Learn how to make crispy baked sweet potato fries in the oven! Olive oil, salt, and savory spices pack this healthy snack with irresistible flavor.
These sweet potato fries are about to become your new favorite snack. They’re easy to make in the oven. They’re PACKED with sweet and savory flavor. And they’re crispy too! Paired with a tasty dipping sauce, these baked sweet potato fries are impossible to resist.
This sweet potato fries recipe is an updated version of a baked sweet potato fries recipe I shared several years ago. What’s changed?
Well, if you’ve ever made sweet potato fries in the oven, you might know that it’s hard to get them crispy. I thought I’d tried every trick in the book—soaking them in cold water, tossing them with cornstarch, roasting them on a wire rack—until I came across this YouTube video.
The video shares a tip from America’s Test Kitchen that I think is a game changer for baked sweet potato fries. Instead of just tossing the fries with cornstarch, I toss them with a cornstarch slurry. Combining the cornstarch with water helps it gel and create a crispy coating on the outsides of the fries.
Are these baked sweet potato fries as crispy as regular French fries made with russet potatoes? No.
Are they as crispy as deep fried sweet potato fries you’d get at a restaurant? Also no.
But they do have a satisfying crunch, and they’re by far the crispiest sweet potato fries I’ve made at home. I can’t get enough of them. I hope you love them too!
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
You can find the complete crispy baked sweet potato fries recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s an overview of how it goes:
1. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin matchsticks.
Scrub each sweet potato well, and place it on a cutting board. You can peel the sweet potatoes if you like, but I prefer to leave the skin on. It’s packed with fiber, and I think it makes the fries crispier!
Cut each potato lengthwise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch planks. Then, cut those planks lengthwise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch matchsticks. Be careful not to cut them too thick—thin matchsticks crisp up better than thicker ones. Once you cut the fries, place them in a large bowl.
Recipe Tip
The fries will be different lengths. The ones you cut from the edges of the potatoes will be quite short, while the ones you cut from the middle might be several inches long.
For the best texture, I recommend cutting very long fries in half crosswise. The shorter fries get much crispier!
2. Use a cornstarch slurry.
Cornstarch slurry = cornstarch + water. Mix them together until smooth, and then pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes.
Suspending the cornstarch in water helps it evenly coat the potatoes and gel on their outsides, giving them a crispy coating once they bake.
What about soaking?
Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up.
I’ve tested soaking sweet potato fries many times, and I’ve found that it doesn’t make them much crispier, if at all.
My hot take? Skip the soak! You’ll save time and dishes, and your fries will be equally good.
3. Season them up!
Sprinkle the fries with garlic powder, paprika, and salt. This savory spice blend offers a delicious contrast to the potatoes’ natural sweetness. If you want to give the fries a spicy kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper too.
Toss to coat the fries in the cornstarch and seasonings.
4. Arrange the fries on two baking sheets.
If the fries are too crowded on the pan, they’ll steam and soften instead of becoming brown and crisp. For this recipe, you’ll need two large baking sheets to give the fries enough room.
Line the pans with parchment paper, and arrange the fries in a single layer, leaving a little space around each one. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Bake in a hot oven.
Bake the fries at 425°F. Any lower, and they won’t crisp up and caramelize.
After 15 minutes, remove the pans and use tongs to flip the fries. If they look dry in places, drizzle them with a bit more oil.
Return the pans to the oven (make sure to rotate them!), and bake until the fries are browned and crisp. Season to taste with more spices and salt, and serve!
Sweet Potato Fries Dipping Sauce Ideas
Even the best sweet potato fries can benefit from a tasty dipping sauce! Try pairing them with one of these:
- Chipotle Sauce (my favorite!)
- Ketchup
- Mayo
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Enjoy the fries as an appetizer or snack, or serve them as a side dish. They’re delicious alongside my black bean burgers, veggie burgers, and BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.
More Tasty Sweet Potato Recipes
Love sweet potatoes? Try one of these delicious recipes next:
- Baked Sweet Potato
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Grilled Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Sweet Potato Hash
And if you can’t get enough French fries, check out these crispy air fryer French fries!
Sweet Potato Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, about 2 medium
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise into ¼- to ½-inch-thick planks. Slice the planks vertically into ¼- to ½-inch-thick sticks. Slice any very long sticks in half crosswise. The smaller pieces will get crispier in the oven. Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and add the garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Toss to coat, using your hands to make sure the spices are evenly distributed.
- Evenly arrange the sweet potato fries on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space around each one. Drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until blistering underneath. Remove from the oven and use tongs to flip the fries. If they look dry, drizzle with a bit more oil.
- Return the pans to the oven, swapping their positions on the oven racks and rotating them front to back. Bake for another 7 to 12 minutes, or until the fries are browned and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Toss with more garlic powder, paprika, and salt to taste and serve.
I tried the sweet potato fries recipe. I tell you!! They were delicious 😋
I’m so happy to hear!