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

Do sweet potato fries raise cholesterol? ›

Research shows that sweet potatoes can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which may lower your odds of heart problems. Macular degeneration. Large amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are in sweet potatoes, can lower your chances of getting this eye disease, which is the most common cause of vision loss.

Can I eat sweet potato fries everyday? ›

Of course. As long as sweet potato fries are eaten as part of a balanced diet, you can certainly eat them as part of a weight loss diet. Just make sure that you follow serving size suggestions to avoid excessive fat and calorie consumption.

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.

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.

Is sweet potato good for heart patients? ›

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.

Can you eat a baked potato if you have high cholesterol? ›

Potatoes are rich in soluble fibre, which can be consumed by high cholesterol patients without any confusion. Consuming potatoes not only maintains the cholesterol level, but the body also gets many health benefits. Consumption of potatoes in cholesterol is safe only if you consume it properly.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

What is the best time to eat sweet potato? ›

It will be good for your body if eating sweet potatoes in the morning, with fresh milk or yogurt, some seeds and green vegetables will be a nutritious breakfast and provide an abundant source of energy for the body.

Are baked sweet potato fries healthy for you? ›

Sweet potato fries are a great alternative to regular potato fries because they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Use garnet yams for this dish for their vibrant orange color. They are sliced thickly, like steak-cut fries, and are coated with a lively herb and spice olive oil mixture.

Is sweet potato fries junk food? ›

Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs than French fries but also high in vitamin A — giving them a nutritional edge. Still, deep-fried fries of any kind served in over-sized portions — as in many restaurants — may increase your risk of weight gain and related health problems.

Can a diabetic eat 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. "Just be aware that this only holds true if you're boiling or air frying the sweet potato.

Can I eat sweet potato fries on a diet? ›

Sweet potatoes contain about 15 grams more carbohydrates per serving, but that's no reason to pass on these tubers; they can also make super-tasty and healthy baked fries. The same 3-ounce serving of frozen sweet potato fries contains 140 calories, 5 grams of fat and typically less sodium than the regular fries.

Why do you need to soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

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.

Why is my sweet potato not crispy in the oven? ›

The main reasons for soggy sweet potato wedges are: overcrowding the baking sheet, not tossing in enough oil, having too thick sized wedges, and not roasting at a high enough heat.

How unhealthy are sweet potato fries? ›

The Bottom Line. Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs than French fries but also high in vitamin A — giving them a nutritional edge. Still, deep-fried fries of any kind served in over-sized portions — as in many restaurants — may increase your risk of weight gain and related health problems.

Are sweet potato fries worse for you? ›

These sweet spuds are also rich in potassium and fiber — antioxidant vitamin A too. And they have comparable calories to regular potatoes at 183 calories. Yes, sweet potatoes are more nutritionally dense but not by much.

Can you eat French fries with high cholesterol? ›

French Fries

Another American favorite, French fries, are not themselves considered a high cholesterol food. But, because they may contain hydrogenated vegetable oils and high levels of salt, are considered a risk. "Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes [food] more stable and less likely to spoil.

What happens if you eat too many sweet potato fries? ›

Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver.

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