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Sweet Potato vs. Yam: The Difference Between Them and Recipes for African Yams, Sweet Potato Pie, and Glazed Sweet Potatoes

© Jennifer A. Wickes

Most people get confused as to what is a sweet potato and what is a yam. In the United States, most people use both terminologies to refer to a sweet potato.

The sweet potato is found in tropical America and is a part of the Morning Glory family, while the yam is a tuber (a bulb) of a tropical vine found in Central & South America, as well as the West Indies, Africa and Asia.

Differences Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams

There are two main varieties of sweet potato. The pale sweet potato has a very thin yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh. This variety is neither sweet nor moist, but more the texture of a white baking potato. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker orange skin with a sweet moist flesh.

The true yam is not marketed or grown widely in the United States. It is sometimes found in Latin American markets. The flesh can range in color from off-white to yellow to pink to purple. The skin color can be from off-white to a dark brown.

Both the sweet potato and the yam are available fresh from October through March. When selecting a sweet potato, choose a medium sized variety with smooth unbruised skin. With yams, choose unblemished ones with unwrinkled skin.

Storing and Cooking Yams and Sweet Potatoes

Store your sweet potatoes in a dry, dark 55 degree F (12 – 13 degrees C) area for approximately a month. Otherwise, use your sweet potato within the week. Never refrigerate a sweet potato or a yam. Store your yam in a cool, dark, dry place up to 2 weeks.

Sweet potatoes have high Vitamins A and C. Yams have higher sugar content. Wine pairings vary depending on what you are serving them with and how you are preparing them. Try a Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, a French Colombard or a Syrah.

Both yams and sweet potatoes go well with a variety of flavors and spices, including brown sugar, butter, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, lemon juice, lemon peel, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, orange juice, orange peel, poppy seed, sage, savory, thyme. They can both be prepared like a potato: baked, boiled, sautéed, steamed, microwaved, or fried.

Yam and Sweet Potato Recipes

African Squash and Yams
2 tablespoons oil
1 pound Hubbard squash, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yams, or sweet potatoes, pared & cut into 1" pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt