Name: Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries with a Spicy Kick
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 small sweet potatoes (scrubbed and rinsed well. Peeling is optional( 12 oz)); 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Our favorite restaurant side just got even better with this homemade Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries recipe. And they're everything you want - super crispy outside, tender inside, with a little spice to complement the natural sweetness. It's so much fun to make sweet potato fries because their sweet/savory flavor is made for getting creative with dips.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry

While these sweet potato fries taste and feel indulgent, the Air Fryer lets me enjoy this delicious treat guilt-free. Air frying eliminates all the things I don't want-NO deep or shallow frying, NO refined oils, NO mess, NO greasy oil-soaked fries, NO regret!

If you've never tried dusting potatoes with cornstarch before air frying, it's time to give it a try. Cornstarch helps fries get nice and crispy, so skipping the traditional frying method doesn't mean sacrificing texture. These homemade fries come out like… fries!

air fryer sweet potato fries with ketchup

The seasoning on these Sweet Potato Fries (salt, garlic, and cayenne pepper) means they're really tasty as-is out of the Air Fryer. But we're dip people in my family, and we like to switch it up! Ketchup, green chutney, tamarind chutney, and buffalo sauce + sour cream are a few of the different pairings we've enjoyed. And our favorite burgers to enjoy them with are undoubtedly the Black Bean Burgers, Chicken Burgers, or Salmon Burgers. Hungry yet?!

Air Fryer Sweet Potato fries served with ketchup

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries! Let's make them.

Raw sweet potato fries arranged in the shape of a heart on a white surface. — Cut the sweet potatoes into even quarter-inch thick sticks. Keeping them uniform in size is the single most important thing you can do for evenly cooked, consistently crispy fries, so take your time here.

Bowl of raw sweet potato fries soaking in ice water on a marble surface. — Add the cut fries to a bowl of cold water and soak for 15 minutes. This step draws out excess starch from the sweet potatoes, which is what prevents them from turning soft and soggy in the air fryer. Do not skip it!

Raw sweet potato fries, skin on, arranged in a pile on a white kitchen towel with a black grid pattern. — Drain the water completely and transfer the fries to a clean kitchen towel. Pat them as dry as you possibly can. The drier the fries at this stage, the crispier they will be at the end.

A glass bowl filled with raw sweet potato fries sits on a marble countertop. — Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.

A glass bowl filled with raw sweet potato fries coated in cornstarch sits on a marble countertop. — Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the fries.

A glass bowl filled with raw sweet potato fries coated in seasoning sits on a marble countertop. — Toss well with a spatula until every piece is lightly and evenly coated. This cornstarch coating is the secret weapon for that crisp exterior without any deep frying.

A glass bowl filled with raw sweet potato fries seasoned with various spices sits on a marble countertop. — Add the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper.

A clear glass bowl containing uncooked, seasoned sweet potato fries sits on a marble surface. — Toss well to coat. The oil helps the cornstarch adhere and ensures every fry comes out beautifully golden.

Seasoned sweet potato fries arranged in a single layer inside the basket of an air fryer, ready for cooking. — Arrange the fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Overcrowding is the number one reason fries come out steamed rather than crispy, so cook in batches if needed.

Sweet potato fries arranged in a single layer inside an air fryer basket, ready for or after cooking. — Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even browning.

Sweet potato fries spread in a single layer inside an air fryer basket, cooked with seasoning visible on the surface. — For extra crispy fries, add 2 more minutes at the end and keep a close eye on them. Every air fryer runs slightly differently, so check at the 12-minute mark and adjust from there.

A pile of baked sweet potato fries arranged on a sheet of parchment paper. — Look at those perfectly crispy, spice-coated sweet potato fries!

To Peel Or Not To Peel -My strong recommendation? Leave the skin on. Not only does it add a wonderful texture and extra nutrition to your fries, it also saves you time. If you are going the skin-on route, reach for organic sweet potatoes and scrub them really well under cool running water with a vegetable brush before you start slicing.

★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!

Recipe

Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

4.75 from 4 votes

Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries with a Spicy Kick

Homemade Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries seasoned with garlic and cayenne and cooked in 15 minutes. The cornstarch trick makes all the difference for perfectly crispy fries every time!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Soaking15

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 219kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Air Fryer

Recipe Video

Ingredients

▢ 3 small sweet potatoes scrubbed and rinsed well. Peeling is optional( 12 oz)
▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Cut each potato into even ¼ inch thick sticks. Add potatoes to cold water and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
Drain out all of the water and place the potato wedges on a kitchen towel. Dry them well and place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Sprinkle over the cornstarch and toss or mix with a spatula so that the potatoes get evenly coated. Toss with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, cayenne and black pepper.
Add the fries to the air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F for 12 mins. Shake Half way through. Add 2 minutes in the end for extra crispy!

Remember to cook in batches, depending on the size of your basket, without overcrowding the basket until they're crispy. I recommend 10 to 12 minutes. This may vary based on your air fryer. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

We never have any leftovers! But if you do, refrigerate them. To reheat, simply pop them back in the air fryer and cook at 380 for 3 to 5 minutes or until they are hot and crispy.

Notes

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Don't have an air fryer? You can bake them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spread the seasoned fries in a single layer on two baking trays. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until they are crisp. Serve immediately.