For a medium sweet potato, microwave about 5–7 minutes total on high, flipping halfway, then add short bursts until it’s easily pierced with a fork.

Quick Scoop

Here’s a simple, reliable method you can follow tonight.

  1. Prep the sweet potato
    • Wash and scrub it well.
 * Pierce it 6–8 times with a fork so steam can escape.

 * Optional but helpful: wrap it in a _damp_ paper towel to keep it moist.
  1. Base timing by size (single potato, high power)
    • Small (about 6–8 oz, ~2 cm thick): 4–6 minutes total (2–3 minutes per side).
 * Medium (9–12 oz, ~2 cm thick): 5–7 minutes total (3–4 minutes per side).

 * Large (13–16 oz, thicker): 8–10 minutes total (4–5 minutes per side).

 * Very large (over ~1¼ lb): 10–14 minutes total (6–7 minutes per side).
  1. Cook, flip, then finish in bursts
    • Start: Microwave on high for 3–4 minutes.
 * Flip: Turn the potato over and cook another 2–4 minutes depending on size.

 * Check: If a fork or thin knife doesn’t slide in easily to the center, keep going in 30–60 second bursts until tender.
  1. If you’re cooking two at once
    • Arrange them side by side, not stacked.
    • Add roughly 50–100% more time total, and start checking a few minutes before your calculated time because microwaves vary.
  1. How to tell it’s done
    • The skin should feel soft and slightly wrinkly.
    • A fork or small knife should glide to the center with almost no resistance; if it catches or feels firm, give it another short burst.
 * When you split it open, the flesh should be fluffy and steamy, not hard or glassy.
  1. Quick serving ideas once it’s soft
    • Savory: butter or olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika or chili flakes.
 * Sweet: butter, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, plus cinnamon.

Handy time guide (HTML table)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Sweet potato size</th>
      <th>Approx. weight</th>
      <th>Microwave time (high power)</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Small</td>
      <td>6–8 oz</td>
      <td>4–6 minutes total (2–3 min per side)</td>
      <td>Start checking at 4 minutes; add 30–60 sec as needed. [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Medium</td>
      <td>9–12 oz</td>
      <td>5–7 minutes total (3–4 min per side)</td>
      <td>Most “normal” grocery sweet potatoes fall here. [web:1][web:3][web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Large</td>
      <td>13–16 oz</td>
      <td>8–10 minutes total (4–5 min per side)</td>
      <td>Check early and finish in 30–60 sec bursts. [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Extra large</td>
      <td>~1¼ lb or more</td>
      <td>10–14 minutes total (6–7 min per side)</td>
      <td>Microwaves vary a lot; use fork-test to confirm. [web:1][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Two potatoes</td>
      <td>Varies</td>
      <td>Roughly 1.5–2× single-potato time</td>
      <td>Place side by side; start checking a few minutes early. [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: For one medium sweet potato, plan for about 5–7 minutes on high, flipping halfway, then keep microwaving in short bursts until a fork slides in easily.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.