Why my holiday sweet potato shortcut became an everyday habit
If you have spent any time reading this blog, you KNOW I have a deep love for sweet potatoes and all the recipes they go in.
Like these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers, Sweet Potato Hashbrowns, or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
But one of the easiest side dishes is simply baked sweet potatoes.
While they are delicious and so good for you, they sometimes take too long to make. Especially if you’re in a hurry pulling together a weeknight dinner.
The solution… the AIR FRYER! I turn to this handy appliance way too often.
This Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato started as an easy way to prep sweet potatoes for the holidays. Now it’s a repeatable process I use ALL the time (no surprise, considering how many sweet potato recipes live on this site).
This method cuts the cooking time by almost half. Yes, half!
The method is simple: poke them with a fork, rub on a little oil and salt, and skip the foil so the skin crisps up while the inside turns soft and fluffy. Up to 4 fit in a 6-quart basket at once.
You can also make Air Fryer Baked Potatoes in a really similar way, if you prefer.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: Grab sweet potatoes that are about the same size so they cook evenly. Up to 4 medium ones fit in a 6-quart air fryer basket.
- Oil: A high smoke point oil like avocado oil is my go-to since the potatoes cook for a while. Olive oil works too.
- Salt: Go for a good-quality sea salt or kosher salt. It’s what makes that crispy skin taste SO good.
How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
Scrub and poke.
Rinse the sweet potatoes under running water, scrub off any dirt, and dry them really well.
Then poke each one 8-10 times with a fork. Those little holes let the steam escape while they cook.
Same size, same cook time. Pick potatoes that are about the same size so they all finish together.
Oil and season.
Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil over each potato and rub it in with your hands until the skin is fully coated. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt over each one.
Air fry.
Preheat the air fryer to 370°F, then line up the potatoes in a single layer so none of them are touching.
Air fry for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size, and flip them halfway through.
Check the biggest potato at 30 minutes. Small sweet potatoes usually finish around 30 minutes, medium ones around 35 to 40, and large ones can take the full 45.
Want to be extra sure? An instant-read thermometer should read about 205°F in the center.
The Air Fryer I Use and ❤️
I use a 6-quart air fryer for this recipe and it’s the perfect size for cooking everything in a single layer without overcrowding. Because remember, keeping it in one layer is key to all that crispy goodness!
Check and serve.
They’re done when a fork slides into the center with no resistance. If the smaller ones finish first, pull them out and let the bigger ones keep going.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
Why is my sweet potato still hard in the middle?
It probably just needs more time, especially if it’s a big one. Pop it back in and check every 5 minutes until a fork slides right in.
Why is the skin soft instead of crispy?
Crowding is usually the culprit. If the potatoes are touching, they steam instead of roast, so give them some space (and skip the foil).
Why did some potatoes cook faster than others?
Different sizes cook at different speeds. Pull the small ones as soon as they’re tender and let the bigger ones keep going.
FAQs
On a busy night, the air fryer wins for me. It cuts the cooking time almost in half and only needs a quick preheat, and the skin gets nice and crispy. (If you’d rather use the oven, here’s how to bake sweet potatoes.)
Wrapping a potato in foil will make the skin soggy. If you would like crispy skin, air fry them without anything covering the outside.
Sweet potatoes do not contain as much starch as white potatoes, so they do not need to be soaked beforehand.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them. Once cooled, wrap each potato in foil, tuck them into a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. The skin softens after thawing, but the inside stays soft and sweet (perfect for mashing or stuffing).
Tap stars to rate!
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
email this recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 4 teaspoons oil avocado or olive
- 1 teaspoon salt sea or kosher
Instructions
- Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 370 degrees. Let heat up for at least 3 minutes.
- While that’s warming up, rinse and scrub the potatoes to remove any visible dirt and debris and then dry them thoroughly.4 medium sweet potatoes
- Poke each potato with a fork 8-10 times so it is able to release steam while cooking.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over each potato and rub it in to completely coat it. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt over each one.4 teaspoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt
- Place the prepared potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size, and flip them over halfway through cooking.
- Serve immediately with a pat of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, or make it savory with some crumbled bacon and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
Video
Notes
- Timing by size: Small sweet potatoes usually finish around 30 minutes, medium ones around 35 to 40, and large ones can take the full 45. Check the largest one at 30 minutes.
- Doneness: A fork should slide into the center with no resistance. An instant-read thermometer should read about 205°F.
- Celsius: 370°F is about 188°C.
- Make ahead: Scrub and poke the potatoes the day before and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to air fry.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap each cooled potato in foil, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. The skin softens after thawing, but the inside stays soft and sweet.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven still wrapped in foil, or unwrap and air fry to crisp the skin back up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with air fryer baked sweet potatoes
Since these cook in the air fryer, your oven and stovetop are wide open for the main dish. That makes them perfect next to Spatchcock Chicken, Pork Chops with Apples and Onions, or Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin for a holiday-worthy plate.
Craving something sweet? Go with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar, or add a handful of Roasted Pecans and a sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice or Apple Pie Spice.
For savory, crumble on some Baked Bacon (or Air Fryer Bacon once the potatoes are done) with a drizzle of maple syrup. Or split them open and spoon Instant Pot Ground Turkey Chili right on top for an easy dinner.
Want a Tex-Mex twist? Load them up with sour cream, black beans, corn, and cilantro.
More sweet potato recipes to try
Still on a sweet potato kick? Same. Here are the ones I make on repeat, in the air fryer and out.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
30 mins
Air Fryer Baked Potato
40 mins
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
1 hr 30 mins
