Naturally golden and healthy, these crispy air fryer sweet potato fries with garlic and smokey paprika are ready in 15 minutes. Served with spicy black pepper and your favorite dipping sauces, they’ll be your new go-to side dish.
The Best Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
With a wonderfully crispy exterior and a buttery interior, these air fryer sweet potato fries are the perfect side dish. Seasoned with simple spices like garlic powder and smokey paprika, they’re a great match for all of your savory dipping sauces like aioli and ketchup.
Tossed in coconut oil before being air-fried, this recipe has all the texture but none of the fats that typically make fries unhealthy. Sprinkled with salt and freshly cracked pepper, they’re the best 15-minute sweet potato fries you’ve ever tried. It’s an easy side, but good fries don’t need that much.
Made fresh or frozen for later, you can put these one the table and dip away while the rest of your dinner is ready. Even if everyone loads up on these golden fries there’s nothing to worry about, they’re healthy and packed with nutrients.
Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
Everyone loves fries and sweet potatoes. This recipe has both of those things.
- Healthy. Unlike regular fries, these aren’t dunked in lots of hot oil. They’re made in the air fryer.
- Simple. You only need 2 spices, salt, and pepper to give these fries an amazing flavor.
- Freezer-friendly. Remove them from the freezer on a hectic weeknight for a quick side for your meal.
- Crowd-pleaser. Serve them at all your cookouts and dinner parties instead of regular fries.
- Quick. You need 4 steps and 15 minutes to put these sweet potato fries on the table.
What You’ll Need
The best fries only need a handful of ingredients. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Sweet potatoes
- Coconut oil – Make sure it’s melted so it can coat the fries easily.
- Salt – I prefer kosher salt.
- Garlic powder – Onion powder is a great swap.
- Paprika – Use sweet or smoked.
- Black pepper – Freshly ground is best, but you can also use pre-ground black pepper.
Tips for Cutting Sweet Potatoes into Fries
My biggest tip is to use a sharp knife. This is so important! Here are a few more tips for cutting sweet potatoes into fries:
- Make even cuts. Slice all your french-fries into an even thickness to make sure they come out perfectly. If some are thicker, those will turn out raw. The thinner ones will burn.
- Pick smaller ones. The larger the sweet potato, the harder it’ll be to slice all the way through it. Smaller ones are more tender and won’t be so hard to cut.
- Use a moist rag. Wet a clean kitchen rag or towel and place it underneath the cutting board. This is safer because it prevents the board from sliding. Never cut directly on the counter because it’ll damage the surface.
- Avoid dull knives. Make sure your knife is large and well sharpened. Smaller knifes with blunt blades are more dangerous because they typically slip and can cause serious accidents.
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
Air fryers are a blessing when it comes to making fried foods healthy. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Slice them. Preheat the air fryer to 380F. Peel the sweet potatoes. Slice each one into even ¼” thick sticks.
- Toss them. Toss the fries with coconut oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper in a large bowl until completely coated.
- Cook them. Place them in the air fryer and cook them for 5 minutes. Shake the basket and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat. You may have to cook in batches.
- Serve. Enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce.
Helpful Tips & Variations
These are the secrets to mastering and improving any air fryer sweet potato fries recipe.
- Swap the spices. Cajun and taco seasoning are great swaps for the spices in this recipe.
- Make them cheesy. Top the fries with shredded parmesan or chile con queso for a cheesy variation.
- Cook in batches. Never over-crowd the basket. Piling the fries on top of one another means they don’t have room to crisp up properly and they’ll come out soft instead of crispy. Cook in batches if you have to.
- Switch up the dipping sauces. Aioli, sriracha mayo, chipotle mayo, and ranch dressing are yummy swaps for typical ketchup and mustard.
- Use regular oil. Vegetable, corn, canola, and olive oil can be used instead of coconut oil.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
These air fryer sweet potato fries are perfect with a classic burger dinner. Serve them with my Mushroom Swiss Burger or Mushroom Beef Burgers. For a healthier option, try my Spicy Salmon Burgers. If you’re a chicken person, wings or my Popcorn Chicken are great choices too.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Once fully cooled, refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep them away from strong-smelling foods like onions to avoid the transfer of odors. To reheat them, pop them into the microwave for a minute or until warm. You can also heat them in the air fryer at 350F for 3-6 minutes.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes! Once tossed in the oil and spices, place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for 2 hours. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Air fry them straight out of the freezer but add 1 minute of cooking time. Serve as usual.
More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes
- Gluten Free Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Sweet Potato Pave
- Radish Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Toast with Microgreens
- Turkey Chili Recipe with Sweet Potatoes {gluten free + paleo}
- Paleo Molasses Sweet Potato Casserole
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled
- 2 teaspoons 100% Coconut Oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Peel the sweet potatoes, then slice each potato into even ¼ inch thick sticks.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl, and toss with coconut oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper.
- Cook in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your basket without overcrowding the pan until they’re crispy. Around 10 minutes, turning half way.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
