Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Roasted sweet potatoes are one of the BEST simple and satisfying side dishes…

Whether they’re cut into cubes or sliced into fries. (You’ve gotta check out these sweet potato cubes, too!)

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 crispy and crunchy exterior and soft, tender, and perfectly cooked through interior.

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. You can use yams, but the texture will be drier and a bit starchy. (Here’s more on Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes.)
• 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 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 or chili powder to your fries.

If you’d like to make regular fries, check out these Air Fryer French Fries!

How to Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These are the steps to follow to make sweet potato fries in the oven:

Cut Sweet Potato Fries

Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler, if you’d prefer, and then 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.

Coat to Get Crispy

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.

This step is UBER important because it is the secret to that crispy and delicious texture on the outside.

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.

Bake in a Single Layer

Preheat the oven to 425℉.

Lay potato fries out in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake in the 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 the 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.

Change Up the Flavor

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

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Cut into the correct size. Too thick, they will not get crispy; too thin, they will burn quickly.
• Starch first. Adding the starch AFTER the oil causes clumping instead of evenly dispersing over the potatoes.
• Use JUST enough. Too much oil will end up making your fries soggy instead of crispy.
• Parchment is king. 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.

Other Healthy Fry Recipes

If you are looking for other healthy fry recipes, then this is the ultimate list:

• Zucchini Fries
• Avocado Fries
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Air Fryer French Fries
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

More Sweet Potato Recipes

There’s a whole world of Sweet Potato Recipes to explore. Here are some favorite ways to enjoy this healthy spud:

• Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
• Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas
• Sweet Potato Hash
• Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Sweet Potato Ground Turkey Chili