Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Perfectly crispy with very little oil, you’ll want to cook Sweet Potato Fries in your Air Fryer all of the time!  You’ll learn a few simple tricks to easily cut sweet potatoes into fries, the best seasonings to use, and how long it takes to air fry them.  This healthy, gluten-free, and vegan side dish recipe goes great alongside any dinner meal!

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

This was the first “recipe” I ever attempted making when I got my Air Fryer.

I say “recipe” because I did not look up a single post, video, or guide.  And I should have.

(Kudos to you for being here!)

Because I made a HUGE mistake that resulted in super soggy and definitely NOT crispy fries.

Quickly realizing it was operator-error and not the machine, I started to do a little research.

Soon I discovered that there is indeed an art to making sweet potato fries as well as regular French fries in the Air Fryer.

From what temperature to cook them, how long they should air fry, to the perfect way to lay them in the basket.

It ALL absolutely matters if you want to end up with the crispiest sweet potato fries you’ve ever had.

(Yup, these even beat my long-time favorite Baked Sweet Potato Fries!)

But no need to worry if you think it’s going to be too complicated.  Once you learn these simple tricks you’ll be an Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries pro!

Ingredients

There are only a few simple ingredients that you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Sweet Potatoes – Both jewel and garnet potatoes can be used.  If you’re leaving the skin on, opt for an organic type if possible.
• Oil – You won’t need much, about 1 tablespoon per pound of potatoes, but you do need a little bit.  Avocado oil is my personal preference since it has a higher smoke point and is mildly flavored, but olive, grapeseed, or sunflower oil may also be used.
• Salt – A little bit goes a long way.  I’d suggest starting with just ½ teaspoon per pound of potatoes and add more after cooking if needed.
• Paprika* – This gives the fries a subtle kick that pairs nicely with the sweet fries.
• Garlic Powder* – Who doesn’t love garlic!

*Feel free to leave these two ingredients out if you want a more simple and basic fry recipe.

Cutting Sweet Potatoes into Fries

Cutting the potatoes into the correct shape is a key component of making the perfect fry.

You also want to try and cut all of your fries the same size.  If you cut them in various sizes the small ones will get super crispy, and even burnt, while the larger ones may not cook up fully.

It’s also up to you whether you’d like to leave the skin on or peel the potatoes.  The skin has a lot of fiber so opt to keep that on if you’d like a nutritional boost.

The perfect size to cut fries:

• 4-6 inches in length (look for potatoes about this size when selecting them at the store)
• ½-inch wide
• ¼-½-inch thick

How to Cut Potatoes into Fries:

1. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. (step 1 above)

2. Place one of the halves flat-side down on the cutting board and make cuts about ½-inch apart. (step 2 above)

3. Put these pieces flat-side down and finish cutting potatoes into long, thin strips about ¼-½ inch in width.  Repeat with remaining potatoes. (step 3 above)

Do I have to Soak Them?

Unlike when making regular french fries, it’s not necessary to soak sweet potato fries before cooking them in the air fryer.

Russet potatoes have a lot more naturally occurring starch that needs to be rinsed off before air frying, whereas sweet potatoes do not have as much.

Some recipes will go the extra step and rinse the fries before air frying, but it will only give you a minimal increase in crispiness.

So for a quick and easy recipe, we’re going to skip the soaking step entirely!

Seasoning

Once the fries are cut into the correct shape, it’s time to toss them in a bit of oil and add some seasonings.  To do this:

1. Add fries to a large bowl and drizzle with oil.  Toss fries until well coated.  Add just enough oil, but be careful not to over-do it. (step 1 above)
2. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings of choice.  About ½ teaspoon of salt per pound of fries is enough to start with.  You can always add more later. (step 2 above)
3. Toss fries until completely coated in the seasonings. (step 3 above)

How to Air-Fry Sweet Potato Fries

Most air fryers operate much like an oven in that they need to be preheated before adding in food.  At a minimum, you want to heat your air fryer for at least 3 minutes prior to cooking for the best results.

For sweet potato fries, heat air fryer to 375°F.

1. Place fries in a single layer with none of the fries touching.  This is a critical component to getting super crispy fries!  Any area where they are touching will not crisp up fully.
   • If you’re using a 6-quart air fryer you’ll need to cook the fries in 2 batches in order to have enough room to do this.
2. Cook fries for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through. 

Cook’s Tip: If you’re cooking fries in batches, heat your oven to 250 degrees.  Add the first batch of fries to a baking sheet and pop them in the oven to keep them warm while the second batch is cooking.

Dipping Sauces

If your fries last long enough to serve them with a dipping sauce, here are a few recommendations:

• Ketchup, Mayo, Mustard
• Sriracha Mayo <– The best with sweet potato fries!
• Remoulade Sauce
• Tartar Sauce

Tips for Crispy Fries

Let’s recap all of the main tips you’ll want to remember when making your sweet potato fries so they come out super crispy, and not soggy.

Tip 1: Cut the fries a similar size to ensure even cooking and crispiness.

Tip 2: Toss with just enough oil, and not too much.

Tip 3: Place the fries in a single layer, with little to no touching.  Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket.

Tip 4: Flip the fries halfway through cooking to allow all sides of the fries to crisp up fully.

Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Did you just get an air fryer, too?  Here are a few more super quick and easy beginner recipes you can try out:

• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Cauliflower
• Air Fryer Asparagus

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Perfectly crispy with very little oil, you'll want to cook Sweet Potato Fries in your Air Fryer all of the time!  You'll learn a few simple tricks to easily cut sweet potatoes into fries, the best seasonings to use, and how long it takes to air fry them.  This healthy, gluten-free, and vegan side dish recipe goes great alongside any dinner meal!

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Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer, appetizer, healthy, vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 132 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes peeled or peel on
• 1 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
• ½ - ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. paprika optional
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder optional

Instructions

1. Heat air fryer to 375°F for at least 3 minutes.
2. Cut potatoes into long strips (4-6 inches in length) that are ½” wide by ¼” thick.
3. Add fries to a large bowl and drizzle with oil.  Toss fries until well coated.
4. Sprinkle with salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Toss fries until completely coated in the seasonings.
5. Place fries in a single layer into the air fryer basket with none of the fries touching.  (If you're using a 6-quart air fryer you'll need to cook the fries in 2 batches in order to have enough room to do this.)*
6. Cook fries for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.

7. Serve with ketchup, Sriracha Mayo, or Remoulade Sauce.

Recipe Notes

• If you're cooking fries in batches, heat your oven to 250°F.  Add the first batch of fries to a baking sheet and pop them in the oven to keep them warm while the second batch is cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Amount Per Serving

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 302mg13%

Potassium 382mg11%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 16239IU325%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.