Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries can sometimes have a bad reputation—especially the oven-baked ones. They’re usually a floppy, bland pile of under-seasoned sadness, but it doesn’t have to be that way! There’s a way to get crisp and savory sweet potato fries fresh out of the oven, and I've got the tips and tricks to help you get there.

How To Make Sweet Potato Fries

INGREDIENTS

• Sweet Potatoes: One way to ensure the perfect sweet potato fry texture is to ace the cut. Cutting the sweet potatoes into 1/4"-thick matchsticks makes them the ideal surface area to thickness ratio for getting an even cook on the inside and an even crisp on the outside.
• Cornstarch: Sweet potatoes have significantly less starch than regular potatoes, making it tougher to get a crisp exterior coating. When the sweet potatoes get dusted in cornstarch, the moisture from the cut surfaces of the potatoes will combine with the cornstarch to create a slurry which, when baked, will swell and then dry, creating a crisp exterior structure.
• Seasonings: This part is up to you, but at the very least, hit the fries with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt before tossing them in the oven. From there, the sky’s the limit. Try your favorite seasoning blend or keep it simple like I did with some garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle over the potatoes, or check out our list of the best (& worst!) olive oils for inspo.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

After preheating your oven to 425°, cut your sweet potatoes into matchstick-like pieces. Try to get them even and 1/4" thick for the crispiest possible fries. Transfer to a bowl, then grab another bowl for your seasoning mixture. Add all of your seasonings (and cornstarch!) to a bowl, then whisk to fully combine.

Add your cornstarch and seasoning mixture over your potatoes, then toss with your hands until every fry is perfectly coated. Then, drizzle your covered potatoes with oil, and toss until the fries are evenly coated.

Now we can get to baking. There’s a few things to keep in mind here. Sweet potatoes are prone to sticking (especially since we’ve skipped the soaking step), which can make you want to bust out the parchment paper. Fight that urge! Putting parchment in between the hot sheet tray and the potatoes means that they won’t get the exterior caramelization that we’re looking for. Simply spray with cooking spray, then arrange your potatoes in an even layer. Using two sheet trays instead of piling all the fries onto one gives the fries the space they need for the heat to circulate around each one, letting them crisp instead of steam. Bake until your fries are browned, then remove and immediately top with flaky sea salt (if you so desire). Let cool for at least 5 minutes (I know, but be patient!), then serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Should you soak sweet potato fries before baking? NOPE! Soaking sweet potatoes (and potatoes) is a common technique for helping the potatoes get rid of some of their interior starch to keep them from over-browning. This wisdom might hold up for the deep-fried version, but in a side-by-side test, I found that soaked sweet potato fries didn’t get quite as crisp as their un-soaked counterparts.
• The best dipping sauces for sweet potato fries. Ketchup is a classic fry-dip combo, but you should get creative here. Honey mustard is a great choice, but our copycat Chick-fil-A sauce is truly unbeatable. Looking to upgrade your fries? Checkout our loaded Mediterranean sweet potato fries.
• Make them in your air fryer. Don't want to turn on the oven? Air fryer sweet potato fries make these fries easier than ever.