How to make sweet potato fries from scratch

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position rack in upper third of the oven. Grease a baking sheet.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

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Nutrition FactsServings Per Recipe 4Calories 287% Daily Value *Total Fat 10g13%Saturated Fat 2g8%Sodium 345mg15%Total Carbohydrate 46g17%Dietary Fiber 7g25%Total Sugars 10gProtein 4gVitamin C 6mg28%Calcium 70mg5%Iron 4mg23%Potassium 775mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Sweet potatoes are a great non-starchy carb, so count towards our 5-a-day tally, plus they contain more vitamin C than regular potatoes, which our bodies need and utilise every day.

Deliciously sweet and creamy, they’re great baked whole and served with a dollop of thick yoghurt and sliced spring onions, simply mashed, chopped or roasted then stirred into veggie chillies and curries, or made into soup.

When sweet potatoes really come into their own is when they’re cut into wedges and baked into crispy fries. Seasoned with paprika, these fries are spiced and sweet all at once, and far healthier than the shop-bought ones. Plus, they’re a real favourite with the kids, so get them to help you make them, too.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO FRIES

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Wash 2 large sweet potatoes under cold running water, scrubbing well with a scrubber to get rid of any dirt (there’s no need to peel them)
   
   
2. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthways, cut each half in half lengthways, then each piece in half again so you end up with 8 wedges
   
   
3. Add to a large mixing bowl, then sprinkle over a tiny pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and ½ a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika
   
   
4. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then toss everything together to coat
   
   
5. Spread out into a single layer in a large baking tray, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through
   
   
6. Leave to sit for a couple of minutes (this will make it easier to remove them from the tray), then use a fish slice to transfer them to a serving dish
   
   
7. These are perfect served with anything from grilled chicken to homemade burgers, or served in a big bowl for a party snack.

   How to make oven-baked sweet potato fries that are caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. No fryer is needed here. Consider making a double batch. These crispy sweet potato fries are addictive. Jump to the Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

   

   How to Make the Best Sweet Potato Fries

   Sweet potato fries can be made in two ways: you can fry them, or you can bake them. We prefer to make healthier baked sweet potato fries. Make this oven-baked sweet potato fries recipe and be rewarded with crispy, caramelized fries with tender middles.

   You may also enjoy these recipes: Try our homemade tater tots that are baked, not fried. We also have this baked French fries recipe with the best seasoning. Or, make Joanne’s favorite crispy roasted potatoes.

   The full recipe is below, but here’s a brief overview of how to make sweet potato fries:

   Step one, Scrub sweet potatoes clean and cut into fries. It is up to you how chunky you want the fries to be. I like sweet potato fries to be thin and crispy, so as you can see from our photos, we cut them pretty thin. In our recipe video shared below, you can also see me cutting sweet potatoes into fries.

   Step two, Season the fries and toss with oil. Season them with a generous amount of salt and pepper for the best-tasting sweet potato fries (or use seasoned salt). So that they brown and get crisp in the oven, toss them with a bit of oil. I like using olive oil, but you can use what you have on hand. Coconut oil adds a nice flavor. We actually use coconut oil in this recipe for roasted sweet potatoes.

   You can keep the seasoning simple or add even more flavor with spices. For example, a pinch of cayenne, cumin, coriander, chili powder, or your favorite savory seasoning blend would be a nice touch. You can even use cinnamon sugar.

   Step three, add the fries to baking sheets. We scatter the fries over two hot baking sheets — we use two, so the fries aren’t too close to each other. If they were, they would steam instead of baking and crisping up. I like preheating my baking sheet, too. This way, they start cooking when the fries hit the sheet pan.

   Step four, Bake the sweet potato fries until browned and crisp. The fries will take between 15 and 25 minutes to bake, depending on how large you cut them. Keep an eye on them while they bake so they don’t over-brown.

   You May Also Like: Serve these with our homemade ketchup, creamy honey mustard sauce, or our easy fry sauce!

   The Best Temperature for Baking Sweet Potato Fries

   I like to use a hot oven when baking fries. I go for 450° Fahrenheit. If your fries are browning too quickly, reduce the temperature to 425° Fahrenheit and add a few more minutes of baking time.

   Do you eat sweet potato skins?

   I leave the skins of sweet potatoes on. I love the extra texture (and nutrition) it provides. Leaving the sweet potato skin on also makes prep time go quicker.

   More Sweet Potato Recipes

   Recipe updated, originally posted January 2014. Since posting this in 2014, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear and added a quick recipe video. – Adam and Joanne

   These sweet potato fries have caramelized edges and tender middles. Watch our recipe video to see how we cut sweet potatoes into fries.

   Remember that baking time may vary depending on how large you cut your sweet potatoes and how accurate your oven is. (Ovens often run a little cold or hot, so we keep an oven thermometer inside to keep it in check). If you find that the fries are browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

   We keep the skins on for sweet potato fries, but if you prefer them without, go ahead and peel them.

   You Will Need

   4 medium sweet potatoes

   3 tablespoons olive oil

   1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

   1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

   Homemade ketchup, optional

   Directions

   Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two baking sheets. The fries bake better when placed directly onto the baking sheet. (Optional: Line the baking sheets with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat for easier cleanup.)

   Place baking sheets into the oven so that they preheat.

   Scrub, then slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch sticks. Add to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

   Remove the preheated baking sheets from the oven, and then dived the sweet potatoes between them. Spread the fries out. Try not to crowd them, or else they will not brown.

   Bake the fries, turning once and rotating pans once, until the edges are lightly browned, and centers are tender; 15 to 25 minutes. Sweet potato fries are done when the surface looks dry and puffed up a little. Don’t fret if the edges turn brown. They will taste more caramelized than burnt.

   Serve fries with your favorite dipping sauce and an extra sprinkle of salt.

   Adam and Joanne's Tips

   • Cornstarch — Some swear by adding a generous pinch of cornstarch to the fries before tossing and baking to make the fries extra crispy. This does work so give it a try if you feel like it. We usually skip it, but that’s only because we’re very happy with the fries as-is.
   • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.

   If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

   Nutrition Per Serving: Calories 201 / Protein 2 g / Carbohydrate 26 g / Dietary Fiber 4 g / Total Sugars 5 g / Total Fat 10 g / Saturated Fat 1 g / Cholesterol 0 mg

   Should sweet potatoes be soaked before frying?

   It's not necessary to soak sliced sweet potatoes before frying, but if you do soak them, they will come out crispier. Soaking sweet potatoes in cold water will help release the starch, making them more available to crisp up.

   Why don't my sweet potato fries come out crispy?

   The first mistake people make is making their fries too thick. It's incredibly difficult to get crispy sweet potato wedges in the oven, it's better to slice them too thin than too thick. The second crucial step is to make sure they are all uniformly cut.

   Can you make fries from sweet potato?

   How to Make Sweet Potato Fries. They're really easy to make, too. Just peel a few sweet potatoes, cut them into wedges or rounds, toss with some olive oil, sprinkle with spices, and bake at a high temperature until lightly browned. So good!