Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Air fryer sweet potato fries are a lightened up version of the classic side. This recipe has the flavor you know and love with a fraction of the fat.
While I love the taste of homemade fries I don’t love the mess required to fry in oil so I rarely made them. Until now! These sweet potato fries cooked in the air fryer use virtually no oil, are full of nutrients, and have only a small amount of salt on them.
We’ve made air fryer crispy potatoes, air fryer baked potatoes, air fryer tater tots and even air fryer frozen french fries and we loved every one of them. Now it’s time to make your own, homemade, sweet potato fries.
They are great side dish or you can enjoy them as a snack on their own. Just don’t forget your favorite dipping sauces!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what to get:
- Sweet Potatoes – You’ll need to cut them into fry shape using a sharp knife. I suggest about ¼ inch thick (about the size of your pinkie finger).
- Peanut oil – You really only need a small amount and could use canola oil instead.
- Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps to add a bit of a crispy outside to the fries.
- Seasonings – You’ll need to Kosher salt or sea salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper.
Instructions
Here’s how to make these:
Step 1 – Cut the sweet potatoes. First, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into strips approximately ¼ thick. They should be about the length and width of your pinkie finger.
Step 2 – Soak the potatoes. This helps give you crispy fries! Next, fill a bowl with cold water and submerge the fries in it. Allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Once they are done soaking, pour out the water and give them another quick rinse. Then pat them dry with a paper towel. You need to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
Step 3 – Season the potatoes. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. In a large bowl or a large bag, add fries and oil and toss together. Next, sprinkle in the seasoning and toss well until everything is fully coated.
Step 4 – Cook. Next, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Add the fries to the basket. You can stack up a little, but they should not be packed in together. They should be loosely stacked at most. If needed, cook in batches and keep cooked fries warm in the oven.
Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stopping halfway through to toss the fries before continuing to cook.
Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce or with your favorite meal.
Tips for the Best Results
To make crispy fries in the air fryer, follow these two tips:
- Soak in water. Soaking removes excess starch. You should soak them for at least 30 minutes up until overnight in cold water. When done soaking rinse in cold water and pat dry.
- Toss with cornstarch. Cornstarch makes a coating on the outside of the fries that help absorb any excess moisture. The cornstarch will get extra crispy as it is heated with a little oil. NOTE: If you are cooking in batches don’t oil and toss the fries until just before they are going into the air fryer.
- Cook in batches. This recipe makes 4 servings. Depending on the size of your air fryer you’ll most likely need split the cut potatoes into two equal batches and cook them that way so the fries can cook evenly.
Cooking Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
If you are using frozen sweet potato fries, you can follow these steps.
First, preheat the air fryer to 400F for 5 minutes.
Next, place the frozen fries in the basket. You can slightly stack them, but do not pack them in.
Fry for 20 to 22 minutes at 400 degrees F. Make sure to stop after 10 minutes and use tongs to toss the fries. You need to make sure that the fries in the middle make it to the top or bottom to cook evenly.
Cook another 5 to 6 minutes and then toss again making sure to really move the fries around so the bottom fries cycle up to the top. Finish cooking for the remaining time.
What to Serve Them With
Sweet potato fries are a great choice to dip into your favorite sauces. You can try buffalo sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, campfire sauce, or whatever is your favorite.
If you need suggestions for what to serve the fries with, try some of our favorites. This Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork goes great with a side of sweet potato fries.
They also go great as a side for delicious Air Fryer Shrimp as a take on fish and chips or as a side for Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
Another great pairing, of course, is burgers and fries. You can pair these fries with these amazing Air Fryer Burgers or these Philly Cheesesteak Sliders.
Looking for More Air Fryer Recipes?
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Maple Bacon Air Fryer Donut
- More Air Fryer Recipes…
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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 2 large Sweet Potatoes, approximately 2 pounds
- 3 tablespoons Peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into strips approximately ¼ thick (about the length and width of your pinkie).
- Fill a bowl with cold water and submerge the fried in it. Soak them for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Once done soaking pour out the water and give them another quick rinse. Then pat dry with a paper towel. Make sure to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
- In a small bowl combine the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl or a large bag add potatoes and oil and toss together. Then sprinkle in the seasoning. Toss well until everything is fully coated.
- Add the fries to the basket, they can stack up a little but they should not be packed in together. They should be loosely stacked.
- Cooked for 18-20 minutes stopping halfway through to toss the fries before continuing to cook.
- Serve while hot.
Notes
- This recipe makes 4 servings. Depending on the size of your air fryer you’ll most likely need split the cut potatoes into two equal batches and cook them that way so the fries can cook evenly.
- If you are cooking in batches don’t oil and toss the fries until just before they are going into the air fryer.
Nutrition
