Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Name: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 (6 oz.) medium sweet potato, scrubbed ( (and peeled if you prefer)); 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, (more or less to taste)

Thin, crispy, and addicting, air fryer sweet potato fries are so good! Easy to make and nutritious, too.

Overhead view of sweet potato fries in a brown paper lined basket with a small cup of ketchup.

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If you love sweet potatoes, you’ll love these crispy sweet potato fries. In fact, even if you don’t love sweet potatoes, I bet you’ll love air fryer sweet potato fries. They’re veggie candy! Orange, sweet, crunchy bits of deliciousness — how can you resist them?

Sweet potato fries are great just plain but why not make them really special? Offer a couple of your favorite dips: French Fry Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce, Jalapeño Ranch Dip, or be a little daring, and dip them in Healthy Green Goddess Dressing. Wow!

About these air fryer fries

Why buy expensive frozen sweet potato fries when you can easily make them from scratch in your air fryer? All you need are just a few ingredients and an air fryer.

A bag of a popular brand of sweet potato fries has stuff in it that will have you scratching your head in puzzlement. Why all the additives? Sweet Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains One or More of the Following: High Oleic Canola, Canola, Sunflower), Rice Flour, Cane Sugar, Tapioca Starch, Corn Starch, Dextrin, Sea Salt, Spice, Salad Mustard Powder (Distilled Vinegar, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika), Gluconic Acid, Xanthan Gum.

I’ll choose wholesome (and cheap!) sweet potatoes, healthy olive oil, salt and pepper any day!

A sharp knife is helpful for cutting the fries because the thinner you cut them, the more surface area there is for maximum crispiness. A mandolin works great, too. Just watch the fingers!

Overhead view of thin sweet potato fries in a basket.

What you need

Sweet Potatoes: You can peel them, or just give them a good scrub. Cut into 1/4 inch strips (like French fries) using a sharp knife or a mandoline.
Olive Oil: You only need half tablespoon! You can also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or cooking spray.
Salt and Pepper: For the basic fries, just grab salt and pepper. Check out the “make it your own” section for other seasoning tips.

Overhead view of cooked sweet potato fries in an air fryer.

Tips for the best sweet potato fries

Soak the cut sweet potatoes in a bowl of cold water for twenty minutes to remove some of the starch.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly. Dry equals crispy! Use a clean linen (lin-free) kitchen towel or paper towels to get the cut potatoes good and dry before frying.
Don’t overcrowd the fries in the air fryer basket. Allow room for the air to freely circulate. It’s much better to do the fries in batches so they have plenty of room to get crispy.
Watch closely towards the end of the cooking time. The fries tend to brown quickly once they get going.
Keep fries warm in the oven while you make multiple batches. Spread cooked fries on a wire baking rack placed in a sheet pan in a warm oven (175-200ºF). This will keep the cooked fries warm and crispy while you finish cooking the rest.

FAQs

Why won’t my sweet potato fries get crispy?

While sweet potato fries never get as crispy as French fries unless they’re breaded or battered, I do have a couple of tips:
Always make sure the sweet potatoes are completely dry before air frying. Moisture creates steam which keeps the potatoes soft.
Spread the sweet potato fries in a single layer inside in the air fryer. Good air circulation is essential.

Why do you soak potatoes in water before air frying?

This is another tip for increasing the crispiness of fries. Soaking (and drying thoroughly) removes excess starch from the potatoes. Twenty minutes soaking time is all you need.

How many calories are in air fryer sweet potato fries?

One serving of these goodies (about a 1/3 of a sweet potato) is only 21 calories with one gram of carbs. They are good for you with lots of vitamin A and fiber.

Fries in a basket with ketchup, a sweet potato in the background.

How to make these your own

Make sweet potato chips, chunks, or wedges. Keep in mind that thinner cuts will cook more quickly, and thicker cuts will take longer.
Prefer no oil? Just omit the olive oil and spray the air fryer rack lightly with cooking spray so the fries don’t stick.
Season the fries: Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, or smoked paprika, to taste. Grated Parmesan cheese is good, too.
Looking for something a little different? Try Air Fryer Sweet Potato Hash with candied bacon.
Rather have regular potatoes? Try Air Fryer French Fries or Air Fryer Potatoes.

Close up of a basket of sweet potato fries.

Make-Ahead Ideas

To get a head start on things, cut sweet potatoes ahead of time and soak in water overnight. Drain and dry well before air frying.

Or prepare sweet potato fries completely and freeze in storage containers or freezer bags until ready to use. Reheat as directed.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Air fryer sweet potato fries can be stored in the fridge, wrapped well, for three to four days. You can also freeze fries for up to one month.

Reheating: For best results, reheat sweet potato fries, whether frozen or refrigerated, in your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F, and place the fries on the rack in a single layer. Reheat three to six minutes until hot and crispy. The cooking time will vary depending on whether the fries are frozen, and how thick the fries are.

Easy Air Fryer recipes

Use your air fryer to create simple and good tasting food that’s crispy and delicious using hardly any oil. Try:

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Salmon
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Chili Ranch Dip or Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Air Fryer Falafel
Air Fryer Churros by Plated Cravings
Air Fryer Oreos (only 2 ingredients) by Everyday Family Cooking — can’t wait to try these!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

4.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Additional Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

3 servings

Print Rate Recipe

Thin, crispy, and addicting, air fryer sweet potato fries are so good! Easy to make and nutritious, too.

Ingredients

▢ 1 (6 oz.) medium sweet potato, scrubbed (and peeled if you prefer)
▢ 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
▢ 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, more or less to taste

Instructions

Slice the sweet potatoes into french fry shape, about 1/4-inch thick (if you have a mandolin, you may wish to use that). Submerge cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water and let soak for 20 minutes.
When the fries are almost done soaking, preheat air fryer to 375ºF.
Drain potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel or a lint-free tea/dish towel. Dry bowl and place fries back in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Place a single layer of fries in the basket of the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes, shaking basket once, or until crispy and golden brown. Keep an eye on them towards the end.
Serve immediately, or see notes to keep warm while air frying additional batches.

Notes

Keep fries warm in the oven while you make multiple batches. Spread cooked fries on a wire baking rack placed in a sheet pan in a warm oven (175-200ºF).
Make sweet potato chips, chunks, or wedges. Keep in mind that thinner cuts will cook more quickly, and thicker cuts will take longer.
Prefer no oil? Just omit the olive oil and spray the air fryer rack lightly with cooking spray so the fries don’t stick.
Air fryer sweet potato fries can be stored in the fridge, wrapped well, for three to four days. You can also freeze fries for up to one month.
Reheating Suggestions: For best results, reheat sweet potato fries, whether frozen or refrigerated, in your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F, and place the fries on the rack in a single layer. Reheat three to six minutes until hot and crispy. The cooking time will vary depending on whether the fries are frozen, and how thick the fries are.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 21kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 194mg, Potassium: 2mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 48IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.