Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries are easy to make and seasoned to perfection. Healthier than the fried version and so delicious, these crunchy fries are perfect for a simple snack or side dish!
I’ve shared a fair number of sweet potato recipes around here.
From these roasted parmesan herb sweet potatoes, to these maple cinnamon potatoes, and those garlic herb sweet potato wedges, it’s safe to say that I love all roasted sweet potatoes.
So, I figured it was time to introduce my ultimate sweet potato love: baked sweet potato fries!
Yes, it’s true, I’m addicted to sweet potato fries. Whenever I’m at a restaurant, I always order them. They trump regular fries any day in my book! The texture, the flavor, the seasoning…mmm mmm good!
And these oven baked sweet potato fries are even better than a restaurant version. First of all, they’re baked, not fried, which means it’s a bit healthier on your waistline. And secondly, you can control exactly what goes on these fries. And when I’m making my homemade fries, I love to sprinkle on the seasonings.
How to Make Crispy Sweet Potato Fries:
Not only is this baked sweet potato fries recipe a breeze to whip up, but you can have them ready in less than an hour.
- To start, you’ll want to peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4-1/2 inch thick sticks. It’s important that your potatoes are cut roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.
- Then, add the potatoes to a bowl of cold water and let sit for at least 30-45 minutes. While this step is optional, it will help remove the starch from the potatoes and ensure that crispy texture.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and then pat dry with a paper towel. Add the potatoes to a large ziplock bag or bowl (if using the same bowl, be sure to wash, as the starch will remain if you don’t) and add some olive oil. Seal the bag and shake or toss to coat in the bowl.
- Add the seasonings and repeat the process.
- Spread the potatoes in an even layer on two baking pans lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove from oven and flip each potato, and then bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until ends start to brown and potatoes are crisp.
- Remove from oven and garnish with a dash of sea salt.
How do you cut sweet potatoes into fries:
To cut the sweet potatoes into matchstick fries, peel the potatoes and slice about 1 inch off each end. Stand the potato up vertically and slice in half. Stack the halves together vertically and slice in half again. At this point, I like to lay the sweet potatoes flat and then cut into sticks.
Why do you soak sweet potatoes in water?
Good question! Soaking the sliced potatoes in cold water will help draw out the starches and achieve that crispy texture. While you can skip this step if you’re short on time, I recommend doing this for that ultra crunchiness!
Tips for making these baked sweet potato fries:
Be sure to line two large baking pans with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray. This will help with easy cleanup and will keep the fries from sticking to the pan.
Make sure you cut equal-sized sweet potatoes. You want them to cook evenly and uniform, so the fries need to be roughly the same size.
Don’t skip the cornstarch! Like the cold water bath, the cornstarch helps those fries bake up extra crispy.
Adding the fries to a ziplock bag is a great way to make sure the potatoes are coating evenly with the oil and seasonings. It also allows for very easy cleanup! If you prefer to use a bowl, be sure it’s clean, otherwise if you use the same bowl from the water bath and don’t wash, the starches will remain.
Spread the fries in an even layer on your pan and do not overlap. We want those fries to bake up crisp, so they need room to cook.
Flip those sweet potato fries halfway through cooking! While it may seem like an extra step, this will make the fries crispy on both sides.
Seasonings for sweet potato fries:
There are endless possibilities! I like to use a combination of garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika, but Italian seasoning, chili powder, rosemary, or even taco seasoning would be delicious.
If you love crispy sweet potato fries like I do, then you must try this baked version. It’s delicious and perfect to serve for an appetizer, snack, or side dish!
Looking for more sweet potato recipes? I’ve got you covered!
- Roasted Cinnamon Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes
- Southwestern Sweet Potato Salad
- Sweet Potato Chili Pasta
- Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
- Loaded Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Sea salt and parsley for garnish, if desired
Equipment
Instructions
- Peel and cut sweet potatoes into ¼-½ inch thick slices. It's important to keep your slices fairly uniform, as you went them to cook evenly. See my tips above for how to cut into matchsticks.
- Add sliced potatoes to a large bowl of cold water and let soak for at least 30-45 minutes. This will remove the starch and help achieve that crispy texture once baked.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two large baking pans with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Drain water from bowl, pat sweet potatoes dry, and add to a large ziploc bag or bowl, followed by olive oil. If using the same bowl that you soaked them in, be sure to wash first so that you remove the starch. Seal bag and toss to coat evenly or toss potatoes in bowl.
- Open bag and add cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Reseal bag and toss to coat, making sure cornstarch is dissolved and seasonings are dispersed evenly. If coating in a bowl, do the same.
- Spread potatoes in an even layer on prepared pans. Do not overlap potatoes, as they won't crisp when baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and flip each potato and then return to oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until ends start to brown and potatoes are crisp. Top with additional salt or sea salt and parsley, if desired, and serve.
