Sometimes I struggle with side dishes. I feel like I’ve already put enough effort into planning the main dish, so sometimes the vegetable sides become a minimal-effort afterthought. Fortunately, Real Plans has helped with the planning part a lot.
These quick and easy sweet potato fries are on Real Plans. I love that they are so fast and easy to make but also packed with flavor and nutrients. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I’ve updated it to include an air fryer cooking option.
Cooking Options for Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
My kids like these as much as regular french fries. My sweet potato lovers like them even more. And they always love to help with the cooking. When the littler ones are lending a hand, I let them use the crinkle cutter to cut the potatoes into either chips or fries. I usually just use a knife to cut them into planks and then sticks to make the traditional french fry shape.
After the potatoes are cut, toss them with oil and whatever seasonings you like. The spices I choose depend on my mood, but most frequently I use salt, a little pepper, and garlic powder.
To cook the sweet potato fries, you have a couple of options. I started out just roasting them in the oven, which is very tasty and works great. To do that, just toss them on a baking sheet and stick them in the oven until they’re tender in the middle and crispy on the edges. Sometimes I broil them for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time to get the tops crispy without having to flip them.
More recently, air fryers became a thing, and I started making my sweet potato fries in the air fryer. I’ve got a nice big multi-function air fryer, which can accommodate larger amounts of food. I love that the air fryer makes these fries crispier and a little drier than the oven-cooked version.
Note: If you choose to use an air fryer, reduce the amount of oil you use to 2 tablespoons.
Serving Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries are just asking to be dipped. They’re delicious on their own but even better dunked in something yummy. And I’ve noticed that my kids always enjoy their veggies more when they can dip them. Here are some tasty ideas for dipping these fries:
Any type of mayo – Sriracha Mayo, Chipotle Mayo, Gochujang Mayo
The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.
Sweet potato fries pair well with just about flavor which leaves the dipping possibilities endless. A creamy yogurt-based sauce like a cinnamon yogurt is always a hit as well as something spicy like a chipotle aioli.
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 ).
If you'd like, you can soak the sweet potato slices for 30 minutes up to 2 hours before frying to remove excess starch. Personally, though, going through this step didn't make a real difference for my fries. Peels on or off — it's up to you!
Corn Starch: Adding a thin coating of corn starch to the potato fries before frying can help create a crispier exterior. When the corn starch comes into contact with the hot oil, it forms a barrier that traps moisture within the potato while also developing a crunchy crust.
"With very similar nutrient profiles and the fact that deep frying either type of potato essentially makes both equally unhealthy, there's no real health benefit to choosing sweet potato fries over regular ones," adds Willingham.
Ensure that the fries are evenly spaced out on a parchment-lined baking sheet so that they aren't touching. If the fries are touching, they will steam rather than bake, which leads to soggy, sad fries. The parchment paper prevents the fries from sticking to the sheet.
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.
Why do my air fryer sweet potato fries turn black? Sweet potatoes contain a higher concentration of sugar than standard potatoes, and caramelize as they cook in the air fryer. If you find the fries are darkening too quickly or deeply, cook at a lower temperature, or for a shorter period of time.
While it may seem like a pain, soaking the potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes prior to cooking them in the air fryer is essential. The water removes excess starch, allowing the fries to be their crispiest. Instead of soaking them in large bowl of cold water, I like to use hot water to cook the potatoes slightly.
If they are still not crispy you might have skipped a step or you might not have let them cool down sufficiently. Make sure to cool them in a single even layer and also make sure that the oil has the right temperature. Or maybe you've used the wrong potatoes to make them.
This can happen because the insides aren't quite cooked enough, but the outsides are beginning to dry out. Don't worry, sweet tuber lovers; there is a solution! This tip is a need-to-know to get the crispiest potato fries ever.
Fries have a very high starch content. When they are cooked at high temperatures, they absorb moisture which gives them their signature crispy exterior. When they are left out to cool, the starches secrete moisture, which eventually makes the fries' crust soggy.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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