Enjoy Homemade Baked Sweet Potato Fries anytime with this ultra crispy recipe! Learn how to cut the potato into fries and roast in the oven to the perfect crispy texture. This easy and healthy side dish is the best when served with ketchup, special sauce, or homemade sriracha mayo.
Roasted sweet potatoes have a special place in my heart.
Whether they’re cut into cubes or sliced into fries…
They bring back fond memories of when my husband and I met. (He cooked up a batch of these sweet potato cubes on our first date!)
But it wasn’t until recently that I decided to turn those cute little cubes into longer, and crispier French fries.
After a bit of testing and tweaking with different oils, starches, flours, and seasonings, I’ve now got the absolute BEST way to make sweet potatoes fries for you.
With this recipe you’ll get the most crisp and crunchy exterior and soft, tender, and perfectly cooked through interior.
They’re naturally gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and can even be made Paleo and Whole30-approved. That way everyone in your household will get to enjoy this simple side dish.
But the best part? You don’t need a deep-fryer, air fryer, or any other fancy kitchen gadget to get those crispy edges you know and love. Your oven will do the magic for you!
(However, if you want to try them out – these Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are incredible, too!)
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make these sweet potato fries include:
- Sweet Potatoes. When selecting your sweet potatoes at the grocery store, try to find medium-sized potatoes that are all about 4-6 inches in length. This will ensure your fries are a uniform size after cutting them.
- Starch. This is the secret ingredient that helps the fries to crisp up when baking in the oven. Cornstarch is used in this recipe, but tapioca starch and arrowroot starch may be subbed for grain-free.
- Oil. A mildly flavored oil with a relatively high smoke point is the best to use. Avocado oil is ideal, but olive oil is another good option.
- Salt and Pepper. Add as much or as little as you prefer. You can also get creative and add a bit of smoked paprika, garlic powder, or even cayenne pepper to your fries.
If you’d like to make regular fries, check out these Air Fryer French Fries!
How to Make
These are the steps to follow to make sweet potato fries in the oven:
- Cut each potato into fries 4-6 inches in length, ¼-½-inch wide and ¼ inch thick.
Slice in half lengthwise, then place flat-side down on the cutting board and make cuts about ¼-inch apart. Put these pieces flat-side down and finish cutting potatoes into long, thin strips. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin before slicing if you prefer.
- Coat the fries with starch.
Add potato slices to a large baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of starch all over and toss until the fries are covered.
- Drizzle oil all over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt.
Toss to combine. Go easy as to not over-salt, you can always add more after baking.
- Lay potato fries out in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Make sure they do not overlap or those edges will come out soggy instead of crispy.
- Flip all fries over and return to oven for an additional 12-15 minutes.
Both sides need to be exposed to the high heat so every inch gets super crispy. You’ll know the fries are done baking when the edges begin to brown and crisp up.
Meal Prep & Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Baked sweet potato fries are best when served immediately. The longer they sit out and cool to room temperature the soggier they will get.
- To Store: Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Pre-freeze in a single layer for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Return the fries to a baking sheet and reheat in the oven, or place in an air-fryer and bake at 325°F for 5-6 minutes. Avoid microwaving as it will make leftover fries extremely mushy.
Seasonings to Try
This recipe is a great base to get a little creative. There are a TON of different seasonings you can throw onto your potatoes after they’re done baking to add a lot of flavor:
- Add a bit of Taco Seasoning for a little Mexican flair.
- Sprinkle on some Blackened Seasoning for a spicy kick.
- Make them warm and cozy with some Chili Seasoning.
- Eat them for dessert by tossing in some sugar and either cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie spice.
No matter how you season, serve them with a side of ketchup, mayonnaise, Homemade Remoulade Sauce, Secret Sauce, Thousand Island, or even Sriracha Mayo.
FAQs
It depends on how they are made. Sweet potatoes themselves are incredibly healthy, so when they are prepared with minimal oil and baked, the fries are healthy. Deep-fried sweet potatoes are high in fat, and therefore not as healthy.
The main reason for soggy fries is that the pan is overcrowded. Make sure to place in single layer so that no fries are touching. Also, make sure to coat lightly with starch for an extra crispy texture!
Unlike when making regular French fries, sweet potato fries do not need to be soaked in water before baking. With regular fries it helps to remove the starches, but you will notice minimal impact with sweet potatoes and the extra time isn’t worth it.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Cut into the correct size. Too thick, they will not get crispy; too thin, they will burn quickly.
- Starch goes on BEFORE the oil. Adding the starch AFTER the oil causes clumping instead of evenly dispersing over the potatoes.
- Use JUST enough oil. Too much oil will end up making your fries soggy instead of crispy.
- Parchment paper and NOT aluminum foil. Foil tends to stick to the fries whereas parchment paper allows them to slide right off.
- Season after baking. This allows you to taste test so that you do not over-season.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Enjoy the healthy spud in more tasty recipes like these:
Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
Enjoy Homemade Baked Sweet Potato Fries anytime with the best family-friendly recipe! This easy and healthy side dish is excellent served with ketchup, special sauce, or even homemade sriracha mayo.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. sweet potatoes medium-sized
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1 tsp. salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
- ¼-½ tsp. black pepper optional
- Fresh parsley or cilantro finely chopped, optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cutting the Potatoes:
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Peel the skin from the potatoes using a vegetable peeler.
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Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
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Place one of the halves flat-side down on the cutting board and make cuts about ¼-inch apart.
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Place these pieces flat-side down and finish cutting potatoes into long, thin strips about ¼-½ inch in thickness. Repeat with remaining sweet potatoes.
Baking the Fries:
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Add potato slices to a large baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper.
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Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of starch over all of the potatoes. Toss until well coated.
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Drizzle oil all over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Toss to combine.
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Lay potato fries out in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure they do not overlap. Bake sweet potato fries in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
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Flip all fries over and return to oven for an additional 12-15 minutes. You’ll know the fries are done baking when the edges begin to brown and crisp up.
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Serve sweet potato fries with a Homemade Remoulade Sauce or Sriracha Mayo and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Use tapioca or arrowroot starch to make this recipe Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
- To Store: Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Pre-freeze in a single layer for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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