^{There’s nothing better than a side of fries, especially a side of smoky, spicy sweet potatoes fries. It’s even better when they’re baked but still super crispy! No need to heat up the oil, these taste just as good and the best type of partner to your cheat day meal.}

There’s something about sweet potato fries that always makes eating french fries seem a little less guilty. Although a mound of potatoes next to a sandwich doesn’t always scream“healthy”, I assure you that these fries will have you feeling pretty damn good regardless of when you eat them.

If you had to choose between regular or sweet potato fries, what would you choose? That’s a tough one because they’re both equally delicious. It really depends on what you’re pairing them with. For me personally, it’s the mood in general. When you’re going for a salty/sweet combo, these fries are the best!

What makes baked sweet potato fries crispy? It’s simple. Just like in my baked Parmesan Garlic Fries recipe, the first step is soaking them in ice cold salted water for at least one hour to remove added starch and moisture. The more added moisture, the more they steam and become less crispy. Drain them and pat them completely dry with a cloth or paper towels before seasoning them.

There are a few different ways to get these crispy in addition to the soaking and patting. It sounds odd but a little added cornstarch or arrowroot starch adds back in a crispiness that almost gives the fries an outer crust like you wouldn’t believe. It is ok to skip this and they will still turn out just fine.

Adding a lot of salt in the beginning is also a way to pull out the moisture while it cooks, so try to add extra salt at the end and a tiny bit in the beginning. The salt in the water can flavor them ever so slightly but that’s used to dehydrate them more than anything. and doesn’t add a saltiness to the fry that most people crave.

The best part about fries in general is that they are perfect for taking on any flavors that you desire. When it comes to sweet potato fries, I like the smoky-spicy flavors. Although, if you want to go the parmesan-garlic route, you can do that too and they will be just as delicious.

If I haven’t mentioned it enough, it’s football season. These are some of the best foods to whip up for loaded fries or grilled burgers. They’e fast, portable and delicious. Not to mention the added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and beta carotene that’ll keep you feeling healthy all through the colder seasons!!! Now that’s a win-win in my book!

Serve with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing or your favorite special dip!

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Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Print Recipe

There’s nothing better than a side of fries, except a side of smoky, spicy sweet potatoes fries. It’s even better when they’re baked but still super crispy! No need to heat up the oil, these taste just as good and the best type of partner to your cheat day meal.

Prep Time:1 20

Cook Time:40

Ingredients

3 medium-large sweet potatoes peeled, cut into 1/2" thick fries
salt handful for soaking
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.
Peel and cut all the sweet potatoes into fries (1/2" thick) and submerge in a bowl with salted ice water. Allow to soak for about one hour.
Drain, rinse and completely pat dry the sweet potatoes until there is little to no moisture. Add to a large bowl and drizzle with oil until the potatoes are coated. Sprinkle in cornstarch, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Line at least 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Line the potatoes onto the sheet so they are spread apart and there is one single layer of fries. They should be about 1 inch apart.
Bake in the middle rack for about 20 minutes. Remove and flip the fries. Place back into the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove any fries ahead of time if they are starting to look darker in color.
Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle all fries with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Notes

How long does it last and where?

I ate this for at least 4-5 days after sealing it up in a large airtight container.

Can you freeze it?

I would not suggest it with fresh fries that have little to no preservatives. Although it can be done, I have not tried it because the point is to remove the moisture, not add it. If you want the frozen ones, just buy them in the freezer aisle. They’re delicious!

Substitutions?

Sweet potatoes and regular white/gold potatoes are interchangeable. The one difference is the starch content varies. That’s why soaking them helps in both recipes.

I would swap out any seasoning with what you prefer. Chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, parmesan cheese, pepper, Italian seasonings, etc. are all great if you make a combo you love. Stick with dried seasonings over any sauce when baking to keep them crispy.

Tips and Tricks

Obviously soaking the fries in iced salt water is my go-to method when removing moisture and starch. You can also leave them laying out on a few paper towels, sprinkle them with a little salt and wait 30 minutes to remove a little of the moisture. Keep in mind that this will season the fries and therefore you should avoid adding extra salt until the end, if needed.

I think cooking these at a higher temperature gets them crispy faster, but you also need to watch them as the sugars in them caramelize faster too and they can burn if you’re not careful. Allow 1/2 inch to be the smallest you cut the fries in thickness and spread them out so they don’t create steam while cooking.

Also, sweet potatoes have natural oils in them so they don’t need a ton of extra oil for coating.

What to serve with it?

These are great with literally ANY BBQ style food. I personally love them for breakfast or brunch because they’re sweet and salty and great with eggs and bacon.

Pair them with my…

Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

Tzatziki Sauce