Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
You might think the best way to get CRISPY sweet potato fries is by frying them. And while this works great, these addictive sweet potato fries are actually air fried, and I promise you won’t miss the grease. In fact, the air fryer works its magic to give you the best crisp outside and tender, creamy, center.
Make the BEST crispy and crunchy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for a totally versatile and delicious side.
Serve with Instant Pot Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers or Grilled Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Burgers for a great meal.
Making sweet potato fries in the air fryer is healthier than deep frying, and you don’t have to sacrifice to get the health factor. You’ll still get a nice crisp edges and great flavor while saving on calories and fat. I call that a win.
While I love just making these as a snack, and enjoying them on their own, these make a perfect side dish for a Cuban Sandwich or Southwest Fajita Cheeseburgers. Or if you just want a delicious snack, try dipping them in homemade ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce!
Don’t have an air fryer? Try these Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges which are similar, but oven baked instead.
What You Need to Make Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
Making these amazing sweet potato fries is so easy, and the ingredients are easy to find, as there are only a few, and they can be picked up at most major grocers.
These delicious fries are simply peeled and sliced sweet potatoes tossed in oil and seasoning then air-fried to perfection. So here’s what you need:
- Sweet Potatoes – any size will work, you simply peel and slice into fries. You just want to make sure you do not over crowd the air fryer basket.
- Oil – Use an oil with a high smoke point so you don’t burn it or turn it bitter while air frying.
- Seasoning – you can have fun with the flavor profile, but I have found my favorites are just keeping it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
FAQ’s
- What kind of oil is best for air fryer sweet potato fries?
Honestly, you can use whatever oil you want to, or just use cooking spray. The oil will help them get crispier, and help the seasoning stick to the exterior. I personally love using olive oil for this, but if I cooked them at any higher heat, I would want a higher smoke point oil like an avocado oil or canola oil.
- How long should I cook sweet potato fries in air fryer?
The real key to getting your cooking time right is to cut the potatoes into the right size. Larger fries will take longer to cook. I recommend starting with 10 minutes at 380°F and add time in 1-minute increments if necessary.
- How should I cut the sweet potatoes?
In order to get the best results you want your sweet potatoes cut into even slices. So peel and slice into ¼-inch-thick slices, cutting them in uniform size for an even cooking. Skinnier ends will get crispy, and could burn, so keep that in mind.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
If you want them crispy, follow these steps for a great alternative to Air Fryer Fries or Oven Baked Steak Fries.
- Prep sweet potatoes: Again the key here is consistency in size. So peel and slice the potatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle oil: Once cut and in the bowl, drizzle oil over your fries and toss to combine so they are evenly coated in the oil. If using a cooking spray instead, I suggest laying them out on a tray and spraying, flipping and spraying again,.
- Season: Simply add your seasonings in, and toss to coat each fry in the flavorful combo of spices. I like to use my hands to toss them.
- Air Fry: I like to pre-heat my air fryer for best results, and then add the fries into the air fryer basket and air fry at 380˚F for 10-14 minutes or until cooked through and crispy on the exterior.
- Serve immediately: I recommend tasting them, and add more seasoning if desired, or garnish with fresh herbs, grated parmesan, etc.
Note: If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make these fries in an oven. You will use a higher heat, and longer cooking time. Simply, preheat oven to 425° F. Combine all ingredients; toss to coat. Spread fries in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake until crisp, 35-40 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tips for Cutting Sweet Potato Fries
- Peel the sweet potato with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.
- Cut off the ends of the sweet potato, and slice it in half lengthwise. This will eliminate the skinny ends that tend to burn. Remember, air fryer sweet potato fries will shrink after cooking, so look for sweet potatoes that are slightly longer than the ideal fry length.
- Place flat side down, and cut it into slices that are about 1/4-inch thick.
- Repeat this process with the remaining half of the sweet potato.
- Stack the slices on top of each other and cut into strips that are about 1/4-inch wide, to make perfectly squared off fries.
- If you prefer thicker or thinner, adjust as desired, but consistency is key to getting a good result in the air fryer. Evenly cut fries cook more evenly.
Cooking Tips
- Soak: If you want extra crispy fries: soak the sweet potato fries in a bowl of cold water before cooking for about 15 minutes. This will help to remove some of the excess starch from the potatoes and make the exteriors crispier when they are fried.
- Space: Place the sweet potatoes into the air fryer basket with plenty of room. Make sure not to overcrowd them. Air flow is how you get CRISPY fries.
- Shake: At the halfway cooking point, shake the basket to help flip them and make sure they are cooking evenly. While the air in an air fryer is similar to a convection oven, and it does circulate all around the potatoes, the heat on the bottom is stronger than the top, so this is key to even crispiness.
- Adjust: Adjust for your air fryer. Each air fryer is different, so you may want to watch the first batch to make sure that the cooking temperature and time yield the results you’re looking for.
Serve With
This recipe is so perfect for snacking, or as a healthier side dish for a cook out, burger night, etc. I love pairing it with:
- Classic Mustard Animal Style Burgers
- Burger Wraps and Lettuce Wraps
- Lemon Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Other Great Recipes:
- Lightened up Chicken and Sweet Potato California Burrito
- BBQ Pork, Qunioa, Sweet Potato Burritos
- Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie with Ground Turkey or Beef
- Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges
- Sweet Potato Casserole
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Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced (1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch thick sticks. Make them as even in size as possible for even cooking.
- Add your sweet potatoes to a large bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top, or other oil of choice, and sprinkle with garlic salt, paprika, and black pepper. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Heat air fryer to 380F degrees.
- Place seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer into your air fryer basket, leaving space between to allow for airflow, which will create a crispier exterior.
- Cook for approximately 10-14 minutes, until done.
Notes
- Soak: If you want extra crispy fries: soak the sweet potato fries in a bowl of cold water before cooking for about 15 minutes. This will help to remove some of the excess starch from the potatoes and make the exteriors crispier when they are fried.
- Space: Place the sweet potatoes into the air fryer basket with plenty of room. Make sure not to overcrowd them. Air flow is how you get CRISPY fries.
- Shake: At the halfway cooking point, shake the basket to help flip them and make sure they are cooking evenly. While the air in an air fryer is similar to a convection oven, and it does circulate all around the potatoes, the heat on the bottom is stronger than the top, so this is key to even crispiness.
- Adjust: Adjust for your air fryer. Each air fryer is different, so you may want to watch the first batch to make sure that the cooking temperature and time yield the results you’re looking for.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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The famous, 3 ingredients, grape jelly meatballs, cooked in a crockpot until they are sticky, sweet, savory, delicious, the easiest appetizer ever. Perfect for a tailgating party, get together, summer cook out, NYE party, and more. Basically, if you have a group of people getting together, and you want delicious food, these grape jelly meatballs would be great on the menu.
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