Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries come out perfect every time. It's all as easy as cutting the spears, tossing in spices, and turning on the air fryer. Homemade and crispy!

Closup of sweet potato fries dumped out on a wooden board.

It starts with a favorite vegetable and turns into a crispy side dish or appetizer. I mean I can see eating these as a snack while watching T.V.

You can see the dipping sauce in a couple of the pics, and my choices ( as well as most people's) are vegan ranch dressing, vegan chipotle mayonnaise, and good old ketchup.

It's really nice that you can find sweet potato fries out at restaurants now. They seem to be a new phenomenon, though. They didn't exist when I was a kid.

That's something we can thank the internet for. The food bloggers must put on their thinking caps and create recipes. Or find recipes that are popular in other countries.

In researching this thought, I found out that sweet potato fries have been served in Argentina since the 1940's. AKA batatas fritas!

They've only been served here in the U.S. since about 1990. Big city restaurants like in Manhattan and Boston (Fenway Park) and at certain state fairs.

So check out this easy recipe for a tasty snack and make your own air fryer sweet potato fries today!

Veggies air fried and on a board with dipping sauces behind.

Table of Contents

Fries ingredients

Sweet potatoes are not potatoes but mildly sweet vegetables that cook a lot like potatoes do.
Extra virgin olive oil is used to help the spices cling to the veggies.
Coarse salt adds a bit more of a contrasting seasoning.
Black pepper spices it up a bit.
Paprika also has a peppery taste, and it is made from a pepper.
Garlic powder is a necessity for contrasting flavors.
Fresh parsley is optional and used as a pretty garnish.

Ingredients for fries including spices, oil and sweet potatoes.

Seasoning variations

If you'd like your air fryer sweet potato fries a little hotter, then add cayenne pepper, but use it sparingly. You can add it straight to this mix in the recipe.
In place of the garlic-paprika-black-pepper mix in this recipe, feel free to sub in any of your favorite dry seasoning mixes, such as:
Za'atar seasoning is super popular, and it is easy to find this mix in grocery stores.
Italian Seasoning is classic and mild, and this is a homemade version.
If you have a favorite jarred mix for Cajun seasonings, probably from Emile, then you can use that.
Another homemade mix that is popular on the blog is this Taco Seasoning recipe.
Caribbean Jerk Seasoning would be delicious in place of the seasoning in this recipe.
Use an actual Chili Seasoning Mix, and this is another homemade recipe.
Are you looking for sweeter fries? Then, make a cinnamon sugar mix to shake on your fries before air frying.

Overhead view of sweet potato fries and three dipping sauces.

How to cut sweet potatoes for fries

It is a good idea to cut them in the same size. Not in length but in girth so that they all cook at about the same time.
Try to buy them with as little curing as possible. Some of the shapes get crazy. You can still use curvy veggies, but it will be a little harder to slice them.
You can peel them, but you don't have to. I usually don't because it's simpler, and they taste great this way, too. Keep in mind how your family might like them.
Clean them whether you peel them or not. Cut off the ends for sure.
Cut in half lengthwise to make a safer cutting surface.
Lay cut side down and start to slice the sweet potatoes in about ¼" wide.
Lay those slabs down and slice again about ¼" wide.

Sliced sweet potatoes in a french fry shape on a wooden board with a knife.

How to make sweet potato fries

Cut the fries evenly in about ¼" sticks.
Toss in a bowl with the oil and seasonings.

Matchstick veggies in a mixing bowl and tossed with oil and seasonings.

Lay in the bottom of an air fryer basket. Don't overcrowd.

Raw sweet potato matchsticks laying in the bottom of an air fryer.

Air fry them for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove to a baking sheet and place in a 200°F oven to keep them warm while you are doing the next batches.

Looking down in an air fryer at cooked sweet potato fries.

Tips for crispy sweet potato fries

Cut them ¼″ thick. Thicker fries won't be as crispy.
Soak in cold ice water for about 30 minutes for a crispier fry. You can skip this step if you're in a hurry but it does draw out the extra starch.
If you soak them then afterward, rinse, drain and pat dry.
Make sure to line them in a single layer in the air fryer.
Flip the fries halfway through baking to make sure each side gets 'fried'.

Fried veggies being poured pout of a parchment basket onto a board.

📋 Recipe