These air fryer sweet potato fries are homemade from scratch with simple seasonings for a crispy, healthy side. The fries are roasted to golden perfection in the air fryer and can also be oven-baked if you prefer. You'll learn how to make sweet potato fries that are easy, air-fried, and the best choice for dinner or a perfect side dish. Pin these crispy sweet potato fries now to keep a quick DIY recipe ready anytime you need it.
Why is this the best crispy air fryer sweet potato fries recipe
This is an easy recipe. All you have to do is cut sweet potatoes into even sticks, toss them in oil and spices & place them in the air fryer! It comes together in minutes!
This recipe brings out the bold flavor of the sweet potatoes. It's made from fresh sweet potatoes that turn out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. With spices and a dipping sauce on the side, these fries have such bold flavor that you won't be able to resist!
The ingredients for this easy recipe are very common. You probably have most of the simple ingredients already in your pantry. Sweet potatoes are easy to find and are available all year long.
These sweet potato fries taste amazing! Something magical happens when you mix crispy fries with a homemade dip. Let the fries be generously dipped, and you have a big winner that everybody will rave about.
What you'll need to make sweet potato fries
Equipment
- Mandoline - This handy gadget allows you to get evenly sized fries every time. When the fries are all the same size, they cook at the same time. If your fries are different sizes, the big ones will be unpleasantly crunchy while the little ones are overcooked.
- Parchment paper - I always line my baking sheet with parchment to prevent sticking and make clean up easier.
- Baking sheet - You only need this if you're baking your fries in the oven.
- Air fryer - Of course!
Ingredients
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
- Sweet potatoes - Aim for firm, medium-sized potatoes. Wash and peel them before getting started.
- Olive oil - You need some oil to prevent the fries from drying out. If you prefer, you can spritz them with cooking spray instead of tossing them with oil.
- Cornstarch - This absorbs moisture and helps the fries get crispy.
- Garlic powder - This is for flavor. See the substitutions section below for more seasoning suggestions.
- Onion powder - For flavor.
- Paprika - Sweet and smoked paprika will both be really tasty.
- Black pepper and salt
How to make crispy sweet potato fries in an air fryer
- Cut sweet potatoes into slices using a mandoline and then cut the slices into sticks about ¼" wide.
- Add the potato sticks to a large bowl of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. This is necessary to get crispy fries.
- Drain and dry potato sticks on paper towels, then toss with olive oil in a large bowl.
- Mix cornstarch, spices, and pepper (but NOT salt) in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the potatoes and toss to coat, ensuring that the cornstarch has soaked up any extra oil on the fries.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380ºF. Divide the fries into 3 even groups. Place the first batch of seasoned sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket, leaving lots of space for air to flow around them.
- Air fry sweet potato fries for 12 minutes, turning halfway through.
- When the fries are done, allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and serve. Repeat with remaining batches.
How to make the best sweet potato fries in the oven
- Cut the potatoes into even sticks and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain and dry the sweet potato sticks.
- Toss the sticks in olive oil, then sprinkle with spices and cornstarch.
- Roast in a 425ºF oven for 15 minutes, then flip and roast an additional 15 minutes.
- Let the fries rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then salt and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
The secret to crispy fries
This recipe is probably a little more complicated than most, but the reason for that is that traditional homemade sweet potato fries recipes turn out soggy, limp fries because they don't address the starch issue and the extra oil issue. My recipe does both.
Here's what you have to do:
- Soak the sweet potatoes in water - this removes starch and allows the potatoes to get crispy in the oven.
- Dust the sweet potatoes with cornstarch to remove excess oil, preventing the fries from getting soggy.
- Save the salt for serving - salting the potatoes before cooking draws out moisture, leaving you with soggy fries. If you hold off salting until just before serving, you'll get the flavor of the salt without the sogginess.
An easy twist on traditional sweet potato fries
An easy twist on traditional sweet potato fries is to add some Parmesan cheese right before baking. That would make them pretty similar to my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots. I don't recommend doing this in the air fryer as the cheese will stick to the basket.
Serve sweet potato fries with one of these dips:
My kids love to dip these fries in warm maple syrup. I sometimes eat them with melted butter or one of these tasty dipping sauces:
- Lemon Garlic Aioli
- Horseradish Aioli
- Honey Sriracha Mayonnaise
- Cajun Remoulade Sauce
- Sweet Chili Sauce
Sweet potato oven fries pair really nicely with these other recipes:
- Hawaiian Burgers on the Stove
- Air Fryer Burgers Taco-Style
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
- Chicken Crust Pizza - The Best Low Carb & Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe
- Maryland Crab Cakes with No Filler - Low Carb & Bariatric Friendly Recipe
Substitutions & variations
- Create a spicy flavor by tossing with cayenne pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
- Create a sweet version by omitting the garlic and onion powders and paprika, and replacing them with cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar. Dip in real maple syrup after cooking.
- My favorite is loaded fries, topped with crumbled bacon, loads of cheddar cheese, and a drizzle of ranch. Or go healthy by topping them with black beans, chopped avocado, and salsa.
- You can swap sweet potatoes for carrots, parsnips, or butternut squash fries.
Storing leftovers
Make sure to fully cool the fries before storing. If you store warm fries, the condensation will make them soggy.
Place cooled fries in an airtight container lined with a paper towel (to absorb moisture). Leftover sweet potato fries in the fridge will keep for 3-4 days.
You can freeze sweet potato fries. Spread fries on a baking sheet to freeze individually. When fully hard and no longer sticky, transfer them to a plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Leftover fries will last up to 2 months. You can reheat from frozen.
To reheat leftovers, air fry at 375ºF for 5-10 minutes or until hot and crispy or bake in the oven at 400ºF for 5-10 minutes or until hot and crispy.
If you microwave leftover fries, they will be soggy and limp.
Check out more delicious air fryer recipes.
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Pancakes
- Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
- Air Fryer Burgers Taco-Style
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Or just check out our air fryer page for lots more!
Recipe
Crispy Sweet Potato Fries in the Oven or Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ¼" sticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut sweet potatoes into slices using a mandoline and then cut the slices into sticks about ¼" wide.
- Add the potato sticks to a large bowl and soak for at least 30 minute, up to overnight.
- Drain and dry potato sticks on paper towels, then toss with olive oil in a large bowl.
- Mix cornstarch, spices, and pepper (but NOT salt). Sprinkle over potatoes and toss to coat, ensuring that the cornstarch has soaked up any extra oil on the fries.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380ºF. Divide the fries into 3 even groups. Place the first batch of seasoned sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket, leaving lots of space for air to flow around them.
- Air fry sweet potato fries for 12 minutes, turning halfway through.
- When the fries are done, allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and serve.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. It's important to use a large baking sheet or two medium ones because the potatoes must be in a single layer in order to get crispy.
- Spread potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast sweet potatoes until brown and crispy on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side about 10-15 minutes more. You want them to be crispy and just starting to brown.
- When the fries are done, allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and serve.
Carol Seaholts says
Excellent. I had not made these before and they turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing. Carol