Sweet Potato Fries Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why won t my sweet potato fries get crispy? ›

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.

These orange spuds are exploding with antioxidant-rich vitamin A and also contain equally hefty doses of fiber and potassium. 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.

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!

Give them a cold water bath: Once your fries are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the fries completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

Freeze Time for Sweeter Sweet Potatoes

So if you want a sweet, sweet potato, you have to cook it until it reaches 135–170°F (57–77°C). And you want to keep sweet potatoes in that range for as long as possible. That will maximize how sweet the potatoes taste.

This reaction causes food to brown when sugar reacts with amino acids under heat. So adding that sugar ensures that browning will occur, leading to that golden crisp exterior you want from a good french fry.

If your air fryer fries are soggy, it is likely because you over-crowded them in the basket. The sweet potatoes steam when crowded together, instead of air frying. For the best, most crispy results, cook the fries in a single layer so that the air has room to circulate.

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

Why are my sweet potatoes not crispy in air fryer? ›

If your air fryer fries are turning out soggy it is likely because you are over-crowding your air fryer basket or using too much oil. For the best results, use just ½ Tablespoon of oil per sweet potato and cook your fries in a single layer so that the air has room to circulate.

Deep fried french fries are often double fried (once at a lower temp, once at a higher temp to crisp) I found out that the same thing works magically for oven fries! You can make oven french fries so good and crispy. Soak the potatoes in cold water after cutting for at least 30 minutes.

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.

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.

Simmering the fries in water washes away the excess sugars that can cause the fries to brown too much before they have a chance to properly crisp up when frying. The water also activates the starches in the potato. Starch, when fried, is what creates that crispy surface we want!

If you over-crowded the pan so that there isn't enough space for the potatoes to rest on the pan without touching each other, it will prevent the water from evaporating and making the potatoes crispy. You can always try to broil the potatoes for 1-2 minutes to crisp them up at the end of baking if necessary.

Sweet potatoes are not as starchy as russet potatoes, which yield best results when soaked in water before cooking to remove the starch from the surface area and cook to a crisp. Soaking sweet potato fries could produce steam in the air fryer, which could make the fries soggy.

Remember, fries are full of water. The more fries you add to a tray, the more steam they'll be releasing in your oven, reducing crispness. Load the oven quickly. This prevents heat loss that can result in soggy fries.