Orange Vs White Sweet Potatoes: What's The Difference?

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are often mistaken as different varieties of the same vegetable, but they are, in fact, not directly related. While potatoes belong to the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, sweet potatoes are members of the Convolvulaceae family, more commonly known as morning glory. But like potatoes, of which there are more than 4,000 different varieties, there are numerous varieties of sweet potatoes to choose from as well (more than 400). Among them are orange and white sweet potatoes (and there is even a purple variety that will give your sourdough bread a vibrant hue). Orange and white sweet potatoes are often used interchangeably, but are they really the same?

They are both sweet potatoes, and delicious and nutritious in their own right, but there are some differences between the two that you'll want to familiarize yourself with so you can enjoy them to their fullest potential. There is the obvious difference in color — white sweet potatoes are a pale whitish color on the inside and light brown, similar to a regular potato, on the outside, while orange sweet potatoes are, well, orange. But the differences go deeper than mere color. White sweet potatoes have a milder flavor and a drier texture, whereas the orange ones are naturally sweeter, and their moist texture lends to a creamier cooked spud. While this doesn't make one better than the other, it does make the white ones more adaptable for a variety of recipes, so they can bring the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to both sweet and savory dishes.

Cooking sweet potatoes is not hard to master, and you have a number of methods at your disposal. For the most part, you can actually treat them just like a regular potato, making anything from a sweet potato mash to luscious fondant potatoes. However, it's important to know how each variety behaves when it is cooked so you can decide what dishes they are best suited for.

Because it's more moist than its white counterpart, orange sweet potato is a great choice if you want a dish with a creamy texture. It's the one you want to go for when making dishes like sweet potato pie, with varieties like Beauregard or Jewel making particularly smooth, flavorful, and delicious options. It also makes great french fries, getting perfectly crispy on the outside and staying nice and tender on the inside.

Like orange sweet potatoes, you can do just about everything with the white ones — they just won't be as sweet, and you'll have a starchier dish that is more like a regular potato. This makes white sweet potatoes extremely versatile though. You can either add a creamy component to your recipe, like butter or cream, to get a smooth and moist texture, or you can take advantage of their sturdier nature and denser texture by creating a savory side dish with a touch of sweetness. Some great choices include roasting them, adding them to stews, and using them in a delicious potato salad.