Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (1)

Jamielyn Nye
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These baked sweet potato fries are crispy, salty-sweet and coated in savory spices! Easy to make in the oven, they are full of flavor and a favorite healthy snack.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2)

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Table of Contents

  • Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  • Recipe Ingredients
  • Favorite Seasoning Ideas
  • How To Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  • Expert Tips
  • 5 star review
  • Serving Suggestions
  • FAQs
  • More Sweet Potato Recipes
  • Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe Printable Recipe

Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

This baked sweet potato fries recipe makes an amazing, delicious and healthy snack. They turned me into a sweet potato lover and now I make all types of sides with them, like roasted sweet potatoes, air fryer sweet potato cubes or these grilled sweet potato wedges. Yum!

While I like regular french fries or potato wedges, I love homemade sweet potato fries! They are crispy and seasoned to perfection. I love to dip them in fry sauce or burger sauce but there are lots of different condiment options that would taste great!

Recipe Ingredients

Baked sweet potato fries only require a few simple ingredients! Here is what you will to make these fries.

  • Sweet potatoes: You will need 4 medium sized sweet potatoes. I like to buy sweet potatoes that aren’t super curvy and are a little longer in size vertically. It makes cutting them a little easier.
  • Oil: Olive oil or canola oil can be used, I find that canola oil has slightly crispier results.
  • Seasonings: I love the classic combination of kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sea salt could be used in place of kosher salt.
  • Optional: Cornstarch for coating your fries before baking.

Favorite Seasoning Ideas

There are so many different ways to customize your fries! I took the classic approach in this recipe, but below are a few of my other favorite spices.

  • Spicy: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (or chili powder, cayenne pepper or chili seasoning).
  • Cinnamon-sugar: Oil, kosher salt and cinnamon sugar.
  • Rosemary: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary.
  • Italian: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

How To Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Achieving perfectly crispy oven baked sweet potato fries isn’t hard to do, just follow these tips and steps for best results. They are healthier than store-bought plus vegan and gluten-free!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (3)
  • Cut sweet potatoes into matchsticks.Peel your sweet potatoes and cut off both ends. Slice in half horizontally, then cut halves vertically into 4 pieces. Slice again each piece vertically into 8 pieces then finally cut the sweet potato pieces into thin sticks, about 1/4″ inch thick and 3″ inch long.
  • Soak fries in cold water: For the best extra-crispy friessoak uncooked matchsticks in large bowl with ice cold water for 30 minutes. Drain then pat dry and place in a zip-top bag with 2 teaspoons cornstarch and shake until evenly coated.
  • Place on baking sheet: Place the sweet potato sticks in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Toss with olive oil.
  • Bake: Oven bake your fries at 415 degrees F for 15 minutes. Mix together the seasonings and sprinkle evenly over the fries. Then flip them and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until crisp.

Expert Tips

  • Thickness: Make sure to cut your sweet potatoes 1/4″ thick.
  • Evenly sized: One of the main keys to making the fries crispy is to cut them into evenly sized matchsticks so that they all bake the same.
  • Peeling: While I like to peel them for smoother fries, sweet potato skins are edible and add extra texture and nutrition. Some say it also makes them crispier!
  • Cornstarch: Add the fries to a bag and shake 2 teaspoons of cornstarch on top so you have a thin coating.
  • Oil: Use canola, grapeseed, sunflower or peanut oil for a crispier edge.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan: Make sure to line them in a single layer then flip the fries half way through baking to make sure each side is evenly crisp.
  • Bake on a metal rack over a baking sheet: This will allow the hot oven air to reach all sides of the fries and as a bonus you will not have to flip the fries!
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (4)

5 star review

“This recipe is absolutely amazing and super delicious 🤤… the best healthy snack in my opinion!!!”

-Susue

Serving Suggestions

These fries are so flavorful that you might find you don’t even need to dip them in anything! If you’re looking for yummy dipping sauce ideas, try ketchup, BBQ sauce, garlic aioli or ranch dressing. Sometimes we even use honey mustard sauce, guacamole or buffalo sauce!

If you’re doing the Whole30, you can make a compliant fry sauce by mixing together homemade mayo and Tessamaes ketchup. I use about 1/4 cup mayo and 1 1/2 Tablespoons ketchup.

Sweet potato fries also make a great side dish with:

  • Turkey burgers
  • Sloppy joes
  • Buffalo chicken sliders
  • Turkey chili
  • Baked chicken taquitos
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (5)

FAQs

Why are my sweet potato fries not crispy?

This is usually because you have cut your fries too thick. It’s better to actually cut them on the thinner side versus risking that they are too thick.

Another reason may be that they are not cut in uniform sizes. Uneven sizes can cause some fries to get done faster than others. Last, if you have overcrowded your pan, your fries will steam rather than get crispy.

Can I make air fryer sweet potato fries?

Yes, this is actually my favorite way to cook these fries, you will just need to cook in 2 to 3 batches so the fries do not overcrowd the basket and steam them instead of getting them crispy. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Cook for about 12 minutes (turning half way) or until crisp.

Should I soak my sweet potato fries before baking?

That is the great debate! You can either soak and then toss them with cornstarch or toss the cut sweet potato fries with a cornstarch slurry. Just make a slurry with equal amounts cornstarch and water, add to a bag with cut sweet potatoes and shake to coat. Proceed with recipe as directed.

What is the best temperature for baking sweet potato fries?

I have found that baking them at 415°F produces the best results in my oven. All ovens vary slightly and you may find that increasing your oven to 425°F produces crispier results. If you have a convection oven, even better as it will circulate the air inside the oven leading to fries that lightly browned and crisp.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (6)

Love potato recipes? Try this recipe for scalloped sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes or best twice baked potatoes, too!

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Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (11)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

5 from 77 votes

↑ Click stars to rate now!

Author: Jamielyn Nye

These baked sweet potato fries are crispy, salty-sweet and coated in savory spices! Easy to make in the oven, they are full of flavor and a favorite healthy snack.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into thin sticks (about 1/4" x 3")
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika or chili powder , optional
  • 2 Tablespoons oil (I use canola or olive oil)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 415°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.(If making extra-crispy fries, follow instructions in notes before moving on.)

  • In a small bowl, Mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, if using.

  • Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Toss with oil and and sprinkle salt mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.

  • Serve fries while hot!These are best served right away. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

Extra-crispy fries: Soak uncooked fries in large bowl with ice cold water for 30 minutes. Drain then pat dry and place in a zip-top bag with 2 teaspoons cornstarch and shake until evenly coated. Use canola oil when baking.

Air fryer: This is my favorite way to cook these fries, you will just need to cook in 2 to 3 batches. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Cook about 12 minutes (turning half way through), or until crisp.

Favorite Seasonings: There are so many different ways to season them! I took the classic approach in this recipe, but below are a few of my other favorites.

  • Classic: Oil, kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder
  • Spicy: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (or chili powder or chili seasoning)
  • Cinnamon-sugar: Oil, kosher salt and cinnamon sugar
  • Rosemary: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary
  • Italian: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning

How to Cut Fries: Since the sides of the potatoes are rounded, I like to slice them off vertically to flatten the surface.

  1. Peel the sweet potato and then cut off the ends.
  2. Slice in half horizontally, creating two equal-sized pieces about 3 inches long.
  3. Next, cut the pieces in half vertically. Once you have 4 pieces, cut each piece in half vertically again to make 8 pieces.
  4. Slice each piece vertically into 1/4 inch fries. Each piece should produce about 3-5 fries.

Fry sauce: Combine 1/4 cup mayo and 1 1/2 Tablespoons ketchup. Add a dash of seasoned salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 768mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 32125IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

Categorized as: American, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Potatoes, Reader Favorites, Side Dishes, Super Bowl, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Whole 30

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (12)

Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.

More about Jamielyn Nye

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Add a comment

31 comments

    • Sara

    Wanting to make these to save throughout the week. Any clue on how they would save or freeze?

    • Reply
      • Jamielyn Nye

      Hi! I haven’t tried freezing them, but if I were to meal prep these for the week, I would probably cut them into wedges and leave the skin on so they don’t go soggy. Then when I reheat them I would reheat in the air fryer, in the oven or stove top if you want to get them crisp. If you are microwaving them they will be soft.

      • Reply
    • Jackie O
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (17)

    Made these tonight and they were delicious!

    • Reply
      • I Heart Naptime

      Yay! Love to hear that. Thanks for sharing and giving a 5 star rating!

      • Reply
    • Matt
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (18)

    I love these sweet potato fries! So easy to make and they taste great. The spices are spot on, they are full of flavor.

    • Reply
    • Kara
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (19)

    Thanks for the tip about soaking then in water and coating in cornstarch. I made them in the air fryer, and they were amazing!

    • Reply
      • Jamielyn Nye

      Glad you enjoyed the sweet potato fries!

      • Reply
    • wilhelmina
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (20)

    These are delicious!!! I just added sweet potatoes to my shopping list so I can make another batch!

    • Reply

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Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - I Heart Naptime? ›

Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Toss with oil and and sprinkle salt mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.

How healthy are baked sweet potato fries? ›

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 ).

Why are my baked sweet potato fries soggy? ›

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.

Are sweet potato fries healthy for diabetics? ›

Sweet potatoes are a better choice than regular potatoes for individuals with diabetes because they have a lower glycemic index and can help stabilize blood sugar levels. To enjoy sweet potato fries while managing diabetes: Portion control: Limit your serving size to manage carbohydrate intake.

Are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes? ›

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.

Can diabetics eat sweet potatoes? ›

You can still eat sweet potatoes if you have diabetes, assures Huff. The fiber content in sweet potatoes, especially if you consume them with the skin on, can help reduce spikes in your blood sugar. Plus, how you cook your sweet potatoes can also help reduce the extent to which your blood sugar rises.

Does sweet potato lower blood pressure? ›

Eating potassium-rich sweet potatoes helps promote a healthy heart. Higher potassium intake allows you to excrete more sodium lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease according to the American Heart Association.

Should you soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

Should you soak sweet potatoes before air frying? ›

Before the air fryer became popular I was all about baked sweet potato fries. I still love them, but I have to admit that using the air fryer to make them is faster and they actually get crispier too. Spoiler alert: there's no need to soak your potatoes in water ahead of time!

Can I eat sweet potato everyday? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Do sweet potatoes spike blood sugar? ›

Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White. “People with diabetes can eat carbs but need to watch portions of foods with carbs.” What this means: Limit portions to half a sweet potato per meal or snack.

Can Type 2 diabetics have sweet potato fries? ›

"If you have prediabetes or diabetes, choosing sweet potato over white potato can help reduce your chance of a blood sugar spike," adds Willingham.

Which sweet potato is the healthiest? ›

Sweet Potatoes and Health

Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.

Which is healthier yams or sweet potatoes? ›

Although both veggies are very close in fiber, protein, vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are the healthier option because they are lower in overall calories, lower in carbohydrates, and higher in beta carotene (vitamin A).

Can you live off sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes are a traditional staple, and much better for you than regular white potatoes, but as there are no contests for the “most nutritious” vegetable, I can't verify the claim you heard. Nor should you believe that you could live on sweet potatoes alone – you wouldn't do well on such a limited diet.

Are baked sweet potato fries healthier than regular fries? ›

Sweet potatoes are a bit more nutrient dense than ordinary potatoes generally but if they are fried in oil, they're really not any better. If they are baked, that helps some, as they won't have all the extra calories from the frying oil.

Are baked sweet potatoes healthy? ›

Sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber to support your eye, digestive and heart health. They're generally safe to eat daily, especially if you eat them with calcium to prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones. There are so many fun and tasty ways to eat sweet potatoes.

Are baked potato fries unhealthy? ›

Potatoes that are baked also retain a larger number of vitamins and nutrients. Yes, they are carb-heavy, but potatoes contain fiber, Vitamin C, and many more essential nutrients. In moderation, and when cooked with a healthier approach (oven-baking), french fries can be healthy!

Are baked potato fries good for you? ›

Just like other forms of white potatoes, fries deliver essential nutrients that many Americans don't get enough of each day, particularly, potassium and vitamin C. A 2.5 oz serving of oven-baked fries delivers 6 g of vitamin C (7% Daily value) and 335 mg of potassium (7% Daily Value).

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