Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
When I first attempted these Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, I discovered that there is indeed an art to making the perfect fry!
From what temperature to cook them to how long they should air fry to the ideal 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 (without deep frying, at least).
(Yup, these even beat my long-time favorite Baked Sweet Potato Fries!)
Don’t worry—none of it is too complicated. Once you learn these simple tricks you’ll be an Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fry pro!
(Don’t miss these Air Fryer French Fries. If you’re looking for more sweet spuds, dig into this round up of Sweet Potato Recipes.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes. Both jewel and garnet potatoes can be used and are easy to find at the grocery store. 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. Avocado oil is my personal preference since it has a high 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 adding more after cooking if needed.
- Paprika. This gives the fries a subtle kick that pairs nicely with their sweetness.
- Garlic Powder. Who doesn’t love garlic?! This adds a savory bite.
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Cut the Sweet Potatoes
Cutting the potatoes into the correct shape and size is a key component of making the perfect fry. If you slice 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.
Scrub the potatoes to remove dirt. Then, slice each one in half.
Place one of the halves flat-side down on the cutting board and make cuts about ½-inch apart.
Put these pieces flat-side down and finish cutting potatoes into long, thin strips about ¼- to ½-inch in width. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
2. Oil and Season
Place the fries in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the oil. Give the bowl a little shake to toss the fries until they are well coated. Add just enough oil, but be careful not to overdo it.
Sprinkle them with salt and seasonings of choice. Some great seasoning options the whole family will love are:
- Taco Seasoning
- Greek Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Italian Seasoning
- Or, go for spice with cayenne pepper.
Toss fries until completely coated in the seasonings.
3. Cook in Air Fryer
Most air fryers operate much like an oven in that they need to be preheated before adding in the food. At a minimum, you want to heat your air fryer to 375°F for at least 3 minutes prior to cooking to avoid soggy sweet potato fries.
Place fries in a single layer of the air-fryer basket with none of the fries touching. This is a critical component to getting a super crispy texture! 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 sweet potatoes fries in 2 batches in order to have enough room to do this.
Cook fries for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through for the best results. Thicker fries will take a little longer, while thin fries need less time.
Cook’s Tip: 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.
4. Serve with Dipping Sauce
If your crispy sweet potato fries last long enough to serve them with a favorite dipping sauce, here are a few recommendations:
- Ketchup, Mayo, Mustard
- Sriracha Mayo (The best with sweet potato fries!)
- Remoulade Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Secret Sauce
- Chick-fil-a Sauce
Can you freeze sweet potato fries?
You can freeze sweet potato fries, but it’s best to do so BEFORE cooking. Quickly boil for 5 minutes, and then blanch them in cold water. Freezing cooked fries will affect the texture.
FAQs
Unlike when making regular French fries, it’s not necessary to soak sweet potato fries before cooking them in the air fryer. Sweet potatoes don’t have as much naturally occurring starch as russet potatoes, which is why those need to be rinsed off before air frying.
If you didn’t use the right amount of oil, have sweet potato wedges touching, or didn’t preheat the air fryer, the fries might turn out soggy.
Sweet potatoes are very healthy for you. When you cook them in the air fryer with minimal oil, they are a side dish you can feel good about enjoying.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Fries
These air fryer fries are the perfect side dish with any of these dinners.
You can’t beat a burger and fries, so try an Air Fryer Hamburger or a Salmon Burger.
If you like fish, go for Air Fryer Fish, Blackened Mahi Mahi, Honey Sriracha Salmon, or Pistachio-Crusted Salmon.
Or, stick with Baked BBQ Chicken Breasts or Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings.
Whip up a sauce like Remoulade Sauce for a special treat.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Here are a few more super quick and easy air fryer recipes you can try out:
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Steak
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
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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
- Heat air fryer to 375°F for at least 3 minutes.
- Prepare the Potatoes: Cut potatoes into long strips (4-6 inches in length) that are ½” wide by ¼” thick. Add fries to a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss fries until well coated. Sprinkle with salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Toss fries until completely coated in the seasonings.1 lb. sweet potatoes, 1 Tbsp. oil, ½ – ¾ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. paprika, ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- Cook in the Air Fryer: 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.)* Cook fries for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve the fries with ketchup, Sriracha Mayo, or Remoulade Sauce.
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Notes
Prep-Ahead Instructions
You can slice the sweet potatoes into fries the day before to save time. Storage Directions Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. It is best to freeze the fries in a single layer on a sheet pan for a few hours. Then, transfer the potatoes to a freezer-safe bag and keep for up to 6 to 7 months. To reheat, pop the sweet potatoes back in the air fryer at 350℉ for about 5 minutes. Recipe Tips- Same size. Cut the fries to a similar size to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
- A little goes a long way. Toss the potatoes with just enough oil to coat, and not too much.
- Give ’em space. Place the fries in a single layer, with little to no touching. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket.
- Turnover. Flip the fries halfway through cooking to allow all sides of the fries to crisp up fully.
- Change it up. Vary the flavors on these potatoes! Try them with Parmesan cheese or Cajun seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very good recipes
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Maria! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!