Best Substitutes for Sweet Potatoes (11 Alternatives)

If you don't always keep sweet potatoes on hand, or just want to experiment with something new, over the years I've kept track of the best substitutes for sweet potatoes (and other vegetables).

The list includes alternatives for sweet potatoes that have similar texture and/or flavor profiles, including butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, and parsnips, all of which offer an equally sweet and earthy flavor that pairs well with various seasonings and spices.

Though before we get into all of that, let's look at these sweet, spuddy ingredients and some of the most common recipes in which you'll need to swap them out, then the best sweet potatoes substitutes to keep an eye out for.

This starchy ingredient is a root vegetable belonging to the Convolvulaceae family, native to Central and South America, though it's now cultivated worldwide.

They come in many different varieties, with their flesh ranging anywhere from white to orange or purple with a sweet and nutty flavor, sometimes starchy and sometimes creamy.

Their nutrient density provides a load of health benefits, including being a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These include beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body, a vitamin important for maintaining healthy skin, eyesight, and immune function. 

But they do pack a higher moisture content than regular potatoes, so they can become a mushy disaster if left unchecked. This means they generally require less cooking time and should be cooked at a lower temperature to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Some popular sweet dishes include sweet potato casserole, often served as a side dish during Thanksgiving or Christmas, and sweet potato pie, a classic dessert. For a healthier snack or side dish, sweet potato fries are a favorite and can even be seasoned with various spices like paprika, garlic powder, or rosemary.

In savory dishes, sweet potatoes can be used in soups and stews, adding a natural sweetness and depth of flavor. Another delicious savory option is roasted sweet potato chunks, which go great in a warm salad when combined with quinoa, kale, and a tangy vinaigrette.

For breakfast, a sweet potato muffin or a sweet potato pancake is a tasty and nutritious option. But it doesn't stop there, as these spuds can also be used in smoothies, adding a natural sweetness and a boost of nutrients. 

On the top of our list is carrots. These pointed root veggies can be a great substitute for sweet potatoes, although they have a slightly different texture and flavor (and generally, size).

Despite this, they still make for a delicious and nutritious ingredient with a firmer texture that can be cooked to a similar soft and creamy feel. They also have a slightly sweeter and milder flavor than sweet potatoes, making them a great addition to many dishes. 

This winter squash is an equally versatile and delicious alternative to sweet potatoes. It has a similarly sweet taste with a nutty flavor and a creamy texture that makes it a favorite among many, even making squash fries comparable to sweet potato fries.

This squash can be roasted, baked, boiled, or pureed to create a variety of textures and flavors, making them overall great additions to soups, stews, salads, and side dishes.

Pumpkin has a sweet and earthy flavor that can be enhanced with a huge variety of spices and seasonings, making it perfect for both sweet and savory recipes.

It's often associated with Halloween and pumpkin pies, but it can also be used in other dishes like pumpkin bread, muffins, pancakes. Once you've used the flesh, you can even candy pumpkin seeds.

These are root vegetables that can be roasted, mashed up, or added to soups to enhance their sweet and nutty flavor. They make a great side dish for roasted meats when roasted and can be used as a healthy and flavorful alternative to mashed potatoes.

Their sweet and earthy taste also makes them a popular ingredient in various hearty and comforting soup recipes.

Acorn squash is another type of winter squash that’s native to North and Central America. It's named for its distinctive acorn-like shape and is a popular ingredient with a typically dark green color, ribbed exterior, and yellow-orange innards.

This hardy squash also has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor, perfect for both savory and sweet dishes, especially since you can leave the thin skin intact however you cook it.

Spaghetti squash is also another winter squash variety that boasts a very unique texture and flavor. Once cooked, the squash's flesh separates into lengthy, thin strands similar to spaghetti noodles.

It's a well-known low-carb substitute for traditional pasta and can be utilized in stir-fries, frittatas, and even as a pizza crust. This squash can also be roasted and served as a side dish or mixed with sauces and meats to create a satisfying main course. 

White potatoes are starchy vegetables with thin, light brown skin and soft, creamy white flesh packed with carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. 

Their high flexibility means they can be prepared in lots of ways, including mashed, roasted, boiled, or fried, and in dishes such as shepherd's pie, gnocchi, and potato salad. Their shared characteristics make these a fantatsic substitute for sweet potato.

These Japanese sweet potatoes are not native to Japan but very popular there, particularly during the colder seasons, and are regionally known for their reddish-brown skin and creamy white flesh that turns golden when cooked.

These potatoes have a distinctive sweet and nutty flavor that's somewhat less sweet than other sweet potato varieties, and even resembles that of yams. These spuds are used in tempura, gratins, and pies and are also a popular snack that can be enjoyed roasted or fried.   

Ube, also known as purple yams, are a great alternative to sweet potatoes, as they have a smooth and slightly grainy texture similar to sweet potatoes, and a uniquely sweet, nutty flavor with hints of vanilla and coconut. 

This yam is often used in desserts, such as ice cream, cakes, and pastries, and can be boiled or steamed before being mashed or pureed. Its vibrant purple color adds a pop of color to dishes and makes it a popular ingredient in Filipino cuisine, where it's used in dishes like ube halaya.

Golden beets are another great swap for sweet potatoes, as they have a similar texture and a sweet and earthy flavor. They have a slightly crunchy and grainy texture that becomes tender when cooked, and a milder bitterness than red beets. 

These beets are often used in salads, roasted, or pickled, and their color does not bleed like red beets, perfect for adding color to dishes without staining other ingredients. They're also a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including fiber, protein, and potassium.

Taro is also another starchy root vegetable with a slightly fibrous texture that becomes tender when cooked. It has a mild nutty flavor with hints of sweet potato and chestnut and a touch of vanilla, perfect for anything from curries to sweet soups, where its creamy and smooth texture adds a unique element to the dish. 

It's also a popular ingredient in many Asian desserts, such as taro bubble tea and taro cake. Compared to sweet potatoes, taro is lower in fat and higher in fiber and is just a generally healthier option.