sure to keep you full for hours.
This Sweet Potato Cheese Sauce is packed with wholesome ingredients, amazingly delicious, and diabetes-friendly. Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and dairy-free.
6-ingredient, plant-based, oil-free Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad recipe. This vegan salad will leave you feeling full and satisfied...without any guilt!
It just doesn’t get much easier (or healthier) than this Sweet Potato Bowl loaded with rice, tender chunks of sweet potatoes, cilantro, and lime juice or sauce. So what are you waiting for?
These zesty Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes pack tons of flavor into each bite. Filled with black beans, corn, and a tangy green sauce, they can easily be made ahead of time or enjoyed fresh for dinner.
This naturally sweet vegan sweet potato soup is bursting with flavor! It's smooth and creamy and has chunks of soft sweet potato flavored with rich smoked paprika.
This Sweet Potato Chili will become your new favorite chili recipe! Hearty yet not heavy, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.
Dessert, snack, or whatever you want to call it, these chocolatey stuffed sweet potatoes made with bananas, peanut butter, cocoa, and walnuts are going to rock your world!
Fluffy, caramelly roasted orange sweet potatoes that are infused with cinnamon and vanilla before being blended with frozen bananas into a creamy, wonderfully textured sweet potato smoothie bowl mixture that actually keeps you full and satiated.
These Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes are gluten-free and oil-free! They are also grain-free! Made with almond flour and potato starch for the richest, moist and fluffy pancakes ever! Just 7 ingredients!
Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Tart that is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free and absolutely DIVINE! Easy, simple and fast to make!
Delicious plant-based Vegan Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers with smoky barbecue sauce! Made with wholesome ingredients, are oil-free, gluten-free and loaded with flavor!
These crispy sweet potato fries are flavored then baked to perfection! They go with just about everything, taste amazing and are so healthy.
These black bean sweet potato tacos are the perfect healthy meal for any night of the week. Easy to make and the flavor combo is unreal!
Healthy, hearty, and oh-so-delicious, these fun and versatile Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls are a wholesome way to enjoy a quick and easy breakfast.
Little rolls of crunchy deliciousness, these Sweet Potato Black Bean Taquitos are super easy to make and full of healthy, wholesome goodness.
The perfect vegan Sweet Potato Pie recipe! Made with a homemade gluten-free pie crust and cooked sweet potatoes, it’s sweetened solely with pure maple syrup, lightly spiced, and is a true Southern favorite. Rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious!
This beautifully decadent chocolate cake recipe is not only amazingly delicious, but it also happens to be vegan and completely sugar-free (unless you don’t want it to be).
Chocolate vegan cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, weddings, holidays, and any other special occasion you can think of. Believe it or not, they can even be made completely sugar-free if you choose!
Just what you need for cakes, cupcakes, and more! This easy vegan icing can be made with only a handful of wholesome ingredients and absolutely zero sugar.
African Peanut Sweet Potato Stew is one of my personal favorite recipes of all time! We make it regularly. The flavors are simply amazing, like a party in your mouth. If you only try one recipe, let this be the one. I'm serious!
Super simple Sweet Potato Pizza Crust that is both vegan and gluten free! Made with only 5 ingredients, and ready in about 30 minutes. You won’t believe how delicious this is until you try it!
This Healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time of the year. It's made with whole food plant-based ingredients and sweetened perfectly with pure maple syrup.
The vibrantly beautiful and nutritious Okinawan sweet potato is loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients, and health-promoting fiber. It is touted as one of the reasons Okinawans are living active disease-free lives past the age of 100.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…