Both steaming and boiling are great methods for cooking sweet potatoes. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to texture, flavor, nutrients, and convenience. This article will compare steaming vs boiling sweet potatoes to help you determine which is the better cooking method for you.
Steaming Sweet Potatoes
Steaming is a moist heat cooking method that uses hot steam to cook food. To steam sweet potatoes, place whole or cut sweet potatoes in a steamer basket or colander and place over a pot of boiling water. The steam from the boiling water below cooks the sweet potatoes.
Here are some of the main pros and cons of steaming sweet potatoes:
Pros:
- Cooks food evenly – The hot steam surrounds the sweet potatoes from all sides and penetrates through, cooking them evenly.
- Retains nutrients – Steaming is gentle on nutrients, helping retain vitamins and minerals better than boiling. Vitamins like vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, beta-carotene are preserved.
- Retains moisture – Steaming keeps the sweet potato moist, resulting in a fluffier interior compared to boiling.
- Intensifies flavor – The sweet taste of the sweet potato becomes more concentrated and intensified through steaming.
- Simple – Steaming only requires a steamer basket and pot of boiling water, making it a convenient cooking method.
Cons:
- Can take longer – Steaming takes slightly longer than boiling since the food is not in direct contact with the hot water.
- Condensation – Excess moisture can drip down into the sweet potatoes from the lid and make them wet.
- No seasoning – It’s difficult to season steamed sweet potatoes, so any added flavor has to come after cooking.
Boiling Sweet Potatoes
Boiling involves cooking sweet potatoes by submerging them in a pot of boiling water. The high heat of the direct contact with the water cooks the sweet potatoes.
Here are some main pros and cons of boiling sweet potatoes:
Pros:
- Speed – Boiling cooks sweet potatoes faster than steaming since they are in direct contact with the boiling water.
- Simple – Just peel, cut, and add the sweet potatoes to boiling water. No special equipment needed.
- Flavoring – It’s easy to add herbs, spices, or aromatics to the boiling water which infuses flavor into the sweet potatoes.
Cons:
- Nutrient loss – Being in direct contact with boiling water can cause leaching of water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins.
- Texture – The high heat of boiling can make sweet potatoes mushy and lead to overcooking.
- Moisture loss – Water-soluble compounds get leached out into the cooking liquid, resulting in a drier sweet potato.
- Diluted flavor – Some of the sugars and flavor compounds get dissolved into the water, leading to a more diluted sweet potato flavor.
Nutrient Comparison
When it comes to nutrients, steaming has an advantage over boiling. Here is how the two methods compare:
| Nutrient | Steaming | Boiling |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | Higher retained | Partially lost |
| B Vitamins | Better retained | Partially lost |
| Beta-carotene | Well retained | Partially lost |
| Minerals | Better retained | Partially lost |
As seen above, steaming retains more vitamins and minerals compared to boiling. The hot steam can destroy some heat-sensitive vitamins, but isn’t as destructive as being submerged in hot boiling water which causes leaching of water-soluble nutrients.
Texture Comparison
In terms of texture, steaming produces fluffier and moister sweet potatoes compared to boiling.
With steaming, the outside surface of the sweet potato heats up first, then the heat slowly penetrates inward. This slower cooking results in a creamy, undamaged inside. The moist heat also preserves moisture.
With boiling, the violent bubbles can damage the outside of the sweet potato. And the high constant heat overcooks the outer layers while the inside layers lag behind, resulting in uneven cooking.
Time Comparison
Boiling cooks sweet potatoes faster than steaming. Here is an approximate time comparison:
| Cooking Method | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| Boiling | 15-25 minutes |
| Steaming | 25-35 minutes |
The quick heat transfer of direct contact with boiling water reduces cooking time substantially compared to steaming. However, too high heat can also overcook the sweet potatoes when boiling.
Flavor Comparison
In terms of flavor, steaming helps intensify the sweetness of the sweet potato. When boiled, some of the sugars leach out into the water. So while boiling lets you infuse herbs and spices, it dilutes the sweet potato flavor.
Steaming doesn’t dilute flavor and instead concentrates and intensifies the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. So for flavor, steaming has an advantage over boiling.
Convenience Comparison
Boiling is more convenient than steaming since it requires minimal equipment – just a pot, water, and sweet potatoes. Steaming requires a steamer basket and lid to trap the steam.
However, steaming can allow you to cook the sweet potatoes in batches whereas boiling requires enough water to submerge all the sweet potatoes at once.
Both boiling and steaming are relatively easy and simple though, so convenience levels are comparable.
Uses for Steamed vs Boiled Sweet Potatoes
Due to the texture and flavor differences, steamed and boiled sweet potatoes lend themselves to certain dishes better.
Steamed sweet potatoes work better for:
- Sweet potato fries – retains crispiness better
- Mashed sweet potatoes – fluffier texture
- Casseroles – holds shape and doesn’t get too mushy
- Sweet potato breads and muffins – imparts sweetness and moisture
Boiled sweet potatoes work better for:
- Soups/stews – breaks down evenly
- Roasted sweet potatoes – drier surface helps crisp up when roasted
- Salads – can absorb dressing flavors
- Purees – smooth, uniform texture
Tips for Steaming Sweet Potatoes
Follow these tips to steam sweet potatoes perfectly:
- Cut sweet potatoes into even sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Place in a single layer in a steamer basket and avoid overcrowding.
- Use 1-2 inches of boiling water in the pot below.
- Keep the lid on tight so steam can build up.
- Check for doneness by piercing with a knife to see if tender.
- Avoid overcooking as they can get mushy.
- Time can range from 15-30 minutes depending on the size of pieces.
Tips for Boiling Sweet Potatoes
Follow these tips when boiling sweet potatoes:
- Peel sweet potatoes or leave skin on if desired.
- Cut sweet potatoes so pieces are similar in size.
- Use enough water to fully submerge the sweet potatoes.
- Bring water to a boil before adding sweet potatoes.
- Boil until fork tender, about 10-20 minutes.
- Drain immediately after cooking to prevent overcooking.
- Be careful not to overcook as they can get mushy.
Conclusion
While both steaming and boiling are great cooking methods for sweet potatoes, steaming has some advantages that make it the better option:
- Steaming retains more nutrients compared to boiling.
- It results in a fluffier, moister interior texture.
- Steaming intensifes the natural sweetness better.
However, boiling takes less time and infuses more flavor from added herbs and spices. For most purposes, steaming helps preserve the flavor, texture, and nutrition of sweet potatoes better than boiling. But boiling can work well too when a well seasoned and soft mash or puree is desired.
So in summary, steaming is usually the superior cooking method for sweet potatoes for most applications. But the quicker boiling method can be used as well in certain recipes or when time is limited.