African pantry guide · Yado Market Blog
African Yam vs. Sweet Potato: What It Is & How to Cook It
If you grew up in the U.S., the "yams" at the grocery store were probably sweet potatoes. African yam is something completely different. Here's what it is, how it compares, and the easiest ways to cook it.
Quick answer: African yam is a true yam, a large, starchy tuber from the Dioscorea plant with rough, bark-like brown skin and white or cream flesh. It's a staple food in West Africa. It isn't sweet like a sweet potato; it's mild, starchy and filling, more like a potato. It must be peeled and cooked before eating.
Side by side
African Yam vs. Sweet Potato: What's the Difference?
They're not even related. Yams come from the Dioscorea plant family, while sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family. In U.S. stores, orange sweet potatoes are often labeled "yams," which is where the confusion started. West Africa grows most of the world's true yams.
African yam (true yam)
- Plant family: Dioscorea
- Skin: rough, dark brown, bark-like
- Flesh: white to cream, sometimes yellow
- Size: large, often several pounds each
- Taste: mild, starchy, not sweet
- Texture: dry and firm; fluffy when boiled
- Best for: boiling, frying, pounded yam, porridge
Sweet potato (U.S. "yam")
- Plant family: morning glory (Ipomoea)
- Skin: thin, smooth, copper or red
- Flesh: usually bright orange
- Size: small to medium
- Taste: noticeably sweet
- Texture: moist and soft when cooked
- Best for: baking, mashing, casseroles, pies
In the kitchen
How to Peel and Boil African Yam
Boiled yam is the simplest way to start. Some people find raw yam skin makes their hands itch, so wear gloves or rub a little oil on your hands before peeling.
1
Slice
Cut the yam crosswise into 1-inch rounds. It's easier to peel in slices than whole.
2
Peel & rinse
Cut away the thick brown skin with a knife, then rinse the slices to remove the slippery starch.
3
Boil
Cover with water, add a pinch of salt, and boil for 15–20 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
4
Serve
Drain and serve hot with egg sauce, tomato stew, palm oil and pepper, or garden egg stew.
5 Popular Ways to Eat African Yam
Once you've mastered boiled yam, try these favorites from across West Africa.
Fried yam
Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. Called dundu in Nigeria, served with pepper sauce.
Pounded yam
Boiled yam pounded into a smooth, stretchy swallow. Perfect with egusi soup.
Yam porridge
Asaro: chunks of yam simmered with palm oil, peppers, onion and greens into a hearty stew.
Ampesi
A Ghanaian favorite: boiled yam with kontomire (cocoyam leaf) stew or garden egg stew.
Amala
Made from dried yam flour (elubo), with a dark color and earthy taste. Served with ewedu and gbegiri.
Shop Yado Market
Where to Buy African Yam
We carry fresh Ghana yam tubers, bulk boxes of pona yam, and ready-to-cook yam flours at 1651 E 87th St in Chicago, with shipping across the U.S.
