Grilled Sweet Potatoes in Foil are an easy side dish for summer cookouts, camping or even just a weeknight dinner!
I’ll show you how to grill sweet potatoes in foil so they’re not just tender, but deeply caramelized as well. And they’re ready in 30 minutes!
Plus they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Why this recipe works
Sweet potatoes might not seem like the first choice when you want to grill vegetables.
But grilling can really bring out their natural earthy sweetness, and they go great with so many different proteins and main dishes.
You can grill them whole, but that takes a lot longer. Plus they won’t get the caramelized surface like they do with this recipe!
And it’s so easy, too. You’ll see in the directions with the step-by-step photos you how simple it is to make them.
Plus you’ll get all my favorite tips and tricks to avoid common problems, like ripped foil, burnt potatoes, or the foil and potatoes and sticking together.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 2-2.5 pounds sweet potatoes
- cooking spray such as avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh herbs such as thyme and/or rosemary (optional)
- lemon or lime wedge
Equipment:
- a gas or charcoal grill
- a baking sheet
- aluminum foil
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- a vegetable peeler or vegetable brush
- a BBQ spatula or BBQ gloves
- a BBQ brush
- a heat-proof spatula (the kind for flipping, not stirring)
How to grill sweet potatoes in foil (with step-by-step photos)
Heat up a gas or charcoal grill using medium-high heat.
Once hot, brush the grates to clean them.
Either peel the sweet potatoes or scrub them under running water and dry them thoroughly.
Trim off any dried ends, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into approximately 1/4″ thick slices.
If the potatoes are narrow, you can skip cutting them in half lengthwise.
If they’re very large, you might want to cut into quarters lengthwise (which is what I did for these photos) before cutting them crosswise.
Line a baking sheet with two layers of foil. The foil should be a bit longer than the baking sheet, about 18″.
Spray the foil with cooking spray, then sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the foil.
Lay the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the greased and salted foil. Leave approximately 1″ of space around the border of the foil on all sides.
Spray the slices and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
Toss in 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme. If using fresh rosemary, roughly chop the leaves from 1-2 sprigs and sprinkle over the slices. You can use both thyme and rosemary or just one.
Spray a third sheet of foil (the same size as the first two) and lay the foil oil-side down on the sweet potatoes.
Carefully crimp together the edges of the top and bottom layers of foil so no steam can escape.
Leave the foil on the baking sheet – it’s a handy way to transfer the potatoes to the grill.
Carefully slide the foil packet onto the heated grates, then close the lid.
Let cook, without touching, for about 18-22 minutes.
Slide the foil back onto the baking sheet (a BBQ spatula or heat-proof glove is helpful for this).
Carefully rip open a corner of the foil packet (if the foil is too hot, let it cool for 5 minutes first), then continue to pull away the top layer of foil so the potatoes can cool a bit.
When they’re ready, discard any thyme sprigs (or chop the leaves and sprinkle over the slices). Use a spatula to carefully transfer the slices to a serving plate or platter. Spritz all over with the lemon or lime wedge. Then enjoy!
Tips and techniques for grilled sweet potatoes in foil
- You might be tempted to flip the foil packet halfway through the cooking time to get the potatoes caramelized on both sides, but I advise against this. The potatoes will just smush together inside, the foil could rip, or you could burn yourself.
- By coating and seasoning the foil first, then the tops of the slices, you don’t have to toss the slices all together, getting your hands oily.
- Coating the top layer of foil with oil before placing it on the potatoes ensures it won’t stick to the potatoes.
- By arranging the foil and sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, you can easily transfer the foil packet to the grill by using the baking sheet as a tray.
FAQ
Can I make substitutions?
- You can skip the fresh herbs entirely.
- You can experiment with dried spices and herbs, like chili powder, cumin, paprika or cinnamon. Sprinkle some on the foil before laying down the potato slices, then sprinkle some more on the potatoes.
- You can divide the potatoes in half: If you’d rather make two medium-sized packets than one large one, use a quarter sheet pan as your sizing guide to create two packets.
- You can cut the recipe in half: Simply use a quarter pan sheet as your size guide instead of traditional baking sheet.
- You can double the recipe: If your grill is large enough, you could double the recipe. Use 2 baking sheets to make 2 foil packets, not one enormous one.
How long to grill sweet potatoes in foil?
It depends on if they’re whole, chopped or sliced. For this recipe, since they’re sliced roughly 1/4″ thick and arranged in a single layer, 18-22 minutes over medium heat works well.
Can I make grilled sweet potatoes in foil ahead of time?
Yes, you can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze grilled sweet potatoes in foil?
I don’t recommend it. They’ll get too mushy as they thaw.
Other recipes you might like:
- Grilled Cabbage Steaks
- Grilled steak on a gas grill or grill pan
- Grilled Carrots
- Hawaiian-Style Chicken Skewers
Grilled Sweet Potatoes in Foil
Ingredients
- 2-2½ pounds sweet potatoes
- cooking spray such as avocado or olive oil
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh herbs such as thyme and/or rosemary optional
- lemon or lime wedge
Instructions
- Heat up a gas or charcoal grill using medium-high heat. Once hot, brush the grates to clean them.
- Either peel the sweet potatoes or scrub them under running water and dry them thoroughly. Trim off any dried ends. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into approximately ¼" thick slices. If the potatoes are narrow, you can skip cutting them in half lengthwise. If they're very large, you might want to cut them into quarters lengthwise (which is what I did for the photos) before cutting them crosswise.
- Line a baking sheet with two layers of foil. The foil should be a bit longer than the baking sheet, about 18".
- Spray the foil with cooking spray, then sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the foil.
- Lay the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the greased and salted foil. Leave approximately 1" of space around the border of the foil on all sides.
- Spray the slices with more oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
- If using herbs, toss in 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme. If using fresh rosemary, roughly chop the leaves from 1-2 sprigs and sprinkle over the slices. You can use both thyme and rosemary or just one.
- Spray a third sheet of foil (the same size as the first two) and lay the foil oil-side down on the sweet potatoes. Carefully crimp together the edges of the top and bottom layers of foil so no steam can escape. Leave the foil on the baking sheet - it's a handy way to transfer the potatoes to the grill.
- Carefully slide the foil packet onto the heated grates, then close the lid. Let cook, without touching, for about 18-22 minutes.
- Slide the foil back onto the baking sheet (a BBQ spatula or heat-proof glove is helpful for this). Carefully rip open a corner of the foil packet (if the foil is too hot, let it cool for 5 minutes first), then continue to pull away the top layer of foil so the potatoes can cool a bit.
- When they're ready, discard any thyme sprigs (or chop the leaves and sprinkle over the slices). Use a spatula to carefully transfer the slices to a serving plate or platter. Spritz all over with the lemon or lime wedge. Then enjoy!
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