The BEST Crispy Homemade Sweet Potato Fries Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my sweet potato fries get crispy? ›

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs but also more nutrient dense than French fries. The greatest nutrient difference is that French fries have no vitamin A, while sweet potato fries are high in this nutrient. Vitamin A is important for your vision and immune system ( 2 ).

If you'd like, you can soak the sweet potato slices for 30 minutes up to 2 hours before frying to remove excess starch. Personally, though, going through this step didn't make a real difference for my fries. Peels on or off — it's up to you!

Simmering the fries in water washes away the excess sugars that can cause the fries to brown too much before they have a chance to properly crisp up when frying. The water also activates the starches in the potato. Starch, when fried, is what creates that crispy surface we want!

Corn Starch: Adding a thin coating of corn starch to the potato fries before frying can help create a crispier exterior. When the corn starch comes into contact with the hot oil, it forms a barrier that traps moisture within the potato while also developing a crunchy crust.

The secret to crispy on the outside/fluffy on the inside is to cook them twice. Use russet (starchy) potatoes. Cut your fries and put them in an ice water bath to rinse off excess starch and prevent them from turning brown while you finish cutting. Try to keep the fries uniform in size so they cook evenly.

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.

Ensure that the fries are evenly spaced out on a parchment-lined baking sheet so that they aren't touching. If the fries are touching, they will steam rather than bake, which leads to soggy, sad fries. The parchment paper prevents the fries from sticking to the sheet.

If your air fryer fries are soggy, it is likely because you over-crowded them in the basket. The sweet potatoes steam when crowded together, instead of air frying. For the best, most crispy results, cook the fries in a single layer so that the air has room to circulate.

While it may seem like a pain, soaking the potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes prior to cooking them in the air fryer is essential. The water removes excess starch, allowing the fries to be their crispiest. Instead of soaking them in large bowl of cold water, I like to use hot water to cook the potatoes slightly.

Why do sweet potatoes turn black in air fryer? ›

Why do my air fryer sweet potato fries turn black? Sweet potatoes contain a higher concentration of sugar than standard potatoes, and caramelize as they cook in the air fryer. If you find the fries are darkening too quickly or deeply, cook at a lower temperature, or for a shorter period of time.

Refined peanut oil is the best oil to use for making french fries. You can also use canola or safflower oil. Additionally, restaurant fries are so crispy because, among other things, they use old oil continuously.

If they are still not crispy you might have skipped a step or you might not have let them cool down sufficiently. Make sure to cool them in a single even layer and also make sure that the oil has the right temperature. Or maybe you've used the wrong potatoes to make them.

Don't overcrowd the baking sheet!

This is an important one! If the baking sheet it too crowded, the sweet potatoes will not crisp. You should provide optimal space for air to flow through, and the sweet potatoes shouldn't be touching.

Parboil them first if you're going to bake them

This can happen because the insides aren't quite cooked enough, but the outsides are beginning to dry out. Don't worry, sweet tuber lovers; there is a solution! This tip is a need-to-know to get the crispiest potato fries ever.