Sweet potatoes come in several colors, flavors and textures, from the familiar orange-fleshed kind that turns soft and creamy when baked to purple-skinned varieties with a dense, chestnut-like interior. Some are especially good for mashing, while others hold their shape better when roasted or cut into fries.The differences often come down to the variety’s flesh color, moisture content and starchiness. The USDA Agricultural Research Service notes that sweet potatoes with different flesh colors can offer distinct textures, aromas and sweetness levels. Here are seven types of sweet potatoes to look for and how to use them.Related: 70+ Stellar Sweet Potato Recipes To Make for Thanksgiving and Beyond
Types of Sweet Potatoes and How To Use Them
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1. Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
Beauregard is a widely grown variety with reddish-purple skin and deep orange flesh. Developed by Louisiana State University researchers, it became popular because of its adaptability and reliable yields. The flesh is moist, sweet and sometimes slightly stringy, making it a familiar choice for everyday sweet potato recipes.
According to Serious Eats’ guide to sweet potato varieties, Beauregard’s juicy texture makes it well-suited to mashing and desserts. Its orange color also comes from beta-carotene, a pigment that the USDA identifies as abundant in orange-fleshed varieties.
Best Ways To Use Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
Beauregard is a good all-purpose option for baked sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes and casseroles. Its moisture helps produce a smooth mash, while its natural sweetness works well in pies, muffins and quick breads. For a savory side, roast cubed Beauregard sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and spices until browned.Related: 8 Incredible Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes—And How They Stack Up Against White Potatoes
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2. Jewel Sweet Potatoes
Jewel sweet potatoes have orange skin and orange flesh, although the skin can appear copper-colored depending on the particular strain. They’re moist and sweet but are often described as somewhat less sweet than Beauregard. Their soft texture after cooking makes them a useful choice for recipes that call for tender flesh.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s produce guide identifies Jewel as a variety used for baking, boiling and casseroles. Like other orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, it develops a tender interior when cooked thoroughly.
Best Ways To Use Jewel Sweet Potatoes
Use Jewel sweet potatoes for casseroles, baked sweet potatoes and mashed sides. They’re also a good choice for soups, where their soft flesh blends easily into a smooth base. For a savory preparation, try roasting them with garlic and herbs, or use them in a sweet potato casserole topped with pecans.
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3. Garnet Sweet Potatoes
Garnet sweet potatoes are recognizable by their dark reddish-purple skin and vivid orange flesh. They’re often sold under the name “red yams” in American grocery stores, but they’re sweet potatoes rather than true yams. Their flesh is especially moist and sweet, giving them a softer texture than starchier varieties.
As Serious Eats explains, Garnet is one of the common supermarket types, with a moist interior that works well in baked and mashed dishes. The name can refer to a market type rather than a single standardized cultivar, so appearance and texture can vary somewhat between stores.
Best Ways To Use Garnet Sweet Potatoes
Garnet sweet potatoes are particularly good for baking and mashing. Their moist flesh works well in sweet potato pie, purees and soups. You can also roast them in halves or thick wedges, adding savory ingredients such as smoked paprika, cumin or chili powder to balance their sweetness.Related: The Easy Way To Make Sweet Potatoes 10x Better
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4. Hannah Sweet Potatoes
Hannah sweet potatoes have light tan skin and pale cream-colored flesh. Unlike the moist orange varieties, they’re dense, relatively dry and mildly sweet, with a texture that can resemble a regular baking potato. Their flesh tends to hold its shape better, making them useful when you want defined pieces rather than a soft mash.
Serious Eats‘ sweet potato field guide describes Hannah as a denser, cream-colored variety suited to roasting and mashing. The name is commonly used in produce markets, although the exact cultivar may vary.
Best Ways To Use Hannah Sweet Potatoes
Roast Hannah sweet potatoes in cubes or wedges to bring out their mild sweetness and create browned edges. Their firmer texture also makes them a good choice for home fries, savory hash and grain bowls. You can mash them, too, but expect a thicker, less moist result than you would get with Beauregard or Garnet.Related: How To Make Perfect, Smooth Mashed Sweet Potatoes in 20 Minutes
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5. Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Japanese sweet potatoes, known in Japan as satsuma-imo and sometimes sold in the United States as Murasaki, typically have purple or reddish-purple skin and pale flesh. Other Japanese cultivars vary in skin and flesh color. They’re starchier and drier than common orange-fleshed types, with a sweet, nutty flavor that becomes more pronounced when roasted.
The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission describes Murasaki sweet potatoes as having dry, white flesh and recommends roasting them with other root vegetables. The broader Japanese sweet potato category includes varieties with somewhat different skin and flesh colors, so labels and appearance can vary.
Best Ways To Use Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Baking or roasting Japanese sweet potatoes brings out their nutty sweetness while preserving their dense texture. Serve them whole with butter and salt, cut them into wedges or add roasted pieces to a vegetable bowl. They also work well in Japanese-inspired dishes with miso, sesame, soy sauce or ginger.Related: Why Japanese Sweet Potatoes Deserve a Spot on Your Fall Table
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6. Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Okinawan sweet potatoes are known for their vivid purple flesh, which can range from lavender to a deep violet. Their skin is usually pale brown or tan, sometimes with a slight purple tint. The flesh is dense and starchy, with a mild sweetness and a flavor often compared to chestnuts.
The purple color comes from anthocyanins, pigments found in many purple fruits and vegetables. The USDA notes purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in these compounds. Okinawan sweet potatoes are also different from ube, the purple yam commonly used in Filipino desserts.
Best Ways To Use Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Boil or steam Okinawan sweet potatoes until tender, then mash them or serve them as a simple side dish. Their striking color also makes them a good choice for purple sweet potato soup, cakes and other desserts. For a savory option, roast them and pair them with ginger, garlic or a tangy sauce.Related: The Clever Sweet Potato Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
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7. White Wweet Potatoes
White sweet potatoes have pale cream-colored flesh and skin that can range from tan to pale copper. They’re generally milder and less sugary-tasting than orange varieties, with a firmer, starchier texture. The category includes multiple varieties, so sweetness and moisture can vary.
The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission’s guide describes white sweet potatoes as sweet and creamy, with uses in soups and stews. Despite their pale flesh, they’re still sweet potatoes—not regular white potatoes or true yams.
Best Ways To Use White Sweet Potatoes
White sweet potatoes work well in soups, stews and roasted vegetable dishes, where their milder flavor complements other ingredients. You can also bake them whole, cut them into fries or mash them with butter and herbs. For a sweeter preparation, try Epicurious’ white sweet potatoes with mirin and honey, which pairs their flavor with a caramelized glaze.
Is there a difference between sweet potatoes and regular potatoes?
Yes. Despite their similar names, sweet potatoes and regular potatoes belong to different plant families. Sweet potatoes are storage roots related to morning glories, while regular potatoes are tubers in the nightshade family, according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
They also differ in flavor, texture and nutritional content. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, while regular potatoes provide more potassium. Both offer nutritional benefits, and neither is inherently healthier than the other.
In the kitchen, regular potatoes are often preferred for fluffy mashed potatoes and crisp fries, while sweet potatoes work well in sweet and savory dishes, from casseroles to roasted wedges. However, both can be baked, roasted, mashed or fried, so you can often substitute one for the other if you’re comfortable with a change in flavor and texture.
Related: Patti LaBelle's Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes Capture the Essence of Soul Food
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