These Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries With Cornstarch are crispy on the outside and tender and flavorful on the inside. Made with just a few simple ingredients, these seasoned fries are cooked to perfection in the air fryer and make a great side dish or snack. I will warn you, though, they are addicting!
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The first thing I made when I purchased my air fryer a few years ago were these ultra-crispy sweet potato fries. They turned out so crispy! I'm embarrassed to say I ate the first batch while waiting for the next batch to cook. 😉
This recipe has been made thousands of times and is one of my blog's most popular recipes. Whip up some Dipping Sauce For Sweet Potato Fries and serve with Perfect Smash Burgers or Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower for a complete meal.
Also, try my crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges! No soaking is required! 🙂
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Why you will love this recipe
- This is an easy recipe to make.
- The air fryer cooks the homemade fries quickly and evenly.
- It takes a fraction of the time in the air fryer as it does in the oven.
- Both kids and adults love them.
- Easy cleanup - rinse and wipe the bottom of the air fryer basket.
Recipe Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these homemade sweet potato fries. You can easily find everything you need at your local grocery store.
Ingredient Notes:
- Sweet potatoes: I used organic sweet potatoes. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes before slicing them into fries.
- Olive oil: I used organic olive oil, but avocado oil or vegetable oil can be used.
- Cornstarch is my secret ingredient to ensure the fries get extra crispy on the outside. If you don't have cornstarch, substitute arrowroot flour.
- Seasonings: I used garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and sea salt. I sprinkled on extra sea salt to taste after it was fully cooked. You could also use kosher salt, seasoning salt, or table salt.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a complete list of ingredients.
Variations
- Use cayenne pepper for a spicier kick.
- Add ½ teaspoon of oregano, chili powder, onion powder, thyme, Italian seasoning, dill weed, or Cajun seasoning.
- Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley on the cooked fries.
- For sweetness, sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar or drizzle with honey after cooking.
Want to cook frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer instead of making your own from scratch? No problem! Make my Frozen Sweet Potato Fries Air Fryer recipe.
How to make crispy air fry sweet potato fries
Quick Overview
- Cut sweet potatoes into fries.
- Soak fries in water.
- Dry fries to remove excess moisture.
- Toss with corn starch and seasoning.
- Place in the basket in even layer.
- Air fry until crispy and golden brown.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash and peel your sweet potatoes. I used seven small-sized sweet potatoes, about 1.5 pounds, to feed my family of 4.
Step 2: Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Then, cut each half in half again lengthwise. You will have four sections of sweet potato. Cut each section into fries.
Step 3: You want them to be relatively small, about ¼ inch wide.
Step 4: Cover sweet potato fries with cold water in a large bowl. Let them soak for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. The water helps to draw the starch out of the potatoes. This allows the fries to cook better and be extra crispy and tender on the inside.
Pro Tip: I don't recommend skipping this step. I tried skipping this step to see what would happen, and they were definitely not as crispy.
Step 5: Drain the water and place the sweet potatoes on a paper towel on the counter. Pat dry with another paper towel. You want them to be as dry as possible.
Step 6: Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl or ziplock bag. Add cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and sea salt. Mix the cornstarch and seasonings into the sweet potatoes with a large spoon or tongs. The white cornstarch will disappear.
Step 7: Drizzle olive oil over the seasoned sweet potatoes and remix them. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 8: Add the sweet potatoes to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the basket. The hot air must circulate between the fries so they cook evenly and crisp up. Air fry the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes, shaking the basket with a good toss every 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: You may need to do multiple batches if you have a small air fryer. I usually do a second batch in my large air fryer, and sometimes even a third, depending on how many sweet potatoes I use.
Step 9: Remove the fries from the air fryer when they have reached the desired crispness. Repeat with remaining batches.
Step 10: Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces like ketchup, ranch dressing, or dill dip.
FYI
I have made these sweet potato fries in my Ninja Foodi air fryer as well as my Instant Pot Vortex air fryer with great results.
Air fryers cook differently, so the cooking time may have to be adjusted for your air fryer. Oven-style air fryers may not crisp up as well as basket-style air fryers. Also, thin fries will cook in less time than thicker fries.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve these delicious fries with Smoked Tuna Steaks, Air Fryer Keto Tuna Patties, BBQ Pork Ribs in Instant Pot, and Smoked 3-2-1 Ribs.
They also go great with Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon, Spinach And Mushroom Omelet, Smoked Burgers On Pellet Grill, Smoked Pork Butt on Pellet Grill, and Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.
Expert tips
- For best results, cut the sweet potato fries into evenly sized fries so they cook evenly. Smaller, thinner fries will crisp up better than thicker, wider fries.
- It is important to soak the potatoes for crispy fries.
- Ensure you dry the sweet potatoes well after draining the water.
- Do not overcrowd the basket of the air fryer.
- Always add the oil. The oil helps the fries to become crispy.
- Shake the basket every 5 minutes through the cooking time.
- Keep in mind that the skinny ends of the fries will cook quickly, so keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.
- If your fries are not crispy enough, put them back in for another minute or two.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftover sweet potato fries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Flash-freeze leftover fries on a baking sheet with parchment paper underneath. Place the sheet pan in the freezer until the fries are frozen, about one or two hours. Place the fries into a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat fries in the air fryer for a few minutes until hot.
Recipe FAQs
The water helps draw the starch out to make the fries ultra-crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
It is not necessary to peel sweet potatoes. I recommend buying organic sweet potatoes if you don't want to peel them. If you don't have organic sweet potatoes, scrub the outside of the potato well before cutting it into fries.
There are a few reasons why your sweet potato fries might not have gotten crispy in the air fryer. Some possibilities are that you didn't preheat the air fryer before adding the fries, you may have overcrowded the basket, you may have cut the french fries too thick, or you may not have added enough oil to help the fries crisp up.
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Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries With Cornstarch
Ingredients
- 7 small sweet potatoes or 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 3 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and peel your sweet potatoes. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise with a sharp knife on a cutting board then cut each half in half again lengthwise. You will have four sections of sweet potato. Cut each section into fries. You want them to be quite small, about ¼-inch wide.7 small sweet potatoes
- Place the sweet potato fries into a large bowl, and cover with cold water. Let them soak for at least one hour or as long as overnight.
- Drain the water, place the sweet potatoes on a towel on the counter, and pat dry with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible.
- Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl with 3 teaspoon of cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix up the cornstarch and seasonings into the sweet potatoes with a large spoon. The white cornstarch will disappear. Add 3 tablespoon of olive oil and mix again.3 teaspoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the sweet potatoes to the basket of the air fryer in a single layer, with space between them to allow the hot air to circulate. Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in small batches so that they cook evenly and get crispy.
- Set the cooking time for 15 minutes, and be sure to give the air fryer basket a good shake every 5 minutes. That's it! Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.
Video
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Recipe Notes:
- Cut fries the same size so they cook evenly.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket.
- Shake the basket every 5 minutes.
- Cook for a few extra minutes until desired crispiness is reached.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jeri says
Hi Mike! I'm sorry to hear that you didn't like the soaking time requirement not included in the cooking time. The good news is that if you're short on time, you can skip this step and they'll still be delicious. I appreciate your feedback, and I have adjusted the recipe card to now include the soak time. I hope you will give these fries a try, and please feel free to reach out if you have any further feedback!
Jeri says
Thank you for your feedback, Adele. I'm sorry to hear they were not as crispy as you would have liked. What kind of air fryer did you use? Is it a counter-top oven type or a basket-type? I know my Ninja Foodi cooks much slower than my Cosori. Perhaps an extra 5-10 minutes would help crisp them up?
Jeri says
Hi Wayne, thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear the fries were not crispy enough for you! What kind of air fryer do you have? Is it an oven-style air fryer? This is certainly a rare occurrence, most of the time the fries end up too crispy!
Addie says
These are my favorite! So crispy and delicious!
Oscar says
I love using the air fryer to make these sweet potatoes. Great idea, they turned out amazing.
Kay says
I love sweet potato fries! The mix of herbs you have used for seasoning them is fabulous!
Amanda says
Any suggestion on how to prep the fries and possibly freeze them to be air fried at a later date? We are hosting friends over for a party. I was looking for any tips on possibly cutting, soaking and drying my fries, then possibly freezing them in advance so that all I would have to do the night we get ready to cook is pull the fries out and toss them in the air fryer. Your thoughts?
Jeri says
Hi, Amanda! Excellent question! I have not tried freezing uncooked sweet potato fries. What might possibly work is to wash, peel, and cut your sweet potatoes into fries. Place them into cold water as you cut up the rest of them. Then, blanch them for 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Cool in ice water. Dry them really well and flash freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, place in a freezer bag. Then, the night you want to cook them, take them out of the freezer, toss them with the rest of the ingredients, and air fry. You may want to try this ahead of time to make sure it works though. When is your party? Now I am curious, so I will pick up some sweet potatoes today and try this method out myself! I'll let you know the outcome!
Agnieszka | Wholly Tasteful says
I loved the trick with soaking the potatoes and adding corn starch. The fries turned out absolutely perfect! Thanks for the recipe.
Jere Cassidy says
We are sweet potato lovers in my family and always glad to have another way to make these, and now that I have an AF I need to use it.
Anaiah says
These sweet potato fries look amazing! Mine always turn out terrible. I never preheat my air fryer and I probably overcrowd the basket too, haha. Thanks for the tips. I'll try your way and hope it comes out better!
Jeri says
Good luck, Anaiah, I have no doubt it will turn out for you! 😊
Toni Okamoto says
This is the next thing I'll be making in my airfryer!
Jeri says
It's so easy to make, enjoy!