Steamed Sweet Potato Sticks
Soft, naturally sweet sweet potato sticks steamed until a baby can squash them easily between two fingers. Perfectly sized for little hands and baby-led weaning.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Peel and cut sticks
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into sticks about 7 cm long and 1-1.5 cm thick, like thick fries. Try to keep them a similar size so they cook evenly and are easy for little hands to hold.
- 2 large (about 600 g) sweet potatoes
✅ Done when: sticks are evenly cut, about 7 cm long and 1-1.5 cm thick, similar in size to one another
Set up the steamer
In a medium pot, add about 3 cm of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place a steamer basket or colander on top, making sure the water doesn't touch its bottom.
- about 3 cm depth water
✅ Done when: water is rolling with a steady boil and visible rising steam before setting the basket on top
Steam until soft
Arrange the sweet potato sticks from step 1 in a single layer in the basket, cover with a lid, and steam over the boiling water for 12-15 minutes.
- all sticks sweet potato sticks from step 1
✅ Done when: a fork slides in easily and a stick mashes under gentle finger pressure
Check the texture
Press one stick between your fingers: for babies starting solids it should mash almost without resistance, while a slightly firmer bite is fine for toddlers who chew well. Steam a few more minutes if needed, then toss the warm sticks with the cinnamon and olive oil for toddlers over 1 year, or mix in the mashed avocado instead of oil for babies 1-2 years.
- 1 small pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp mashed avocado
Serve and store
Arrange the sticks on a plate like little logs, or stand a few upright in a cup so a toddler can pull them out and dip them in the yogurt (contains milk). Cool leftovers completely, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months, and reheat until steaming hot throughout (74°C/165°F) before serving to a child.
- 2-3 tbsp plain yogurt
Peel and cut sticks
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into sticks about 7 cm long and 1-1.5 cm thick, like thick fries. Try to keep them a similar size so they cook evenly and are easy for little hands to hold.
- 2 large (about 600 g) sweet potatoes
✅ Done when: sticks are evenly cut, about 7 cm long and 1-1.5 cm thick, similar in size to one another
Set up the steamer
In a medium pot, add about 3 cm of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place a steamer basket or colander on top, making sure the water doesn't touch its bottom.
- about 3 cm depth water
✅ Done when: water is rolling with a steady boil and visible rising steam before setting the basket on top
Steam until soft
Arrange the sweet potato sticks from step 1 in a single layer in the basket, cover with a lid, and steam over the boiling water for 12-15 minutes.
- all sticks sweet potato sticks from step 1
✅ Done when: a fork slides in easily and a stick mashes under gentle finger pressure
Check the texture
Press one stick between your fingers: for babies starting solids it should mash almost without resistance, while a slightly firmer bite is fine for toddlers who chew well. Steam a few more minutes if needed, then toss the warm sticks with the cinnamon and olive oil for toddlers over 1 year, or mix in the mashed avocado instead of oil for babies 1-2 years.
- 1 small pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp mashed avocado
Serve and store
Arrange the sticks on a plate like little logs, or stand a few upright in a cup so a toddler can pull them out and dip them in the yogurt (contains milk). Cool leftovers completely, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months, and reheat until steaming hot throughout (74°C/165°F) before serving to a child.
- 2-3 tbsp plain yogurt
The Story Behind the Dish
Sweet potatoes have been grown and eaten across the American South for generations, prized for their natural sweetness and soft texture once cooked. When the baby-led weaning approach spread through the United States, parents and pediatric feeding specialists turned to sweet potato sticks as one of the first and most trusted finger foods, since they soften easily to a safe texture without needing to be puréed.
Steamed, unseasoned sweet potato sticks are now a staple on baby-led weaning lists in pediatrician's offices and parenting guides across the country, often one of the very first foods offered at the start of solids.
⭐ Why It's Famous
They're naturally sweet, soft enough to gum or chew safely, and shaped just right for a baby's fist to grip and bring to their mouth.
💡 Fun Fact
Sweet potatoes are one of the richest natural sources of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, important for a baby's eyesight and immune system.
United States
39.83°N, -98.58°W
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!