by Megan Minnick, Purchasing Director
Purple Sweet Potato
(carried at Willy East and West only)
Local? No
Appearance: Thin, dusky purple skin and vibrant purple flesh.
Flavor & Texture: Firm, dry flesh with a well-balanced, rich sweetness (but not as sweet as the orange varieties).
Best For: Roasting, Mashing,Steaming, Baking.
Cooking Tips: Tend to be crumbly when cooked—does not hold its shape well. Add a little extra moisture to a recipe, and/or cook at low heat to avoid a too-dry texture. Beautiful purple color intensifies when cooked and is a great source of antioxidants.
Japanese Sweet Potato
Local? No
Appearance: Smooth, rose/purple skin & golden white flesh.
Flavor & Texture: Sweet, starchy flesh that’s dryer than the orange varieties. Hints of chestnut flavor.
Best For: Mashing, roasting, frying, stir fry, steaming, baking.
Cooking Tips: Starchy, dry texture makes these an excellent substitute for potatoes in many recipes. Holds its shape well when cooked.
Beauregard Sweet Potato
Local? Yes!
Appearance: Red/gold skin and bright orange flesh.
Flavor & Texture: Firm, moist, fine grained and creamy flesh with a sweet nutty flavor.
Best For: Puree, baking, mashing, roasting, steaming, frying.
Cooking Tips: An extremely versatile sweet potato—can be used for almost any recipe. Holds its shape well when cooked.
Garnet Sweet Potato
Local? No
Appearance: Brown/maroon skin and vibrant, dark orange flesh.
Flavor & Texture: More moist and sweet than the other varieties. Dense, with a rich earthy flavor.
Best For: Puree, mashing, baking, roasting, steaming.
Cooking Tips: Excellent rich, sweet flavor and very high moisture content makes these the best sweet potatoes for pureeing or mashing. Due to high moisture content, does not hold its shape well when cooked.