Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Try this baked sweet potato fries recipe if you want a way to make sweet potato fries without the potential mess of deep-frying. The preparation is short and sweet. Most of your time on this is just waiting for the fries to finish baking. These versatile fries let you adjust the seasonings as you see fit. Also, the ingredients list is blissfully simple. So if you’re thinking that oven-baked sweet potato fries couldn’t possibly be crispy, think again; while sweet potatoes may not end up as crunchy as fries made from “regular” potatoes, you can produce sweet potato fries with a nice, crispy exterior. This is such an easy recipe with affordable ingredients that you won’t give deep-fried fries another look.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: Scrub the sweet potatoes well and cut them into thin strips that are all approximately the same size.
• Canola oil: Whatever oil you use for these needs to have a high smoke point because the temperature in the oven will be relatively high. Canola oil is usually one of the more affordable cooking oils and is easy to find if you don’t already have some at home. It’s also available in organic form, too.
• Spices: Garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and a little cayenne pepper make these fries savory, spicy and scrumptious.

Directions

Step 1: Season and bake the fries (it’s that simple)

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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix the sweet potatoes, canola oil, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients to ensure the oil and seasonings coat all of the sweet potato strips. Place the sweet potatoes in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes until the exterior is crisp and serve them fresh from the oven.

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Baked Sweet Potato Fries Variations

• Try different herbs and spices: The combination of spices in this recipe is savory and spicy. But you can try different seasonings like dried rosemary or a store-bought seasoning mix. Make salt and pepper sweet potato fries or try a cinnamon and sugar combination for a sweeter flavor profile. We like to combine flavors like pepper and cinnamon for spiced sweet potato fries.
• Use different types of sweet potatoes: This recipe works for orange, white and Japanese sweet potatoes. You can also add different root vegetables like beets (try these beet and sweet potato fries). Be sure not to confuse sweet potatoes and yams.

How to Store Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Once the sweet potato fries have cooled, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for three to four days. Remember, they can’t sit out for more than two hours after baking.

How do you reheat baked sweet potato fries?

Place the fries on a baking sheet in a single layer with space around each (don’t overlap them). Reheat them in the oven for five to seven minutes.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Tips

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Do you have to peel the sweet potatoes?

No, you don’t have to peel the sweet potatoes. You can leave the skins on—doing so increases the vitamin and fiber content of the fries. You should already be scrubbing the skins of the sweet potatoes well before slicing them and cutting out any damaged spots, too. The skins may get a little tougher after baking. The skins also may not crisp up in the same way as the cut sides of the fry, so if you’re aiming for perfectly crispy sweet potato fries remove the skin before cutting the potatoes.

How do you ensure the fries are cooked evenly on all sides?

Quickly flip each fry over with tongs after about 10 minutes into the baking time. This allows the side that was against the pan to be exposed to hot air while preventing the other side from burning.

How do you avoid soft, chewy fries?

Sweet potatoes have a different interior texture than white potatoes and won’t turn out exactly like deep-fried potatoes. But a good sweet potato fry is still rather crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. To get that crispy exterior, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into evenly sized pieces. Ensure none of the fries overlap on the baking sheet; all of them need a little space. Definitely bake them at 425° because the high heat is essential to getting that perfect exterior. Also, try to cut the sweet potatoes into strips that are 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide (choose a size and cut all the strips to that width). You can cook larger pieces like wedges, although you may not get a totally crisp exterior. Try this curried sweet potato wedges recipe for thicker slices. If you prefer round slices, try this baked sweet potato chips recipe.