Find out why grilled sweet potatoes in foil are perfect for summer cookouts, backyard get-togethers, or an easy weeknight dinner.
Is It Better to Wrap Sweet Potatoes in Foil?
Wrapping the grilled sweet potatoes in foil can prevent them from becoming dry or charring from the flames. Plus, you infuse the potatoes with smoky flavor and aromatics from fresh herbs since you can wrap them together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet Potatoes: Wrap grilled sweet potatoes in foil for a side dish you can cook alongside any entree. I usually grill the sweet potatoes whole, but you can cut them into sweet potato cubes and wedges before adding them to an aluminum foil packet.
- Olive Oil: Coating the potatoes in olive oil encourages them to become crispy as they cook. And since you wrap the sweet potatoes in foil, they become crispy without charring.
- Spices: Season the sweet potatoes with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Thyme: Add fresh thyme springs to the potatoes or substitute with fresh rosemary or oregano leaves.
- Butter: Finish the perfect cooked potatoes with a tab of butter.
Additions and Substitutions
- I coat the potatoes with salt and pepper before grilling them, but you can rub them with spices based on what you serve them with— Homemade Slap Ya Mama Seasoning, Santa Maria seasoning, and seasoned salt. If you enjoy sweeter potatoes, consider topping them with maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar.
How to Make Grilled Sweet Potatoes in Foil
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the grill by setting all the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Wash the sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Then, rub them with olive oil and coat them with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Wrap the potatoes in foil and use a fork to poke 3-4 holes in each potato. If using thyme, wrap the thyme sprig with the potato for aromatics.
Step 3: Lower the grill temperature to medium and cook for 30-40 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through.
Step 4: Remove the potatoes from the grill and let them cool for 5 minutes before adding butter and your favorite toppings.
Expert Tips
- Wash the sweet potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Grill the potatoes for around 30 minutes, adjusting the time based on their size—larger potatoes may need more time, while smaller sweet potatoes will cook faster. You will know they finished cooking when they are fork-tender.
- Use tongs or an oven mitt to remove the potatoes from the grill so you don’t burn yourself.
If you enjoy the side dish, try one of these grill recipes!
What Goes Well With Sweet Potatoes?
Grilling sweet potatoes may be my favorite way to prepare the savory, sweet vegetable. The foil makes for easy clean-up, and you can cook the potatoes alongside your favorite grilled main dishes. Pair them with grilled bison steaks, grilled tandoori chicken, or grilled chicken drumsticks.
Make a meal of the foil potatoes by piling them high with traditional toppings like shredded cheese, chopped bacon, black beans, sour cream, melted butter, beef brisket, chives, or scallions. Or you can replace the butter with ancho aioli or bone marrow butter!
Serve grilled sweet potatoes alongside air fryer ribeye steak, pork chops, turkey smash burgers, or hot honey lemon pepper wings.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover potatoes in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the potatoes on the grill, the oven at 350℉ (165℃) for 12-15 minutes, or the air fryer at 350℉ (165℃) for 5 minutes.
- Repurpose: Chop the leftover potatoes and add them to a vegetarian rice bowl with black beans and sautéed peppers and onions. Include them in chili recipes, or open the sweet potatoes and pour my Dutch oven chili over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some ways to add extra flavor to sweet potatoes?
Spices: Enhance the flavor of the grilled sweet potatoes in foil by including fresh herbs and warm spices such as ground cinnamon, nutmeg, garam masala, ras el hanout, and ground cumin. You can also add smoky heat with cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, or Cajun spice blends.
Citrus: Zest oranges, lemons, and limes for fresh-tasting flavor.
Toppings: Enhance the natural sweetness of the potatoes with maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, balsamic glaze, or balsamic citrus vinaigrette. If you prefer savoriness, try grated cheese like parmesan or shredded cheddar.
Can you eat sweet potato skin?
Could you bake these in the oven?
You can bake sweet potatoes in the oven, but the foil is optional. Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218℃) and line the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
More Sweet Potato Recipes:
Grilled Sweet Potatoes in Foil
- 1-2 fresh thyme sprigs, broken into 4 pieces
- Preheat the grill by setting all the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Wash the sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Then, rub them with olive oil and coat them with salt and pepper.
- Wrap the potatoes in foil and use a fork to poke 3-4 holes in each potato. If using thyme, wrap the thyme sprig with the potato for aromatics.
- Lower the grill temperature to medium and cook for 30-40 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through.
- Remove the potatoes from the grill and let them cool for 5 minutes before adding butter and your favorite toppings.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Grill the potatoes for around 30 minutes, adjusting the time based on their size—larger potatoes may need more time, while smaller sweet potatoes will cook faster. You will know they finished cooking when they are fork-tender.
- Use tongs or an oven mitt to remove the potatoes from the grill so you don’t burn yourself.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.