Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

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GFGluten-FreeDFDairy-FreeVGVegetarian5I5 ingredients or less

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By: Rachel GurkPosted: 01/16/2013

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Sweet potatoes can be transformed into crispy and delicious homemade sweet potato chips in a mere 5 minutes in the microwave!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: So easy and so tasty! Serve them as a tasty side dish or a quick snack, with or without dipping sauce.

How long it takes: 5 minutes to prep, 3 to 4 minutes to cook each batch
Equipment you’ll need: mandoline, box grater, or very sharp knife, parchment paper, microwave oven
Servings: 2 (or more)

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (1)

Table of Contents close

  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About Homemade Sweet Potato Chips
  • 3 How To Slice a Sweet Potato Into Chips
  • 4 Tips For Success
  • 5 Dipping Sauce Suggestions
  • 6 Make Ahead Idea
  • 7 Storage Tips
  • 8 Healthy Snack Recipes
  • 9 Get the Recipe: Homemade Sweet Potato Chips – Microwave!

These homemade sweet potato chips are super easy and were one of the first things I wanted to make after I got my mandoline. I love that they get nice and crispy without deep-frying. And they literally only take minutes to make.

I was pleasantly surprised by how great they turn out. Sweet potato chips are perfect for a quick healthy snack and my kids love them. I can’t wait to try this with regular potatoes, and maybe even parsnips or carrots. How fun!

The first time I attempted this recipe, I had a toddler and a three week old baby at home. I wasn’t up for anything complicated and this recipe caught my eye. I needed an easy success.

Really, I shouldn’t brag too much, seeing as this recipe really doesn’t take more than ten minutes to make. I burned one batch of these sweet potato chips because the baby was crying and needed to be burped and I thought an extra fifteen seconds in the microwave was a good idea.

But homemade sweet potato chips in the microwave are surprisingly so delicious! The chips are super easy to make and they get amazingly crispy. It’s really kind of magical! Maybe I can do this “mom-of-two-kids-food-blogger” thing …

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2)

About Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

  • The ingredients are simple. The only ingredients you need are a sweet potato, olive oil, salt and pepper. You may have what you need already in your pantry! Clean up is easy, too. No pans to wash! Just arrange the chips on a circle of parchment paper.
  • Making the sweet potato chips is easy. The most difficult part of the recipe is slicing the sweet potato (more about that later). Then you simply toss the slices with a little bit of oil (just one teaspoon!), and microwave them in a single layer. Easy-peasy! It only takes a few minutes.
  • Sweet potato chips are healthy. These chips aren’t deep fried in oil and coated with salt. Sweet potatoes are low calorie and nutritious. Did you know that they are high in antioxidants and fiber? They’re also a good source of vitamin C and potassium (Healthline). Since they are prepared so simply, you benefit from the goodness of nature in these homemade chips.
  • They make a great snack or easy side dish. Serve them with a dipping sauce and watch them disappear. Kids love them! They’re perfect for after-school snacks (be sure to check out my list of 30 after school snacks!). Sweet potato chips go well with a quick dinner too. Serve them with air fryer hot dogs, turkey burgers, roasted vegetable wraps, or English muffin pizzas.
Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (3)

How To Slice a Sweet Potato Into Chips

The slices have to be as thin as you can possibly make them so they crisp up. Thicker slices tend to be chewier (and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, either!).

A mandoline makes quick work of slicing the potato. You can also slice it using the slicing side of a box grater or a long sharp knife. A vegetable peeler will give you very thin slices, too. The slicing blade of the food processor doesn’t work well unless you have an extra wide chute.

Tips For Success

  • Slice the sweet potato as thinly and evenly as possible. Thin slices get crispier. Thicker slices take longer to cook and may be chewy in the center.
  • Dry the slices if they’re wet. The oil won’t adhere to wet sweet potatoes and they will take longer to crisp up.
  • Arrange them in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the sliced sweet potatoes on the parchment paper. It’s better to do multiple batches than to try to fit them all in one batch.
  • Watch them closely especially the first time you make them. You don’t want to burn them. Every microwave varies so cooking time can vary, too. It also depends on the thickness of the slices. Once you’ve cooked a batch or two, you’ll know how long it takes with your microwave and you won’t have to watch them as closely.

Dipping Sauce Suggestions

Sweet potato chips are great dipped in creamy jalapeño ranch dip or homemade French onion dip. Try them with French fry dipping sauce or healthy ranch dressing dip. BBQ sauce is always popular, too.

How To Add Flavors to Sweet Potato Chips

You can season homemade sweet potato chips any way you like. I stuck with kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper but feel free to add seasoning that you like. Simply add it to the olive oil. Sprinkle a little extra on when you take the chips out of the microwave, too. It’s up to you!

My all-purpose seasoning is similar to seasoned salt and is a great choice. Try Cajun seasoning or taco seasoning. I’d like to try pumpkin pie spice soon, too.

Make Ahead Idea

Slice the sweet potatoes ahead of time; immerse the slices in a bowl of cold water. They’ll keep for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. To cook, drain well and pat the slices dry. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Storage Tips

Homemade sweet potato chips are best eaten right away. They tend to get chewy when stored. If you have leftover chips, store them in an airtight container.

To refresh them, arrange the sweet potato chips in a single layer on a baking pan. Heat them in the oven at 300°F until crisp.

Healthy Snack Recipes

Zucchini Pizza BitesAir Fryer Chickpeas – perfectly crispy!Cranberry Oatmeal Energy Balls (nut-free)Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Browse All

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (8)

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Homemade Sweet Potato Chips – Microwave!

4.54 from 28 votes

2 servings

Print Rate Recipe

Sweet potatoes can be transformed into crispy and delicious sweet potato chips in a mere 5 minutes in the microwave!

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato (unpeeled or peeled)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

  • Scrub sweet potato well, cut off the ends, and trim off any brown spots. Using the thinnest blade on a mandoline, slice sweet potato into very thin slices (see note). Be careful of your fingers!

  • Put the slices in a bowl and add oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. I use my hands to make sure each slice is lightly coated with oil.

  • Cut out a piece of parchment paper in a circle to fit the glass turntable in your microwave. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on the paper. They won't all fit at once, you'll have to microwave them in batches.

  • Microwave on high power for 3 ½ to 4 minutes or until crispy but not browned. Watch carefully for the first batch or two to determine the proper time since all microwaves are slightly different. 3 ½ minutes was my perfect number. Repeat this step until all chips are cooked.

  • Best served immediately.

Notes

  • If you don’t have a mandoline, use a large sharp knife to very thinly slice the sweet potato. The slicing side of a box grater is another alternative.
  • The sliced sweet potatoes (pre-cooked) can be stored in a bowl of water in the fridge. Drain and pat dry before adding oil.
  • Feel free to add seasonings of your choice.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5sweet potato, Calories: 165kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 675mg, Potassium: 576mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 24119IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Deborah Albert says

    I’m surprised to find out that. sweet potatoe has this much recipes and only aware of the boiled or fried potatoes, potatoes porage, and chips.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      I hope you love these chips!

      Reply

  2. Renée says

    Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (16)
    Loved them!

    Reply

  3. Emma says

    Yummo! I am terrible in the kitchen and always try to look for super easy and fast recipes. This was a big thumbs up from everyone. I am terrible at cutting thin slices of anything so I just used a potato peeler. The chips were all different shapes and lengths. Thanks for sharing

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  4. Tom says

    Hi it was great lost a finger tho

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      Hoping you’re joking!

      Reply

  5. Bee says

    Tried this today we LOVED them!!! i always soak the sweet potatoes first in cold water for 20 minutes.They came out amazing! So good!Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      Such a smart idea to soak them! Keeps them from turning brown while you’re waiting to cook them, too. So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply

  6. Cherylej says

    No need to worry about the fingers if you pick up a glove that is blade/cut resistant and available at restaurant supply stores or via Amazon

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      Great tip!

      Reply

  7. Laura says

    I make these all the time. My only change is that I do not use any oil. I do the same amount of time. Also I put a double layer of paper towel under the parchment paper; it helps to absorb the moisture that is put out by the sweet potatoes. Because I have it available to me, as each batch comes out I put them in my warming drawer on the rack with paper towel – it really helps to crisp them up.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      So happy to hear you like this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to share your tips!

      Reply

  8. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    Seriously obsessed with these- My microwave will be getting a workout!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      So happy to hear that!

      Reply

  9. Liz says

    Mmmmm…..I would devour these! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!!!

    Reply

  10. Gladys says

    Can you substitute vegetable oil instead?

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      That should work fine!

      Reply

  11. Kaley says

    Honestly, when I first saw this recipe I was like “yeah…I don’t think that would work…”. However, I found myself needing a quick side dish to go with some burgers and I remembered this recipe. I had little hope that it would make them actually crunchy but I decided to go for it! Let me just say THESE ARE SO GOOD! They SHATTER in your mouth and SATISFY the need for some crunch and salt. SERIOUSLY!! I could even slice a bunch of chips and keep them in a container! Then, whenever I need some crunch, just pull’em out and microwave!! Thank you so much for this recipe! I will DEFINITELY be making these again!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      It is a little hard to believe until you try them! I’m so glad you liked them and I love your idea bout keeping some slices ready to go in the fridge – I think I’ll do that too!

      Reply

  12. Diana says

    I’ve been trying several ways to make these sweet potato chips NOTHING until now has made they turn out the way I wanted “chrispy” I would have never thought microwaving would work but OMG they are the best!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      I’m so glad you liked them!

      Reply

  13. Joleen @ Joleen Cuisine says

    This is seriously the most perfect recipe for a college student, especially on days when I’m just craving beet chips/roasted root chips from Trader Joe’s (oh so amazing). Going to have to try this ASAP!!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      I hope you love them!

      Reply

  14. Suzette Miller says

    Can you do this without a mandolin? Really needing to find some healthy snacks!!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      You can (disclaimer: I have not!), but you’ll want to get the slices as thin as possible. Happy snacking! :)

      Reply

    • mCrow says

      Try using the slicing side of a box grater!

      Reply

  15. Holly N @Spend With Pennies says

    I literally can’t wait to try these!! I love microwave potato chips but never thought of sweet potatoes!!

    Reply

Older Comments

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips - Microwave! Recipe - Rachel Cooks®? ›

Cut out a piece of parchment paper in a circle to fit the glass turntable in your microwave. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on the paper. They won't all fit at once, you'll have to microwave them in batches. Microwave on high power for 3 ½ to 4 minutes or until crispy but not browned.

How long should I put a sweet potato in the microwave? ›

Place the sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 5-10 minutes—five minutes to cook one sweet potato in the microwave, and add two minutes for each additional potato—rotating them halfway through. You are done microwaving your sweet potatoes when a fork spears into them easily.

Why is my sweet potato hard after microwaving? ›

If you don't cook it long enough, it may still be hard in the middle when you cut into it. After cooking, make sure a fork can go into the center of the potato without much resistance. If it still seems hard, continue to cook it in 30-second increments, checking for doneness.

Does the microwave do damage to sweet potatoes? ›

Can You Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave? Yes, you can! In fact, the shorter cook time will help the sweet potatoes retain more nutrients that are often lost in the long oven-baking process. It's not all that different than baking a sweet potato in the oven, except it's a whole lot faster.

How do you know when a sweet potato is fully cooked? ›

A good rule of thumb for whole baked sweet potatoes: 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees F; 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F; 1 and 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F. You'll know the sweet potatoes are done by piercing the center of the sweet potato with the tip of a sharp knife; the flesh should yield easily.

When not to eat sweet potatoes? ›

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Can you overcook a sweet potato in the microwave? ›

No matter what you are cooking and how you are cooking it, there is always the possibility of overcooking it. To make sure this doesn't happen with your microwaved sweet potato, cook it for the minimum time called for in the recipe. If it is soft enough, take it out right away. If not, try another minute.

Is it healthier to bake or microwave a sweet potato? ›

Since sweet potatoes are exposed to heat for a shorter time in the microwave than when they're cooked in the oven, they may actually retain more nutrients. In fact, some studies show that vegetables cooked in the microwave retain more of their water-soluble nutrients, such as vitamin C, than when they're boiled.

What are the cons of microwaving potatoes? ›

First, microwaves heat food very unevenly, so some parts of the potato might rapidly reach 205 degrees while others get to only 180 degrees. Second, rapidly heating a potato causes pressure to build and cell walls to burst, releasing starch molecules that glue together the broken cell walls.

What is the difference between a yam and a sweet potato? ›

True yams are part of an entirely different genus (Dioscorea; sweet potatoes belong to Ipomoea in the morning glory family) and are more akin to yuca in texture and flavor. Yams are commonly used in Caribbean and West African cooking and can grow as long and thick as an adult arm.

Do you add salt or vinegar first to chips? ›

James explained his logic: “We feel we have some authority on this, and my official line would be as follows: salt, then vinegar, then salt again. If you only 'vinegar' first, the salt sticks to that and doesn't reach the bottom chips, but if you then add vinegar, it can wash away the first salt, hence re-salting.

Which vinegar to use for chips? ›

As fans of the traditional fish and chips dinner, we have to say that malt vinegar is our choice as the best vinegar for fish and chips. The milder, sweet flavour balances perfectly with the saltiness of the food, with the acid cutting gently through the crispy, fried texture.

How much vinegar do you put in a microwave? ›

Cleaning the Microwave:
  1. Take the microwave safe bowl or jug and add 500ml of water, followed by 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
  2. Place the bowl or jug into the microwave. ...
  3. Once the 5 minutes is up, leave the microwave door closed for around 3 minutes. ...
  4. Carefully open the microwave door and remove the bowl or jug.
Jul 9, 2020

How long does it take for sweet potatoes to soften? ›

Add enough water to just cover the potatoes, and a pinch of salt. Boil sweet potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork. It will take less time if you cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces. Drain and return to the pot.

Does it take longer to cook a sweet potato than a regular potato? ›

Sweet potatoes generally cook faster than russet potatoes. However, the size of the potato and cooking method will affect the cooking time. Is it better to microwave or bake a sweet potato? A microwave is the fastest way to cook a sweet potato, however baking will result in a better texture.

Can you microwave a sweet potato in plastic wrap? ›

Directions
  1. Prick the potato all over with a fork.
  2. Place the sweet potato, lemon wedge (if using) and 1 tsp of water in a microwave-safe bowl.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Cut in half and serve with your favorite sweet or savory toppings.
Oct 9, 2023

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