Microwaving sweet potatoes is far less time-consuming than baking them in the oven, but it can be difficult to determine how long you need to microwave them to ensure even cooking.

It’s best to calculate your exact cooking time by weight. For example, a small sweet potato weighing 6 to 8 ounces should be cooked between two and three minutes per side.

Medium spuds weighing 9 to 12 ounces should be cooked for three to four minutes per side. Large ones weighing up to 16 ounces should be cooked for four or five minutes per side.

Once you’ve microwaved your sweet potatoes as previously suggested, cook them in one-minute intervals afterward until they are tender — regardless of the size of your potatoes.

If you don’t have a food scale handy, microwave your sweet potatoes at a baseline of five minutes, checking them frequently to ensure they don’t overcook, and add time as needed.