Air fryer sweet potato fries are crazy delicious and super simple to make.
I got a new air fryer this week (Amazon affiliate), and I needed to take it for a test run. What better to make than some delicious sweet potato fries?! Heck yeah!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. See my full affiliate disclosure policy here.
Y’all are already diggin’ my regular air fryer French fries recipe.😎👌🏻 So I thought I’d share this sweet potato version.
Side note: If you don’t have an air fryer, check out my oven baked sweet potato fries recipe.
How to make air fryer sweet potato fries
You are going to want to start with one large sweet potato. Mine was sixteen ounces, weighed on a food scale. Food scales are so handy! If you don’t have one, I would recommend getting one. They are affordable and so worth it!
You can peel it if you want, and I sometimes do. But I did not peel this one. I tend to not peel when my potatoes are organic.
Next, it’s time to cut your fries!
How to cut sweet potato fries
I slice up my sweet potato with a good sharp knife into fry pieces. I do this by cutting off the skinny ends, and then cutting the sweet potato in half, right through the thickest part of the potato in the middle.
Next, I sit one half up on the flat side, and I start cutting slices. I did four slices in this case. This can vary, based on the width of your potato.
Try to keep these around the same size. You can go thinner or fatter than I did, but just keep it semi-consistent. You gotta commit to your fry size, people. 😆🙃
Mine are about pinkie finger sized, between 1/4 in and 1/2 inch.
Seasoning
I place my fry slices into a bowl, and I sprinkle them with salt, pepper and paprika. This is my go-to for sweet potatoes. Simple, flavorful and delicious!
Next, I add some oil on top. What kind of oil is best for air fryer sweet potato fries? I prefer avocado oil, since it has a high smoke point and is mild in flavor.
You could use any oil here. Or you could even use a cooking spray. If you use spray, I suggest spraying before you sprinkle the seasonings on.
Then just use a spoon, or even your hands, to just give everything a good toss to evenly distribute the oil and spices.
Some people even make oil free fries. Feel free to try that, but my family prefers a little oil. So that’s how we make them.
Air frying
My new air fryer strongly recommends preheating first in the user manual. So I did that! I preheated to 380 degrees. I mixed everything up in the bowl, as described above, while the air fryer was preheating.
When it beeped to let me know it was up to temperature, I opened it up and removed the air fryer basket.
I sat it on a heat safe surface and carefully poured my seasoned fries into the air fryer basket. I gave it a little shake to make sure the fries were spread out and returned the basket to the air fryer.
I cooked them until they got crispy on the outside. I did shake the basket about half-way through, and then once again close to the end.
Tips for making the BEST air fryer sweet potato fries
Tip 1
You definitely want to be careful not to burn the fries. I love how easy it is to keep an eye on things with an air fryer.
It is also just as easy to put the tray back in and cook a little longer. So use your common sense and sound judgement, and cook those fries to your liking.
Tip 2
Don’t overcrowd the fryer basket. This recipe makes 2 servings, and this should work for most air fryers without issue.
If you want to make more, though, you’ll need to cook these in batches. When everything is cooked, you can dump everything back in the sir fryer basket for another minute or so to re-heat, just prior to serving.
It doesn’t have to be a complete single layer. A few fries can be on top of each other. Just make sure to give the basket a toss occasionally.
Tip 3
Commit to your preferred fry size, and cut everything close to the same size. If you vary from this recipe, you may need to adjust cook time. E.g., skinnier fries need to cook less time, thicker fries need more time.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! It changes the texture a little bit, but they are still very tasty, and I have done it many times. The seasoning may also tend to fall off a little more without oil.
Another alternative is to use an oil sprayer to reduce the amount of oil.
There are many reasons some may need to reduce or eliminate oil. And sometimes, in more practical terms, we run out of things! Either way, these will still be good without oil.
No, soaking is not a necessary step.
Soggy sweet potato fries indicate undercooking. If a batch has come out soggy, here is how you can fix it. Cook longer to crisp up. And secondly, try cutting smaller/ thinner fries in your next batch. This will facilitate faster cooking and get your crispy fries.
I did these at 380 until crispy, which was about 20 minutes. Fry size and slight air fryer variations could make your optimal cook time slightly different, so keep an eye on things, use common sense and adjust accordingly.
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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Air fryer sweet potato fries are a crazy delicious side dish and are super simple to make.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sweet potato (I used one large, weighed on my food scale. Between 14 – 16 ounces works)
- 1/2 teaspoon course sea salt (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil (or oil of choice)
Instructions
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Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees.
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Slice up your sweet potato into pinkie finger sized sticks (mine are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch). I don’t measure, and they don’t have to be perfect, but try to keep the size fairly consistent.
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Place the potato slices in a mixing bowl, along with the oil, salt, pepper and paprika, and toss to coat.
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Transfer fry mixture to the air fryer, and cook until tender and crispy (about 20 minutes). Shake the basket a few times to rearrange the fries, and use a flipper to flip them. Use your own judgement, cooking longer or shorter, if needed, keeping an eye on the fries to make sure they don’t burn.
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Taste test, and add more salt if needed.
Beth says
I keep frozen sweet potato fries consistently, they are my granddaughter’s favorite for snack or side dish. I love this recipe because it’s not only good but simple enough she makes her own!
Colin B. says
Stumbled upon this recipe tonight and it was perfect. The sweet potato fries came out excellent in the air fryer!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hey Colin! I am very happy to hear you enjoyed it!🙌🏻
Liz says
Thanks for explaining how to cut the sweet potatoes. Im a pretty inexperienced cook. Who new I liked paprika so much!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad it was helpful Liz💖
Gina says
Are the calories in your recipes per serving or per recipe/all servings? Thanks!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Gina! Per serving👌🏻