You’ll love this Traeger smoked sweet potatoes recipe; it’s a delicious yet simple side dish perfect for a weeknight meal, holiday dinner or big weekend cookout!
What could be better than fluffy orange potatoes covered in butter and chives with a smoky flavor? These sweet potatoes are the perfect side for chicken, brisket, and more; they are usually the first to get eaten!
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Table of contents
Easy Traeger Sweet Potatoes
I love making these throughout the year — summer cookouts, Thanksgiving, cozy winter nights. They complement any protein and the smoking process creates incredibly fluffy, flavorful potatoes with that smoky sweetness. My family won’t let me make them any other way now.
What You Need
- Sweet Potatoes: buy similar-sized ones so they finish at the same time. I go for medium-large Garnet or Jewel varieties — sweeter, and the flesh stays moist through the smoke. The recipe card says 4 potatoes but I always make 6 — they go fast.
- Butter: melted and mixed with the BBQ rub before going on. Salted butter on the skin is one of the best parts of this recipe — it caramelizes slightly over 2–3 hours.
- Your favorite BBQ Rub: use whatever you’re already running on your main cook. I use the same rub on the sweet potatoes so everything ties together on the plate.
- Toppings of choice
How to Make Smoked Sweet Potatoes on Traeger
Step 1: Prep and Season
Set your Traeger to 250°F and close the lid — wait until it’s fully up to temperature before adding the potatoes. Scrub, wash, and dry the potatoes completely — any moisture on the skin will steam in the Traeger instead of crisping.
Pierce 8–10 times all over with a fork. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil until all sides are coated, then season with salt, pepper, and your BBQ rub. The oil coating is what gives you the slightly caramelized, seasoned skin at the end.
Step 2: Smoke
Place the sweet potatoes directly on the Traeger grates in indirect heat. Close the lid and smoke at 250°F for 2–2.5 hours. At the 60-minute mark, brush with melted butter mixed with your BBQ rub — the first coat of oil and seasoning will have absorbed, and the skin will look slightly matte and darker.
The second coat is what finishes the skin. At 2 hours, pierce with a fork — it should go through with almost no resistance. The skin will look slightly wrinkled, and the ends will have caramelized. The whole Traeger will smell of sweet potato and smoke — slightly sweet and nutty.
Step 3 – Serve
Remove from the Traeger and rest for 2 minutes. Slice the tops open lengthwise, then press the ends together to open the flesh. Load up with toppings while still steaming hot so the butter melts in immediately. Serve straight away.
How Long to Smoke Sweet Potatoes
At 250°F, sweet potatoes take 2–2.5 hours. The internal temperature should reach 210°F, or test with a fork — it should go through with almost no resistance anywhere on the potato. Don’t rely on time alone — size varies and Traeger calibration affects cooking time.
What Type of Wood/Pellets to Use
For sweet potatoes, I use apple or maple on the Traeger — both give a mild, slightly sweet smoke that enhances the natural sweetness of the potato rather than competing with it. Cherry also works well. Avoid mesquite and hickory entirely on sweet potatoes — too heavy for a delicate vegetable on a 2-hour cook and will make the skin taste bitter rather than smoky.
Topping Ideas
You can stretch your imagination here. Go light, or turn the side into the main meal. To get you started, here are a couple of ideas for toppings:
- Butter, chives, salt, and pepper: This is my classic combination, as shown in the picture below.
- Salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, topped with grated cheese.
- Scrambled egg, spicy sauce, grated cheese, and chopped fresh chives.
- Olives, pepperoni, capsicum, and salsa.
- Mince or lentils with Greek yogurt, corn, and lime juice.
For a sweet twist, try:
- Almond butter, berries, granola, and toasted coconut.
- Berries and ricotta sprinkled with cinnamon and orange zest.
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Looking for More Traeger Recipes?
- Smoked Brisket on a Traeger
- Traeger Pork Belly Ends
- Traeger Smoked Brats
- Traeger Tri Tip
- Traeger Whole Chicken
- Traeger Ribeye
🍠 More Sides Serve with Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Broccoli
- Maple Glazed Carrots
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
- Grilled Garlic Bread
Traeger Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Traeger Grill
Ingredients
- 4 whole Potatoes of similar sizes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Set your Traeger to 250°F and close the lid.
- Scrub, wash and dry the potatoes. Pierce with a fork 5-6 times, the holes will allow steam to escape and prevent the potatoes from exploding. For more consistent cooking, try to find potatoes of a similar size.
- Place your sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle them in olive oil, then season them with salt and pepper.
- Once you’ve prepped and seasoned your sweet potatoes, you can simply place them on your grill.
- Let them cook on the for about for about 2-3 hours, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Once they are fork tender, remove them from the smoker. Slice the tops open, load up with desired toppings, and serve and enjoy!
Smoke On!
Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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