23 Types of Sweet Potatoes and What to Do with Them

Sweet potatoes are everywhere this time of year: on weeknight trays of roasted vegetables, in cozy fall soups, and of course, at the core of that wonderfully traditional Thanksgiving casserole crowned with dozens of tiny marshmallows. Most of us toss these familiar spuds into our grocery carts without a second thought. But did you know that beyond the classic orange-fleshed sweet potatoes is a whole technicolor world? Some are custardy and caramel-sweet, others dry and nutty, almost chestnut-like. Some are even a dramatic shade of royal purple that seems tailor-made for the spotlight (or your Instagram page).

And despite what grocery signs may claim, yams are an entirely different root. Most “yams” sold in the United States are actually just sweet potatoes in disguise.

Moreover, not all sweet potatoes behave the same way in the kitchen, and choosing the right one can completely transform your dish. There are more than 400 known varieties grown around the world, but only a small handful ever make it to grocery stores and farmers markets. This guide breaks down 23 different varieties of sweet potato—grouped by color—and the best ways to cook them. So whether you’re stocking up for holiday sides, upgrading your roasted veggie roster, or just trying to figure out why one sweet potato tastes like dinner while another tastes like dessert, you’ll always know you’re using the right one.

Orange Sweet Potatoes

Orange sweet potatoes are the varieties most of us know best. Moist and naturally sweet, they cook up plush and creamy—perfect for dishes that call for a soft, velvety texture.

Beauregard

Beauregard has deep orange flesh with balanced, caramel-leaning sweetness and a smooth, moist texture. It’s among the most common “standard” sweet potatoes found in U.S. grocery stores.

Best for: Mashing, casseroles, baking whole, pies, soups

Try it in: Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Centennial

Centennial has right orange flesh with slightly drier texture and mild sweetness.

Best for: Roasting, baking, gratins

Try it in: Sweet Potatoes au Gratin

Covington

Covington has creamy, very sweet flesh that holds its shape nicely—ideal when you don’t want your potatoes to get too soft. It’s another widely sold grocery store variety that’s often labeled simply as “sweet potatoes.”

Best for: Casseroles, mashing, baking whole

Try it in: Sweet Potato Casserole

Jewel

Jewel sweet potatoes have moist, silky flesh and a buttery-sweet flavor. Alongside Beauregard and Covington, this is one of the most common varieties marketed as an everyday sweet potato.

Best for: Desserts, mashing, roasting

Try it in: Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Garnet

Garnet has a vibrant, sunset-orange interior with rich, caramel notes and a plush, pudding-like finish.

Best for: Baking, mashing, roasting

Try it in: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Red Garnet

Red Garnet is similar to Garnet, but often a touch bolder in flavor, with a deeper orange center.

Best for: Roasting, fries, casseroles

Try it in: Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Hernandez

Hernandez has deep orange flesh with a gentle, not-too-sugary sweetness. It’s quite moist and tender when cooked, but it holds together better than other softer varieties.

Best for: Roasting, stews, sauteing

Try it in: Hearty Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

Carolina Ruby

Carolina Ruby is red-skinned with bright orange flesh. It’s moist with moderate sweetness—great for when you don’t want a candy-sweet flavor.

Best for: Roasting, gratins, sauteing

Try it in: Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet

Kokei No. 14

Kokei No. 14 is a Japanese variety with balanced sweetness and a flaky, pale orange flesh. It’s simple, dependable and easy to cook with.

Best for: Roasting, baking, mashing

Try it in: Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ruddy

Ruddy is pleasantly sweet with a firm, fine-grained interior. It’s a great all-purpose sweet potato.

Best for: Roasting, sauteing

Try it in: Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Pitas

Evangeline

Evangeline is extra sweet with a moist, bright orange flesh. It has an almost candy-like sweetness when roasted.

Best for: Desserts, mashing, baking whole

Try it in: Holiday Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Georgia Jet

Georgia Jet is very moist and sweet. It cooks quickly and softens easily—great when you need dinner on the table fast.

Best for: Pies, casseroles, mashing

Try it in: Sweet Potato Pudding

Diane

Diane has red-copper skin with bright orange flesh that bakes up very moist and sweet. It’s similar to a Carolina Ruby, but with an even richer color.

Best for: Roasting, mashing, salads

Try it in: Sweet Potato Salad

White Sweet Potatoes

White-fleshed sweet potatoes are usually milder and starchier, with a drier bite that holds up well to high heat. They’re great when you want structure rather than creaminess.

Hannah

Hannah has a pale, creamy interior with mild sweetness and a firm, dense texture.

Best for: Roasting, pan-frying, potato salads, stews

Try it in: West African Peanut Stew

O’Henry

A white-fleshed cousin of Covington, O’Henry is tender and gently sweet with a soft, fluffy texture.

Best for: Roasting, wedges, mashing

Try it in: Spicy Sweet Potato Chips and Cilantro Dip

Jersey White

Jersey White is lightly sweet and quite firm—almost like a russet potato hybrid. It’s great for anyone looking for true potato flavor.

Best for: Roasting, gratins, soups

Try it in: Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Batata (Boniato)

Batata, aka Boniato, has pale flesh with a mild, earthy sweetness. It can often be found in Caribbean and Latin markets.

Best for: Roasting, braising, frying, stews

Try it in: Pressure-Cooker Caribbean Pot Roast

Bonita

Bonita has clean, balanced sweetness, and is fluffy once cooked.

Best for: Baking, roasting, mashing

Try it in: Baked Sweet Potato

Sumor

Sumor is very firm and low in moisture. It holds its shape very well when cooked.

Best for: Roasting, hashes, soups

Try it in: Sweet Potato Hash

Purple Sweet Potatoes

Purple variations are striking to look at and earthy in flavor. They’re denser and drier than orange varieties, so they benefit from slower, longer cooking methods.

Okinawa (Beni Imo)

Okinawa has beige skin with vivid purple flesh, a firm texture and gentle floral sweetness. It’s perfect for both sweet and savory dishes.

Best for: Steaming, baking, desserts

Try it in: Sweet Potato Puree

Satsuma-Imo

A Japanese favorite with purple skin and pale yellow flesh, Satsuma-Imo has sweet, chestnut-like flavor and a dry, fluffy texture.

Best for: Roasting whole, tempura, sweets

Try it in: Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Stokes Purple

Stokes Purple is dramatically purple inside with an earthy, concentrated flavor and dense, dry flesh. This potato is slow to soften, and so is best prepared using longer cooking methods.

Best for: Long baking, roasting

Try it in: Roasted Honey Sweet Potatoes

Murasaki Purple

Murasaki Purple has purple skin with white flesh. It’s lightly sweet with a nutty flavor and a pleasantly dry texture.

It’s worth noting that murasaki means “purple” in Japanese and often refers to purple-fleshed sweet potatoes in Japan, but the variety sold in the United States as Murasaki—sometimes labeled “Murasaki-29″—is actually white-fleshed with purple skin.

Best for: Roasting, baking

Try it in: Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Ube (purple yam)

Ube has been in the spotlight a lot lately, and for good reason. Though ube isn’t technically a sweet potato, it’s often confused with one. Its flavor is nutty and a touch floral, and its color is a rich and dramatic purple.

Best for: Desserts, jams, ice cream

Try it in: Ube Cheesecake

Are sweet potato colors interchangeable in recipes?

You can swap orange, white and purple sweet potatoes in most recipes as we’ve suggested here, but know the results may change slightly. Orange varieties are sweeter and creamier, white ones tend to be firmer and milder, and purple sweet potatoes generally take longer to soften and have a slightly drier bite. If you’re substituting, just expect a small shift in texture and sweetness—and give purple varieties a little extra time to cook.

Related:

• 51 Best Thanksgiving Sides
• How to Store Mushrooms to Keep Them Fresh
• Can You Eat Sweet Potato Skin?