Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

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Air fryer sweet potato fries are the best snack or side dish ever! Cooking them in the air fryer makes them perfectly crispy, using just a spritz of oil. I’ll show you how to make them from scratch using fresh sweet potatoes — they’re so much better than deep-fried!

I’m not going to lie: I love French fries. I always have. But my life changed when I first tried sweet potato fries. These sweet-and-salty, crispy yet soft, orange fries are just incredible.

But the bad news is that restaurant sweet potato fries are usually cooked in a deep-fryer. At home, you can buy frozen ones and cook them in the oven, but they’re just not the same. Enter the air fryer. The air fryer is my bestie. I mean, do you know you can make air fryer chocolate chip cookies in this thing?!

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are so much crispier than oven-baked, and they are just so incredibly tasty! They go perfectly with just about any meal, so you can enjoy them with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And you know what? They’re a great snack or appetizer, too.

Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. For me, the best dip for sweet potato fries is either my homemade Big Mac sauce or a quick and easy avocado aioli.

Substitutions and Variations

There are a million ways to enjoy sweet potato fries! Here are some of my favorite ways to change them up a bit! Change things up based on your preferences or what you have in your kitchen:

• Oil: Use olive oil or avocado oil, or any other neutral-tasting oil that you like.
• Seasonings: Season the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning or any seasoning blend you enjoy for extra flavor.
• Other dipping sauces: These are great with ranch, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, ketchup and more.
• Low Carb: Sweet potatoes aren't the best choice for low carb/keto. Instead, substitute radishes, parsnips or turnips.
• Mexi-Fries: Season the fries with a 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin before cooking, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro before serving.

How to Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer

Ready to make sweet potato fries from scratch? Let's do it.

1. Preheat the air fryer. Meanwhile, wash your sweet potatoes well. Peeling the potatoes is optional! Sweet potato skins are good for you so I don't peel them, but you can if you'd like.
2. Use a sharp knife to slice the potatoes into into 1/4 inch fries, then toss the fries in a bowl with a little oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.

3. Being careful not to overcrowd the air fryer, add the sweet potato fries and cook for 25 minutes, turning the fries every 7-10 minutes to ensure they cook evenly.

Dipping Sauce

This avocado aioli can be whipped up in just about 2 minutes flat, and it's a recipe you'll make time and time again. It's great on sandwiches, tacos, and more, too!

Want to try a different dip next time? Make my horseradish aioli!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

To cook in the oven: Follow the same method, but lay the potatoes flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until crispy and cooked through.

Expert Tips

You want them to be perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and cooking them in the air fryer makes that possible without the use of a lot of oil. Follow these tips for perfect air fryer fries:

• Always preheat the air fryer. If you don't have a preheat setting on your machine, just set it to temperature and wait about 5 minutes to start cooking.
• Spray a little oil on the basket or rack to prevent the potatoes from sticking.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer. You want those puppies to be able to breathe a little!
• Check the fries close to the end of cook time. Carefully open the basket and remove any fries that may be getting a little too dark before they burn.
• Lightly season the fries again after cooking because the air fryer convection can blow some of the seasoning off.

Don't forget to clean your air fryer properly at the end!