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Move over, butterkäse. While the internet has been (rightfully) obsessed with the viral combo of pushing a stick of cheese into a tender roasted Japanese sweet potato, there are so many more ways to enjoy the purple-skinned superfood. We’ve gathered four scrumptious methods to prepare your next Japanese sweet potato, and don’t worry – they’re not all savory.
Butterkäse is just the beginning. Here are 4 creative ways to eat Japanese sweet potatoes that’ll change the game.
Matheus Bertelli / PEXELS
1. The "Ice Cream" Method
Putting ‘sweet potato’ and ‘ice cream’ in the same context can seem a bit counterintuitive, but trust us: this is one of the best ways to enjoy Japanese sweet potato past the viral butterkäse cheese trend. When you slow-roast them, the starches break down to maltose, and if you freeze them after the fact, the texture becomes surprisingly custardy.
When you’re ready to chow down on the frozen, creamy concoction, just pull a Japanese sweet potato from the freezer to let it defrost. From there, you can easily eat it plain or add some maple syrup and fruit to amp up each bite.
2. With Miso-Maple Glaze
If you tried Japanese sweet potato with butterkäse and really enjoyed its saltiness, you will love the fermented depth that miso brings to the table.
You can really prep your potato however you like, whether it’s baked or air-fried. Either route you choose, you’ll want to make a quick miso-maple glaze in a shallow saucepan by combining white miso, maple syrup, and a small splash of rice vinegar. Add it to your ‘tato, and dig into all the umami notes you’ll ever need.
Pand Uru / PEXELS
3. Brûléed
Grab a pre-roasted Japanese sweet potato, cut it in half, add a thin layer of your favorite sugar to each side, and use a kitchen torch to bubble up and harden the sugar on the open faces. The result is a brûléed dream in which the sugar crust meets a fluffy interior for maximum enjoyment.
4. With Whipped Tahini & Sea Salt
For those who want the richness of cheese without the dairy, tahini is the way to go. Luckily, it pairs insanely well with Japanese sweet potatoes. Next time you want to use up a roasted sweet potato, drizzle some tahini on it then garnish with some flaky sea salt (we love Maldon).
This combo is unbelievably nutty and quite filling for a mid-day or midnight snack.
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