These air fryer sweet potato fries cook up golden and crisp on the outside with soft, perfectly cooked middles in about 12 minutes. And if yours usually turn out limp or cook unevenly, I'll show you exactly what makes the difference.
Crispy Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
Sweet potato fries are always a winning side with my kids. I like that prep is less than cubing them, and because I can get them on the table faster than it takes to heat up the oven or air-fry a whole sweet potato, this recipe is always a winner any night of the week. They’re healthy, have no added fillers or ingredients like the frozen ones, and turn out crispy every time. You’re going to love them.
Ingredients
Start with whole sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into even ¼-inch-thick fries so they cook evenly; a little olive oil helps the outside turn golden and crisp. I keep the seasonings simple with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika for plenty of savory flavor.
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer.
Preheat to 380F for 5 minutes so the basket is already hot when the sweet potatoes go in. - Cut the sweet potatoes.
Peel and cut the potatoes into ¼-inch-thick sticks. For even cooking, focus on getting the thickness consistent rather than making every fry the same length. - Season.
Toss the fries with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper until evenly coated. - Air fry
Spread the fries out in the basket without overcrowding. If you have more than it fits, cook them in two batches so the hot air can circulate around the fries. Cook them until crispy and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket around minute 8 to help them cook evenly.
Laura’s Tips for Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
The most common problem is overcrowding the basket. When too many fries are packed together and on top of each other, they don’t get enough circulating hot air to crisp evenly. Spread them out as much as your air fryer allows and cook in batches when necessary. Also make sure the fries are cut to an even thickness and don’t skip preheating the air fryer.
No. There’s no soaking step in this recipe. Cut, season, and air fry the sweet potatoes directly. Soaking adds moisture, which needs to be released during cooking and often takes longer.
I peel them because that’s how my family likes them. If you prefer to leave the skin on, scrub the sweet potatoes well before cutting them into fries.
I cut mine about ¼-inch thick. The fries don’t have to be the same length, but keeping the thickness consistent is important because it helps them cook at the same rate.
The fries should look golden on the outside and be bright orange and soft inside. Pierce one of the thicker fries with a fork to check the middle. If it’s still firm, cook the fries for another 2 to 3 minutes. Thicker fries may simply need a little longer.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
If you always keep sweet potatoes in the pantry, try these loaded sweet potatoes or my sweet potato chili.
Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes. Peel the sweet potatoes, then slice each potato into even ¼-inch-thick sticks.
Season:
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
Cook:
- Place the sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook in 2 batches.
- Cook at 380F for 12 to 15 minutes, opening the air fryer around minute 8 to shake the fries and turn them. When the outsides are crispy and the middles are soft and bright orange, they're done.
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Jenna says
I made a batch of these sweet potato fries and I can’t believe how easy they are. I’m not buying them frozen again.