Minatamis na Kamote made easy in the oven! Golden and tender with citrusy sweet syrup, this sweet potato recipe is a delicious snack or dessert.
Japanese sweet potatoes were on sale at the 99 Ranch Market in Austin last weekend, and they looked nice and freshly dug; I couldn't resist stocking up on a few pounds.
I cooked the tubers into minatamis na kamote today so that I can reshoot the photos on this post and enjoy them as a dessert after I go through the pork bbq G is grilling right now as I type. Delicious Saturday at the Kawaling Pinoy headquarters for sure. ๐
I am only updating the photos and adding a few cooking tips, but the recipe remains the same. If it ain't broke, why fix it, right?
What is Minatamis na Kamote
Minatamis na kamote is a Filipino delicacy made of sweet potatoes stewed until tender and creamy in sweet sugar syrup. It can be eaten hot and fresh from the pan or nice and cold from the fridge.
While it's usually enjoyed on its own as a midday snack or after-meal dessert, it's also common to serve the dish with shaved ice and milk (kamote con hielo) or as an ingredient in the classic Filipino treat, halo-halo.
How to Make Sweet Potato in Syrup
Although Filipino sweet potato in syrup is traditionally cooked on the stovetop, I prefer to do mine in the oven. I pack the cubed tubers in a baking dish, top them with a dollop of butter, a generous amount of brown sugar, and a drizzle of orange juice, and bake in the oven until tender and nicely caramelized with the resulting sweet syrup.
Not only do the sweet potatoes require less tending this way, but they also keep their shape better than on the stove. The added orange juice provides a little liquid for the sweet potatoes to cook in and gives a hint of citrus to the sweet glaze.
Cooking tips for success
- Cut the kamote in equal sizes to ensure they cook at the same rate. Place immediately in a bowl of cold water as you cut them to keep from turning black from oxidation.
- Wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil to keep in the heat.
- No need to stir during baking!
- You can use any sweet potatoes for the recipe, but I highly suggest Japanese yams, which have a creamy texture and are not fibrous.
Storage instructions
- Allow to cool completely and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Keep the sweet potatoes submerged in the syrup as much as possible to prevent browning.
- You can enjoy them cold straight from the fridge or warm them up in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Looking for more delicious dessert recipes? Check out my Nilupak recipe! Made of kamoteng kahoy, evaporated milk, butter, and LOTS of cheese, it's creamy and delicious!
More snack recipes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (about 4 large pieces) Japanese sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- ยผ cup orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a baking dish, arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter.
- Drizzle with orange juice.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the oven for about 40 to 50 minutes or until tender.
- Remove from oven and gently toss to coat with glaze. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
- Cut the kamote in equal sizes to ensure they cook at the same rate. Place them immediately in a bowl of cold water as you cut them to keep them from turning black from oxidation.
- Wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil to keep in the heat.
- No need to stir during baking!
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Amy says
Can I use a different kind of sweet potato and I donโt know what kind I have now?
Katherine says
I am very much fun and interested with the recipes you are sharing. Hope to see more of your recipes.
Lalaine says
Thank you so much! I am glad you're enjoying the recipes ๐
FranklyMyDear says
You are right Lalaine, it was very convenient for me to just throw everything in a Pyrex baking dish this morning, and stick it in the oven-- for breakfast. I did my aerobic exercises while the kamote was baking, and the coffee maker was programmed to turned on. Then my husband woke up, the exercise video stopped, the oven beeped, and we had a perfect breakfast of sweetened hot kamote and steaming black coffee on a relaxing Sunday morning before getting ready for Church. Perfect! The orange juice idea is a nice touch. I use orange juice for the American yam-marshmallow casserole that I learned from my sister-in-law here in America, but I never thought orange juice will work well too with our Filipino minatamis na kamote. Thank you!
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you for the feedback! I am glad you had a wonderful Sunday morning with this minatamis na kamote as a treat ๐
edelweiza says
This is one of the simplest snacks/desserts that I love eating. And very nutritious, too! ๐