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This Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe is legit-crispy, easy to make, perfectly seasoned, and guaranteed to disappear pretty much…immediately. :)
Craving some ultra-crispy baked sweet potato fries to go with those ultra-crispy chicken nuggets we talked about on Monday?
I’ve been experimenting with a variety of different methods for making homemade sweet potato fries all month, and I now feel like I can confidently stand by my title here — guys, this baked sweet potato fries recipe really is the best!
First off, they are legit crispy. As in, there’s not a soggy fry in sight here even though they’re baked instead of fried, thanks to a few easy tricks. Second, they have a light garlicky seasoning, which achieves that irresistible salty-sweet-salty-sweet balance that’ll keep you reaching back for more. Third, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegetarian and vegan, yay. But mainly?! They are totally do-able in your very own kitchen, which is great news for sweet potato fry lovers everywhere.
Let’s make a batch!
THE BEST BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES | 1-MINUTE VIDEO
10 Essentials for ActuallyCrispy Fries:
Ok, let’s talk about technique here for a minute. Because there are a few things you need to know to make your sweet potato fries actually crispy. (And thus avoid the saddest thing in the world — soggy fries. Always a tragedy.)
The good news here? Crispy fries are easy to make. The honest news? They are going to take a little extra time to make, versus just chopping and tossing some potatoes in the oven. But trust me, these few extra steps are totally worth it. Here are the essentials:
1. Cut evenly-sized fries: Your first step here is one that will make the biggest difference — take the time to evenly cut your fries. About 1/4-inch thick, to be exact. This will help avoid having fries that are over- or under-cooked, and will help them be the proper size to get nice and crispy.
2. Give them a cold water bath: Once your fries are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the fries completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven. Once the potatoes have soaked, rinse and drain them. Then — also very important — use a towel to pat them down until they are nice and dry before moving onto the next step.
3. Coat with cornstarch: The next key to crispy fries? Cornstarch. Yep, it’s the secret ingredient that helps achieve that perfectly crispy exterior on a variety of baked recipes, and it’s essential with baked fries. Whisk together the cornstarch and dry seasonings (garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper) and toss them with the fries, after they have been coated in oil. But be sure to…
4. Wait on the salt: We’ll add it on at the very end, which will also help reduce the soggy factor and allow you to salt to taste. Win-win.
5: Use parchment paper: This will help prevent the fries from sticking and help them crisp up nicely. Just be sure, though, that you use a brand of parchment paper that can withstand 425°F cooking temperatures. If not, you can also just bake these on a greased cooking sheet.
6. Don’t crowd the pan: Once you add your fries to the baking sheet — very important — be sure that they are laying in an even, single layer. If they are overlapping on top of each other, the fries on the bottom won’t have the chance to get as crispy. So go for an even layer and try not to completely crowd the pan. (If the fries are overlapping, use a larger pan or two smaller pans.)
7. Bake at high heat: This will help the fries to get nice and crispy.
8. Take the time to flip all of the fries: Once the fries have baked halfway through, you need to give them a good flip. Which — I will be the first to admit — isn’t the most graceful or speedy of processes. But it’s worth it. So grab a spatula, and even if it takes an extra few minutes, be sure that each of those fries has made a 180° flip.
9. Wait just 5 more minutes: Once the fries are nice and crispy and ready to go, remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Season the fries with lots of salt. Then resist the urge to take a bite and let the fries rest on the baking sheet for 5 more minutes. It will help them crisp up a bit more and be ready to serve.
10: Then dig in! Then once your french fries are ready to go…enjoy immediately! Fries are definitely best fresh outta the oven, and they will start to get soggy (as any fries will) once they sit out for too long. So go for it!
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Ingredients:
Alright, let’s talk ingredients! To make these homemade sweet potato fries, you will need:
Sweet potatoes: Organic, if possible. I also like to peel my sweet potatoes, but you’re welcome to leave the skins on if you prefer. Just be sure to give them a nice good scrub beforehand.
Olive oil: Or any cooking oil that you prefer.
Cornstarch: As mentioned above, to help the potatoes crisp up
Seasonings: I like a simple mixture of garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper. But feel free to use whatever seasonings you love.
Sea salt: Nice and fine, which we will sprinkle on at the very end.
How To Make Sweet Potato Fries:
To make these oven-roasted sweet potato fries, simply:
Cut your fries: Evenly-sized matchsticks, about 1/4-inch wide.
Soak in cold water: Soak the fries in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Then rinse, drain and pat dry.
Toss with oil: Transfer fries to a dry bowl or ziplock bag, and toss evenly with oil.
Toss with cornstarch and seasonings: Then toss the fries with your cornstarch/seasoning mixture.
Transfer to parchment-covered baking sheet: And spread out the fries in a nice even layer.
Bake until crispy: Being sure to remove the pan and flip the fries halfway through.
Let cool: Remove the baking sheet from the oven, season the fries generously with salt, and rest for 3-5 more minutes.
ENJOY! Then serve and enjoy immediately!
How To Customize Your Sweet Potato Fries:
Enjoy customizing your fries? Feel free to:
Add cheese: I’m a big fan of sprinkling on some fresh Parmesan right outta the oven, or any other kind of shredded cheese that you might enjoy. (Feel free to add it in the last few minutes of baking, if you would prefer it to be melted.)
Add some heat: Cayenne is a great addition to your seasoning mix, if you would like these to have a bit of heat.
Add other dry seasonings: In place of the garlic-paprika-black-pepper mix, feel free to sub in any of your favorite dry seasoning mixes, such as:
This Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe is legit-crispy, easy to make, perfectly seasoned, and guaranteed to disappear pretty much…immediately.
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
fine sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Slice your sweet potatoes into long, thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide. It’s important that the fries are uniformly sized for even cooking. Add the fries to a large bowl of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two medium baking sheets*) with parchment paper, or mist with cooking spray. Set aside.
Drain the fries, rinse out and dry your bowl of water, then blot dry the fries with a clean towel.
Add the fries back to the clean bowl.* Then drizzle evenly with the olive oil, and toss until they are evenly coated.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper until combined. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bowl of fries, then toss until the fries are evenly coated and the cornstarch has soaked into the oil.
Spread the fries out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Be sure that the fries aren’t overlapping, or else they will not cook evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove pan from oven, and take the time to flip each fry with a spatula. Rearrange so that the fries are evenly spaced and not overlapping again. Then bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until the fries are crispy and have begun to brown a bit on the tips.
Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack, sprinkle with your desired amount of salt, then let the fries rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Baking sheets: If you need to spread the fries out between two baking sheets, be sure to switch their positions on the top and bottom oven shelves at the halfway point when you flip the fries.
Mixing the fries: Or you can do this step in a large ziplock bag, if you prefer, which makes the fries a bit easier to toss with the cornstarch mixture.
Recipe edit: I edited this recipe in September 2020 to reduce the amount of cornstarch, per feedback from our readers.
I have tried making a similar recipe but I can never get them crispy and honestly they are not so tasty when they are droopy. Any sure-fire hints for me?
My biggest tip is to cut them thin and have the oven heat up high so that they do get a little crispy around the edges. I’ve also read about other tips on flash-boiling the fries before baking them, but it always sounds like too much work. Mine were nice and crispy on the oustide (and cooked but not soggy in the middle) this time. I agree — droopy fries are no fun!
I love sweet potato fries, and I usually try to order them when they’re on the menu. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen too often, but I always figured they couldn’t be too hard to make. This looks like a great recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us! I can’t wait to try it out.
Yum! I always have bad luck when I make my own sweet potato fries, so usually I just buy the Alexia frozen ones. Mine always turn out kind of soft and soggy. But maybe I’ll get brave enough to try again after this post. These look so delicious!
I love sweet potato fries too, but I always have to roast them along with some regular potatoes. I keep hoping my kids will love the two colors and dig in, but they just don’t get on board with me. When the fries didn’t work, I started making mashed potatoes with half of each potato. Works a little bit, but they don’t like the color. Grrr! I think your fries look delish!
Wow, that photo makes me so hungry. I will make these this weekend. My kids will love them. But I’m not such a great experimenter. Can you give a couple other specific ideas for seasonings? Thanks!
Thanks for the question! Really — just about anything works on fries. If you have any pre-mixed seasoning blends (I have a few favorites from some of our local spice merchants in town), those are always great for saving a step. But otherwise, any kinds of latin combinations (chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, oregano, etc.), Italian blends (oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.), or smoky combinations (smoked paprika, etc.) are good places to begin. Then it’s fun to tweak and experiment from there. Best of luck!!
Hi Alison! I showed this recipe to my hubby a few days ago then forgot about it and he surprised me by making them while I was napping today–yay!! They were delicious!! Hope you’re well!
-Mira
These are great. I’ll try your spice mix as it’s a little different than mine. My only tip is to put the fries (or roasted potatoes) on a cooling rack over you parchment-lined sheet pan. This allows the hot air to circulate underneath and eliminates the need to turn them.
In New Zealand we call this vegetable Kumara and a myth says they were given by the gods. I’m about to try your recipe and I’m sure that myth will come true :)
Can’t wait to try these! I make white potatoes like this all the time , but cut them in cubes. They are really good and so much better for you! I never fry “fries” anymore.
I am making these as we speak! I didnt cut them all the same size, but they are all thin so hopefully they will cook pretty decent! I used salt, pepper, a little bit of garlic and a pinch of sugar. I’m making a sweet sauce to dip them in as well, sour creme, brown sugar and crushed pineapple. Cant wait!
Hi! I make these all the time, and serve them with Honey Mustard dressing..I don’t measure this stuff out but go by taste=dijon mustard, honey, mayo and a little sour cream to give it a little rich taste. These are the best, thanks for the great post!
Does leaving the skin on it makes a difference in taste? I have never done it with the skin on before?
Lyndsay —
I’ve never seen sweet potatoe fries without the skin ever. No one skins sweet potatoes when making fries. Leaving skin won’t effect flavor. However taking skin off will make them less crispy. I’d leave em the way the are. No point in peeling them it won’t make them better just less crispness n more prep time.
I tried this recipe to go with some homemade lamb burgers and they worked a treat! Really yummy! I’ve posted about them here with a link and mention of your blog as the source of the recipe :) Thanks!
Hi, I saw your recipe and it seems fantastic. I’m from Spain and I’m afraid we don’t have this kind of tubrcle on here? What would be the translation of Sweet potato in Spanish? (see if it helps me find it)…
I’m yukiwi on loseit!.com
Thanks
As far as in your grocery store goes yams and sweet potatoes are the exact same thing. There are actually real yams that are not just sweet potatoes but with a diff name but there nothing like sweet potatoes. In the 50s “I think” a company started calling there orange sweet potatoes yams to distinguish there’s from all the other companies and it stuck. But the yams you find in your grocery are just sweet potatoes. You’d have to go to a specialty store to try to find real yams Wich have a thick skin that looks like tree bark and there not sweet, there really nothing like sweet potatoes.
I made these last night and they were delicious!! These were crispy and cooked perfectly, can’t wait to make them again. My kids loved them too! Thanks!
We are trying to explore new veggies and I found this on Pinterest. This spice blend was delicious! My kids (10 mos and 4) thought they were great too! I tired the baking rack trick and it worked out pretty well. Thanks for sharing!
I like this idea! My mother gave me two big sweet potatoes and I’ve NEVER cooked with sweet potatoes, this recipe seems simple and tasty! Will make tonight as a side! =)
I love this! I am on a very low calorie diet for the past 3 weeks now. My absolute favorite food every was french fries! I truly think they are the reason for needing to be on a diet. I would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! I have switched to sweet potato fries for my diet now and am so glad I did! Thank you for the recipe!!
Thanks Tia & Tamera for telling me about this site! I’m going to buy a small oven to set on my counter…, well, after I build my counter so I don’t always have to heat the big oven and I can bake these low fat goodies!
If you are starting out with no knowledge and nothing to market and sell, the 1-2-3 Power System has everything you need to earn instant internet income.
Malware such as viruses, adware and spyware can slow down your computer significantly.
In case you are unsure which one is the better of the two, it’s #2.
I LOVE all of your recipes! They are have easy to follow directions and there are so many healthy options. I can’ wait to try the sweet potatoes fries!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for your sweet words, Catherine, and we hope you enjoy these! :)
I know this defeats the purpose of healthy, but a few things in life just require the ocassional occurrence of indulgence and anything sweet potatoe with marzetti’s (a lot healthier) chunky blue cheese dressing (and i dont even like blue cheese like that) just the lightest dip of it, is The bomb dot com! Loved your recipe :D
Made these for a lunch and they were gone lickety split! My niece who does not like sweet potatoes, couldn’t stop eating them. The second time I made them, I added more cayenne and cumin and used with beef barbacoa for street tacos…what a winner dinner! My kids never eat sweet potatoes, but they will eat these. Sweet potatoes are now a staple on my grocery list.
Oh, YUM!!!!! I love sweet potato fries, and these sound perfect, with your original seasoning. I might have to try making these with the dark purple sweet potatoes we usually buy… I hope my mandoline can handle the project.
Amanda T. —
Try Japanese sweet potatoes. They are the sweetest.
one of my favorite dinner sides of all time!
I have tried making a similar recipe but I can never get them crispy and honestly they are not so tasty when they are droopy. Any sure-fire hints for me?
Hey Jane!
My biggest tip is to cut them thin and have the oven heat up high so that they do get a little crispy around the edges. I’ve also read about other tips on flash-boiling the fries before baking them, but it always sounds like too much work. Mine were nice and crispy on the oustide (and cooked but not soggy in the middle) this time. I agree — droopy fries are no fun!
Good luck!
~A
I LOVE sweet potato fries. I need a better knife though because I typically give up on making them thin, and end up with sweet potato disks. :)
I love sweet potato fries, and I usually try to order them when they’re on the menu. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen too often, but I always figured they couldn’t be too hard to make. This looks like a great recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us! I can’t wait to try it out.
Yum! I always have bad luck when I make my own sweet potato fries, so usually I just buy the Alexia frozen ones. Mine always turn out kind of soft and soggy. But maybe I’ll get brave enough to try again after this post. These look so delicious!
I love sweet potato fries too, but I always have to roast them along with some regular potatoes. I keep hoping my kids will love the two colors and dig in, but they just don’t get on board with me. When the fries didn’t work, I started making mashed potatoes with half of each potato. Works a little bit, but they don’t like the color. Grrr! I think your fries look delish!
These look great! Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite “comfort” foods… I make them a lot on the weekends. Yours look fantastic.
I LOVE sweet potatoes, but seem to have trouble making perfectly crisp fries at home. These look awesome!
Wow, that photo makes me so hungry. I will make these this weekend. My kids will love them. But I’m not such a great experimenter. Can you give a couple other specific ideas for seasonings? Thanks!
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for the question! Really — just about anything works on fries. If you have any pre-mixed seasoning blends (I have a few favorites from some of our local spice merchants in town), those are always great for saving a step. But otherwise, any kinds of latin combinations (chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, oregano, etc.), Italian blends (oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.), or smoky combinations (smoked paprika, etc.) are good places to begin. Then it’s fun to tweak and experiment from there. Best of luck!!
~A
Those sweet potato fries look nice and crispy and good!
Hi Alison! I showed this recipe to my hubby a few days ago then forgot about it and he surprised me by making them while I was napping today–yay!! They were delicious!! Hope you’re well!
-Mira
These are great. I’ll try your spice mix as it’s a little different than mine. My only tip is to put the fries (or roasted potatoes) on a cooling rack over you parchment-lined sheet pan. This allows the hot air to circulate underneath and eliminates the need to turn them.
Oooh – great tip, Brad! Thanks a bunch!
~A
Your beautiful photograph makes those fries look so crunchy and good. I want some right now!
Addicted to sweet potato fries!!
I searched ‘sweet potato fries’ on pinterest tonight and found your recipe. We made these for supper and they were amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh, and we also tried the reader’s comment below about using cookie racks to avoid flipping – it worked out wonderfully!
In New Zealand we call this vegetable Kumara and a myth says they were given by the gods. I’m about to try your recipe and I’m sure that myth will come true :)
Can’t wait to try these! I make white potatoes like this all the time , but cut them in cubes. They are really good and so much better for you! I never fry “fries” anymore.
Saw ’em! Tried ’em! Loved ’em!! I used some Tony Chachere’s on them. Yummy. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! One of my favorite restaurants serves sweet potato fries sprinkled with curry powder, and they’re scrumptious.
I am making these as we speak! I didnt cut them all the same size, but they are all thin so hopefully they will cook pretty decent! I used salt, pepper, a little bit of garlic and a pinch of sugar. I’m making a sweet sauce to dip them in as well, sour creme, brown sugar and crushed pineapple. Cant wait!
Hi! I make these all the time, and serve them with Honey Mustard dressing..I don’t measure this stuff out but go by taste=dijon mustard, honey, mayo and a little sour cream to give it a little rich taste. These are the best, thanks for the great post!
I would serve these with a cilantro lime sauce. It would compliment them well.
Food Network’s Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream:
1 cup sour cream
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh cilantro leaves
In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients vigorously until light and creamy.
Does leaving the skin on it makes a difference in taste? I have never done it with the skin on before?
I’ve never seen sweet potatoe fries without the skin ever. No one skins sweet potatoes when making fries. Leaving skin won’t effect flavor. However taking skin off will make them less crispy. I’d leave em the way the are. No point in peeling them it won’t make them better just less crispness n more prep time.
I tried this recipe to go with some homemade lamb burgers and they worked a treat! Really yummy! I’ve posted about them here with a link and mention of your blog as the source of the recipe :) Thanks!
https://thelittleblogofbaking.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/home-made-lamb-burgers-and-sweet-potato-fries/
Hi, I saw your recipe and it seems fantastic. I’m from Spain and I’m afraid we don’t have this kind of tubrcle on here? What would be the translation of Sweet potato in Spanish? (see if it helps me find it)…
I’m yukiwi on loseit!.com
Thanks
I Made the fries with just a little salt and then used the seasoning (smaller amounts but same ratio) to make a mayo base dip! Delish!
Ill try yogurt or sour cream next time.
Thanks for sharing!
Can I substitute yams for the sweet potato?
As far as in your grocery store goes yams and sweet potatoes are the exact same thing. There are actually real yams that are not just sweet potatoes but with a diff name but there nothing like sweet potatoes. In the 50s “I think” a company started calling there orange sweet potatoes yams to distinguish there’s from all the other companies and it stuck. But the yams you find in your grocery are just sweet potatoes. You’d have to go to a specialty store to try to find real yams Wich have a thick skin that looks like tree bark and there not sweet, there really nothing like sweet potatoes.
I made these last night and they were delicious!! These were crispy and cooked perfectly, can’t wait to make them again. My kids loved them too! Thanks!
Just made these for a snack and they are DELISH!!!!! Thanks for sharing:)
We are trying to explore new veggies and I found this on Pinterest. This spice blend was delicious! My kids (10 mos and 4) thought they were great too! I tired the baking rack trick and it worked out pretty well. Thanks for sharing!
I like this idea! My mother gave me two big sweet potatoes and I’ve NEVER cooked with sweet potatoes, this recipe seems simple and tasty! Will make tonight as a side! =)
I love this! I am on a very low calorie diet for the past 3 weeks now. My absolute favorite food every was french fries! I truly think they are the reason for needing to be on a diet. I would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! I have switched to sweet potato fries for my diet now and am so glad I did! Thank you for the recipe!!
I make these with cinnamon and sugar (or Splenda) sprinkled on them.
I tried this recipe, and they tasted great!However they either burned(my bad) or came out soggy. :( Soggy fries aren’t yummy! Any tips?
Thanks Tia & Tamera for telling me about this site! I’m going to buy a small oven to set on my counter…, well, after I build my counter so I don’t always have to heat the big oven and I can bake these low fat goodies!
If you are starting out with no knowledge and nothing to market and sell, the 1-2-3 Power System has everything you need to earn instant internet income.
Malware such as viruses, adware and spyware can slow down your computer significantly.
In case you are unsure which one is the better of the two, it’s #2.
Lovely recipe, I have just made these for my 2 & 3 year old and they think they are great! Me too. Thanks
I LOVE all of your recipes! They are have easy to follow directions and there are so many healthy options. I can’ wait to try the sweet potatoes fries!!
Thanks for your sweet words, Catherine, and we hope you enjoy these! :)
My roommate and I are raving about your fries! Thank you! We love it.
Thanks, Jessica — we’re so glad to hear that! :)
Have you ever had to reheat these? I’d love to take them to work but all I have there is a microwave which usually doesn’t go over well with fries!
My favorite seasonings for sweet potatoes fries.
I know this defeats the purpose of healthy, but a few things in life just require the ocassional occurrence of indulgence and anything sweet potatoe with marzetti’s (a lot healthier) chunky blue cheese dressing (and i dont even like blue cheese like that) just the lightest dip of it, is The bomb dot com! Loved your recipe :D
Made these for a lunch and they were gone lickety split! My niece who does not like sweet potatoes, couldn’t stop eating them. The second time I made them, I added more cayenne and cumin and used with beef barbacoa for street tacos…what a winner dinner! My kids never eat sweet potatoes, but they will eat these. Sweet potatoes are now a staple on my grocery list.
Easy and delicious! Served this with bacon wrapped chicken breast-keeping this recipe for future meals.
Wow! These look wonderful! Any thoughts on using an air fryer instead? Seems like they would be perfect for that. Thanks!
Oh, YUM!!!!! I love sweet potato fries, and these sound perfect, with your original seasoning. I might have to try making these with the dark purple sweet potatoes we usually buy… I hope my mandoline can handle the project.
Try Japanese sweet potatoes. They are the sweetest.
I’ve tried making sweet potato fries before at home and have been disappointed…such helpful tips, thank you! Love how crispy these look :)
OOooh!!!! I am SO excited to make these! My sp fries are always soggy, SUCH a bummer. Thank you !
Yum! These turned out great. Smoked paprika is my favorite spice! Love all of the tips, thanks!
this was delicious but I made it with radish instead!!!!!!