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Yakiimo (Japanese Baked Sweet Potato) | Easy Oven Recipe

Published: by Vegin Vegan Vegun! · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

🇯🇵日本語で読む

A simple oven-baked yakiimo recipe using Japanese sweet potatoes. No foil, no newspaper—just set it in the oven and let it do its work. The result: sweet, creamy, perfectly baked yakiimo.

Oven-baked yakiimo (Japanese sweet potato) made with Beni Haruka, honey-rich and creamy texture

🍁 From the Autumn Kitchen

When autumn comes, I think of yakiimo—Japanese baked sweet potato (焼き芋).

My autumn doesn't really begin without it.

This method works every time—something I can rely on.

I'm using Beni Haruka (紅はるか) this time. Warm from the oven, it's fluffy and light. Left to cool, it turns glossy and silky.

A small luxury that only autumn brings.

Silky and glossy baked Japanese sweet potatoes (Beni Haruka)
Jump to:

🧺 What Makes This Recipe Work

  • Simple oven-baked yakiimo—the oven does the work
  • No foil or newspaper needed
  • Works with Beni Haruka, Anno-imo, and other Japanese sweet potato varieties
  • Ideas for using leftover yakiimo

☕️ Ingredients & Tools

Ingredients

  • Japanese Sweet Potatoes (Satsumaimo) - as many as you like, any variety you prefer
Japanese sweet potatoes (Beni Haruka) washed and ready for baking yakiimo

▶︎ What I'm using: Beni Haruka (紅はるか)

  • Creamy texture, intensely sweet. Honey drips from it when baked.
  • Sweet enough on its own—no sugar needed.
  • I bake extra for kinako balls, sweet potato lattes, other sugar-free vegan desserts
🌿 More on other varieties in the Kitchen Notes section

Tools

  • Oven
  • Baking sheet
  • Toothpick

Full recipe with measurements at the bottom 👇

📖 Instructions

Damp Japanese sweet potatoes arranged on baking sheet for oven-baked yakiimo
  1. Prep
    • Wash the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt
    • Pat off excess water but leave them slightly damp
    • Arrange on the baking sheet without overlapping
🌿 Leaving them damp helps create steam in the oven, which keeps them moist inside
Oven-baked yakiimo being tested with toothpick to check doneness
  1. Bake
    • Bake at 400°F/200°C (no preheating) for 20–60 minutes
    • Check with a toothpick—it should slide through easily
    • Or gently press the potato—it should feel soft (watch out, it's hot)
    • Turn off the oven and let them rest inside until cool enough to handle
    • Enjoy while warm—or chill for a custard-like texture
🌿 Baking time varies by size—see Kitchen Notes for guidelines
Cross-section of Beni Haruka yakiimo showing honey-rich, creamy interior

🥄 What Makes It Sweet

Three things I do for oven-baked yakiimo:

  1. Bake them damp - The moisture turns to steam, keeping them silky inside
  2. Start in a cold oven - Slow heating brings out the sweetness
  3. Let them rest in the oven - Residual heat finishes the job gently

What I've found: with Beni Haruka, these three steps give me sweet, creamy, honey-rich yakiimo every time.

📘 Kitchen Notes | Varieties, Timing, and Ideas

➤ Choosing Your Sweet Potatoes

Beyond Beni Haruka, here's what I've noticed about other varieties:

Japanese Sweet Potato Varieties & Characteristics:

  • Beni Haruka: Sweetest, creamy and luscious texture. Best for sugar-free desserts
  • Anno-imo: Creamy and sweet. High moisture content, soft texture. Beautiful orange color inside
  • Silk Sweet: Smooth with a refined sweetness
  • Naruto Kintoki: Light, fluffy texture. Milder sweetness
Comparison of Anno-imo and Beni Haruka yakiimo, showing vibrant orange Anno-imo on left and creamy Beni Haruka on right

🌿 It's fun to bake a few different varieties and compare.

➤ Size and Baking Time

Baking time depends on size. What I do:

  • Small (about 3 oz/80g) - 20 minutes
  • Medium (about 5 oz/150g) - 30 minutes
  • Large (about 10 oz/300g) - 50–60 minutes
🌿 These are rough guidelines—always check with a toothpick
small(80g), medium(150g), large(300g) Japanese sweet potatoes

➤ Ways to Use Them

Using leftover yakiimo (especially Beni Haruka), these vegan desserts need no added sugar:

  • Sweet Potato Latte: Blend with your choice of milk. With mochi, it becomes a sweet treat
  • Kinako Balls: Mix mashed sweet potato with kinako (roasted soy flour) or cinnamon. Black sesame works too
  • Sweet Potato Cream: Combine with coconut milk for a rich vegan cream
  • Baked Sweet Potato Ice Cream: Mix with rich coconut milk and freeze for incredibly creamy vegan ice cream
  • Sweet Potato Oshiruko: Float tri-color mochi (black sesame, kinako, plain) in smooth sweet potato cream. Good warm or chilled
Japanese sweet potato latte

📚 Notes | Q&A

Q. Do I need foil or newspaper?

Not for this method. Just arrange damp sweet potatoes directly on the baking sheet. Less cleanup, too.

Q. How do I store baked sweet potatoes?

A. Let them cool completely, then refrigerate for 3–4 days. They'll keep frozen for several months. Cold yakiimo has a custard-like texture—quite different from when it's warm.

🍠 Got Extra Sweet Potatoes?

More than yakiimo—other ways I like to use Japanese sweet potatoes:

🥄 Using Leftover Yakiimo

Vegan desserts I make with baked sweet potatoes:

🍮 More Vegan Recipes

Some of my favorite vegan recipes:

✏️ Recipe Card | Summary

Oven-baked yakiimo (Japanese sweet potato) made with Beni Haruka, honey-rich and creamy texture

Yakiimo (Japanese Baked Sweet Potato)

by Vegin Vegan Vegun!
Easy oven-baked yakiimo using Japanese sweet potatoes like Beni Haruka or Anno-imo. No foil needed—just simple baking for delicious results.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Bake (depending on size) 20 minutes
Total 25 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Japanese, Vegan Japanese

Ingredients
  

  • Japanese sweet potatoes (Beni Haruka, Anno-imo, etc. - as many as you like)

Instructions
 

  • Wash sweet potatoes to remove dirt
    Japanese sweet potatoes
  • Pat off excess water but leave damp, arrange on baking sheet without overlapping
  • Bake at 400°F/200°C (no preheating) for 20–60 minutes
  • Check doneness with a toothpick—should slide through easily, or sweet potato should feel soft when gently pressed (watch out, it's hot)
  • Turn off oven and let rest inside until cool enough to handle
  • Enjoy while warm—or chill for a custard-like texture

Notes

➤ Baking Time by Size (400°F/200°C, no preheat):
  • Small (about 3 oz/80g): 20 minutes
  • Medium (about 5 oz/150g): 30 minutes
  • Large (about 10 oz/300g): 50–60 minutes
➤ What Makes It Sweet:
  1. Bake them damp - moisture creates steam for a silky texture
  2. Start in a cold oven - slow heating brings out sweetness
  3. Let them rest in the oven - residual heat finishes gently
With Beni Haruka, these three steps give sweet, creamy, honey-rich yakiimo.
➤ Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate for 3–4 days. Freeze for several months.
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🍂 Final Thoughts

Once you've got oven-baked yakiimo down, all that's left is eating it.

With strong coffee, black tea, a caffeine-free soy milk chai latte...

A quiet moment to enjoy.

Leftover yakiimo?ーThat's tomorrow's treat.

Yakiimo (Japanese baked sweet potatoes) on a plate

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