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Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes are loaded with flavor as well as healthy nutrients!
Looking for a side dish that’s just a little bit different? Check out these delicious Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes!
What are Japanese Sweet Potatoes?
There was a time – not too long ago – when Japanese sweet potatoes were unheard of, or (at the very, very least) hard to come by. Japanese sweet potatoes are purple in color with a yellow inner flesh, and many supermarkets now sell them in the bins right alongside the other more-recognized sweet potatoes.
Unfortunately, some supermarkets still incorrectly call Japanese sweet potatoes “yams” – but don’t be confused. Japanese yams have a long white root and can be difficult to find unless you are shopping at an Asian market, whereas Japanese sweet potatoes are the same size as a standard sweet potato but have a purple skin.
In addition to its yellowish color, the inside flesh of Japanese sweet potatoes is also denser and firmer, and loaded with tons of nutrients. The flavor is slightly sweeter than a common sweet potato – and it is that sweetness that complements the flavor of the miso glaze in today’s recipe for Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes.
Miso is a shelf-stable fermented soy bean paste with a very unique flavor that is absolutely delicious! It is another Asian ingredient that can now be found at most supermarkets, right in the Asian foods aisle.
If you are a regular reader here at A Family Feast, then you might recall that Jack and I have fallen in love with the flavor of miso – and we’ve used it in these Miso Butter, Miso Fried Rice and Ginger Dressing recipes. FYI – a small two or three-dollar package of miso can be stored in the refrigerator for months, and it will stay fresh for use in many dishes. (So give it a try!)
Like our earlier recipes, we used white miso in this Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes. The mild sweet miso flavor pairs so well with the crispy chunks of the roasted Japanese sweet potatoes, and the glaze also has garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce and brown sugar for even more fantastic caramelized flavor.
We serve our Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.
You may enjoy these other Sweet Potato recipes:
- Sweet Potato Cauliflower Mash
- Sweet Potato Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche
- Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Risotto
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Miso Glazed Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
3 pounds Japanese sweet potatoes
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium if available)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 or more tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Leave the skins on the potatoes and cut away any spots or blemishes, then cut into 1½ inch cubes, skin left on. Place into a large bowl as you cut and drizzle on some of the oil to coat, which will stop them from oxidizing (turning brown) in the air. Continue cutting and oiling using up all of the oil.
Sprinkle on the pepper as you toss the oiled potatoes so the pepper gets distributed evenly. Then pour out onto a foil lined sheet pan and place in the oven in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, remove from oven and flip the potatoes then roast for 15 minutes more or until tender.
While potatoes are roasting, make the glaze by heating a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat with the butter and sesame oil. Add garlic and cook for two minutes then remove from heat and stir in the miso, soy, brown sugar and water. Stir to mix then set aside. It won’t look like much but it is just enough to glaze the potatoes.
When the potatoes come out of the oven, return the skillet to high heat and pour in the cooked potatoes, including any oil left on the sheet pan.
Use a rubber spatula or turner and gently toss the potatoes and glaze until they are coated. Cook just long enough to crisp them up a bit then remove from heat and sprinkle on the sesame seeds while tossing with the spatula. The seeds will stick to all wet surfaces. If you wait too long, the potato surface will dry and the sesame seeds won’t stick.
Serve immediately.
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This recipe is my favorite sweet potato dish. I can’t make it very often though because I end up eating the whole thing by myself in one day. I have a question, is the sesame oil in the recipe toasted?
Hi Cyndi – We used untoasted, but I think toasted would also work just fine!
This recipe sounds delicious but I’m trying to go sugar free. Is the sugar totally essential to the glaze or would it work without it?
Hi Jasmin – It helps caramelize the potatoes a bit plus adds a touch of sweetness, but if you are going sugar free, feel free to leave it out.
These turned out delicious!! I cut back on the ingredients because I had less than 3 lbs of potatoes and it still turned out great. My husband and I both loved them. Very easy recipe. I’m looking forward to making them again. Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe.
Thanks Sue – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy these sweet potatoes because they’re in my yard. Was very happy to find this recipe because all the other ingredients are staples in my kitchen, so no shopping, which is always good. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing, Martha!
You’re very welcome Susie – so glad you enjoyed the potatoes!
These are amazing!!
Thanks Lisa!
Never thought I could enjoy sweet potatoes. Amazingly delicious!!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Lisa! (fixed your typo!) 🙂
A really tasty treat. I roasted the potatoes alongside a pound or so of Brussels sprouts (added after the potatoes had cooked for 15 minutes) and tossed everything in the glaze. When you taste the glaze it will taste too salty (at least to my taste buds), but coating the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, it was just the perfect complement.. I too vastly cut down on on the amount of oil used.
Thanks Joyce!
no need for all that oil – i used 1/4 the amount! great combo. great on eggplant too!
Thanks for the feedback Claudia!
Yummy! This turned out well. I used brown miso instead of white miso, and I halved the sugar. 🙂 I think for 3 pounds of potatoes, I would double this recipe next time.
Thanks Jocelyn – glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Although I haven’t used Miso a lot, I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve had it in so far. I’m very interested in making this recipe but I’m a bit confused. Your photos show what appears to be regular sweet potatoes but you’ve described the ingredient listed (the japanese sweet potato) as having a purple skin. Are they interchangeable in this recipe?
Hi Monica – What we show in the photos is a Japanese Sweet Potato which are purple in color with a yellow inner flesh. (Perhaps the purple hue doesn’t show very well in our photos but if you placed it next to a regular sweet potato, you’d definitely notice a difference in skin color. This recipe is more or less interchangeable – the regular sweet potato has a softer flesh when cooked but it will still be delicious.