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Sweet potato toast is a healthy, gluten-free breakfast option when you want something warm in the morning. It’s ridiculously easy to make ahead of time, and you can get creative with the toppings to keep each morning interesting.
Why You’ll Love It
It’s an easy hand-held breakfast. While sweet potato doesn’t become crunchy like real toast, it’s a nice option when you want something easy that you can pick up with your hands.
It’s nutritious. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber and beta-carotene! (This is the antioxidant that contributes to their bright orange color.)
It’s delicious. If you’re like me, and don’t love baked sweet potatoes on their own, you might prefer these tender slices. When you add toppings, the sweet potato flavor becomes quite neutral. (Similar to sweet potato pizza!)
It’s perfect for meal prep. All you have to do is roast the sweet potato slices in the oven, then store them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. You can pop them in the toaster to reheat, just like you would a slice of bread.
It’s simple. All you need is one ingredient– sweet potatoes! No oil required for this roasting method, so it’s also perfect for those following a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet.
How to Make Sweet Potato Toast
1. Slice the sweet potatoes.
Choose a large sweet potato that is as thick as possible, so you’ll get as many slices from it as possible. Slice the ends off the potato, so it can stand up on a flat base, then cut it into slices that are roughly 1/2-inch thick. (Removing the thinner ends of the potato also helps avoid them burning in the toaster later.)
You want the sweet potato slices to be sturdy enough that they will be able to picked up later with your favorite toppings, but you also want them thin enough that they will fit in a toaster and cook quickly in the oven.
The more consistently you slice the potato, the better, so the slices will all finish cooking at the same time.
You can use a mandolin slicer, if you prefer, but I tend to just use a sharp knife and a cutting board, and do my best to be as consistent as possible.
Tip: Cutting the potato vertically (like it’s standing up on one of its ends), seems to make slicing it much easier than attempting to slice the potato while it’s laying down on a cutting board.
2. Bake.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the lined pan.
Roast the potato slices until they are tender, about 20 minutes. The middles should be easily pierced with a fork, without feeling mushy.
Note: There’s no need to flip the sweet potato slices during the cooking time, but don’t be surprised if the top looks dry when you are done baking them. I usually flip them over when they are done baking, so the dryer side is the one that I will hold with my hands, and then the other side gets the toppings.
3. Add the toppings!
Now the sweet potato toast is ready to serve, if you’re ready to eat right away.
Add your favorite toppings (ideas below) or store the slices in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Once the sweet potato slices have been roasted, you can place the cold slices in the toaster (just like you would real toast!) and let them reheat during a toaster cooking cycle.
You can also place them on a pan in your toaster oven or regular oven, and let them reheat for 5 minutes or so at 350ºF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook sweet potato toast in the toaster? I don’t recommend cooking sweet potato toast in the toaster, as it will take multiple cooking cycles, and the results are often uneven. (In my experience, the outside of the sweet potato will burn before the inside is tender.)
When I attempted putting raw potato slices in the toaster, it took roughly 15 minutes of standing there by the toaster, repeatedly pushing the slices down for another cooking cycle. Trust me when I say placing a pan in the oven and walking away until the timer goes off is easier!
With that being said, you can reheat the sweet potato toast in a toaster or toaster oven for a fast morning! Just be sure to follow the roasting steps listed above first, so the sweet potatoes will be enjoyable to bite into.
Is sweet potato toast better than bread? Sweet potatoes are a simple, wholesome option without a long ingredient list, and can be nutritionally superior to a processed white bread. However, I also love sprouted whole grain and sourdough toast, so consider sweet potato toast another healthy option when you want to switch up your breakfast routine.
Does this work with any type of potato? You can use this method with sweet potatoes, yams, or purple japanese sweet potatoes. I haven’t tested it with white potatoes, but I imagine those would work, too. (They simply might cook faster, so check on them in the oven earlier.)
Topping Ideas
You can top sweet potato toast just like you would regular toast! Here are some ideas to help get you started.
- Smashed avocado with lime juice, sliced tomatoes, and salt (just like avocado toast!)
- Cream cheese with smoked salmon or lox and capers
- Tomato sauce (or pesto) and melted cheese (think sweet potato pizza!)
- Hummus and sliced cucumbers with red onion
- Peanut butter, banana slices, honey, and cinnamon
- Almond butter (or any other nut butter) and sliced apples or blueberries
- Chia seedjam topped with crunchy pecans
- Fried egg and everything bagel seasoning
- Bacon, lettuce and tomato (for a paleo BLT!)
You can also use sweet potato toast as a base for eggs benedict, or an easy breakfast sandwich. The options are endless!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Have more sweet potatoes to use up? Be sure to check out my other sweet potato recipes!
- Sweet Potato Hash. An easy sheet pan breakfast that is loaded with flavor!
- Glazed Sweet Potatoes. The perfect side dish for a holiday meal, this recipe cooks in just one pan for easy clean-up.
- Sweet Potato Enchiladas. A filling a vegetarian dinner idea, made with black beans and a simple homemade enchilada sauce.
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pie. You will probably love this more than traditional pumpkin pie.
- Sweet Potato Brownies. These vegan brownies use sweet potato instead of egg, to help keep them moist, so you’ll get extra nutrients in each bite.
- Sweet Potato Frosting. Yes, you can make frosting out of sweet potatoes! In this recipe, you’ll see how pretty the purple sweet potato frosting turns out, but you can also use orange or white sweet potatoes, instead.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to help prevent sticking.
- Slice the ends of the sweet potato off, then cut it lengthwise into thin slices, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. It's easiest to slice the potato when you cut it standing up vertically, rather than laying down on the cutting board. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 400ºF until the slices are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. There's no need to flip them, but you can if you want to. I usually flip the potatoes over when they are done cooking, so the "dry" side is down. This will be the side that is easier to pick up with your hands. Serve warm with your favorite toast toppings.
- Store any leftover sweet potato slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat for an easy breakfast, simply pop them in the toaster, then add your favorite toppings. (I use a 3 out of 5 setting on my toaster.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this sweet potato toast recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
Easy and tasty! I should have used parchment paper instead of a silicon mat. They are a little mushy but still taste great with nut butter.
Another highly creative recipe. I have made this so many times topped with either mashed avocado or almond butter and banana slices. Thank you very much for a recipe I never could have come up with myself.
I’m interested in trying this. Breakfast alternative is what attracted me. Question: Using the above, two 1/2 inch slices, would the exchange equal to 1 bread? And of course, given the toppings, one would count those as other exchanges, i.e. 1/2 banana = 1 fruit, 1 T peanut butter = 1 protein.
I love this idea and it’s delicious.