French fries are a near-perfect food. It's hard to improve upon perfect, but when we're talking sweet potato fries, the old classic may have found its rival.
They're a little sweet, plus they offer plenty of vitamin A and beta carotene—something a french fry doesn't. However, none of that matters if they're swimming in fat and calories, which is an unfortunate reality for most things fried. At a restaurant, a small order of deep-fried sweet potato fries can set you back 260 calories and 13 grams of fat.
Luckily, making your own crispy sweet potato fries is easy to do in your oven. That means you don't need a deep fryer. You'll save 122 calories and 11 g of fat per serving when you "fry" them in your oven instead. Here are the best tips for making perfect crispy sweet potato fries.
Whether you cut your fries into sticks or wedges, the pieces need to be the same size. This ensures that the fries cook at the same rate. Remember: You're cooking at 450°F—that's high heat. If you cut the pieces too big, they'll be overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside. If you're going for the classic "fry" shape, 1/4-inch-thick matchstick slices work. A medium sweet potato cut lengthwise into eight wedges works well too.
2. Coat the Fries with Oil (But Not Too Much)
To successfully oven-fry, you still need to use oil—just not as much as you'd need to fill a deep fryer. About 2 teaspoons of canola oil should be enough to coat one medium sweet potato cut into fries or wedges. Toss your oil and sweet potato pieces in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix them together to distribute the oil more effectively. This is also a good time to add seasoning since the oil will help it stick evenly to the food. And while you're at it, a little oil or cooking spray on your baking sheet is a good idea to prevent the fries from sticking. Cooking spray will give you the best coverage using the least amount of oil.
Salt is a must for seasoning fries (don't go overboard—about 1/4 teaspoon is enough for one medium sweet potato), but you don't have to stop there! Paprika is a nice mild spice to add to sweet potatoes—and it looks pretty too. Garlic powder makes them extra savory, and if you like a little kick, chili powder is a great addition. Just make sure that whatever spice you add doesn't contain added salt. If it does, adjust the amount of salt accordingly.
4. Don't Overcrowd Your Baking Sheet
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. If they're all crammed into one pan, they'll steam instead of bake, and you'll end up with soggy fries.
We tend to cook most things on the middle oven rack, but sweet potato fries cook best above the middle position, farther away from the heat source. Since sweet potatoes are, well, sweet, the sugars tend to "caramelize," or brown, more quickly than a regular potato. A little caramelization is a good thing—but too much and you'll get burning instead. Moving sweet potato fries higher up in the oven slows the caramelization process. If you're making two baking sheets' worth at once, position one oven rack in the middle and one above. Be sure to switch the pans' positions during baking and also to stir all the fries at least once so they cook evenly.
Arrange your fries in a single layer and don't overcrowd; otherwise they will never crisp up. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. (The easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick turn of the wrist.)
Don't overcrowd the pan. I use 2-3 baking sheets when making these because the more space between the fries, the more heat can circulate around each fry's surface. Rotate the pans between the oven racks during baking for even browning. If the oven baked fries do not flip easily, bake them longer.
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.
The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.
The broil setting on your oven cooks food quickly with direct heat—typically at 550°F (289°C)—and produces a seared finish that's similar to grilling. Smaller or countertop ovens usually preheat to the broiling temp faster, so you can quickly finish baked or slow-roasted dishes with crisp browned edges.
Fries / Tots / Brussels: Heat oven to 350F. Spray or lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil. Remove your side from its container and spread evenly across a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes and remove.
My guess is you aren't blanching the sweet potato fries before you are frying them. In order to get crispy fries, of any type, you need to cook them twice. You begin by either boiling them in water, or frying them at 325, until they are just cooked through, but not so much that they lose their shape.
You don't want to overcook the fries and have them be black, as they will be dry inside and taste charred. Note: Keep in mind that baking time may vary depending on how large you cut your sweet potatoes and how accurate your oven is.
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 ).
It can also be kneaded into a noodle dough for bouncy, nearly translucent Loh Shi Fun. This humble starch knows no bounds. While there are countless types of starch out there—including cornstarch, tapioca starch, and more—potato starch in particular yields the crispiest potato pancakes and crackly-coated calamari.
Soak them. I was always a little skeptical when I read this in recipes, but it's essential. Soaking the sweet potatoes removes excess starch, which allows them to crisp up easier. You will want to put them in cold water for at least 30 minutes, but the longer you can go, the better.
Fries have a very high starch content. When they are cooked at high temperatures, they absorb moisture which gives them their signature crispy exterior. When they are left out to cool, the starches secrete moisture, which eventually makes the fries' crust soggy.
If you wash potatoes and don't give them enough time to dry, the excess moisture on their surfaces will lead to the fries steaming rather than browning and crisping. Many fry recipes will also call for soaking the cut potatoes in water to remove extra starches, which can help you get the crispiest fries possible.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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