Sweet potatoes can be fried in the air fryer for around 16 minutes by anyone. For a guilt-free snack, homemade sweet potato fries in the air fryer would be a terrific option.

Baking and air frying are not the same things. The air fryer will not require a single drop of oil for the frying process.

The air frying duration may vary depending on the number of sweet potatoes. For air frying the potatoes in less time, the thickness of the fries must be excellent. The individual should understand how to utilize the air fryer properly.

Air frying duration

Air fryingDuration
Minimum time14 minutes
Maximum time16 minutes

The time it takes for air fryers to heat up varies depending on the brand. Air fryers come in various sizes in the market, and one should select the appropriate size for the frying process. The large air fryers are ideal for cooking large quantities of food.

Vegetables can also be roasted in the mini convection oven. Air fryers are suitable for both vegetable and non-vegetarian frying.

Because of their healthy food frying technique, air fryers have a cult following. Deep frying uses a lot of oil and so isn’t considered healthy.

The amount of oil used in air frying is minimal, which benefits air frying over deep frying. Air fryers are an excellent way to make healthy, crispy, crunchy fries.

The main drawback to using an air fryer is the quantity restriction. The air fryer has a limited capacity.

As a result, the person must divide the food into several batches. Although flipping food is not essential for many foods, others may necessitate it.

Before air frying, there is no need to add more oil to the dish. Everyone should read the oil requirements in the instruction manual. Before beginning the air frying process, people might oil the food using a brush.

Cutting sweet potato fries

sliced sweet potato

Cutting consistent sweet potato fries is one of the most important recommendations for crispy sweet potato fries.

You can cut the fries into various shapes and sizes, but we’re going with the classic 1/2-inch thick french fries. This is the simplest method I’ve discovered for cutting sweet potatoes into fries:

  1. Remove any dirt from your sweet potato by washing or scrubbing it. Place your sweet potato on a cutting board and snip off the ends with a sharp knife.
  2. One of the ends of the sweet potato should be facing you (it should be up and down lengthwise). Cut about 1/2 inch from one side of the sweet potato while holding it. You can chop out another 1/2-inch-thick slice if you want. You’ll have a smaller flat surface on one side of the potato.
  3. Place the sweet potato against the cutting board, flat side down. Now you have a solid foundation to cut the rest of your sweet potato.
  4. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices as needed. After that, slice the rounds into 1/2-inch thick french fries. Make them as uniform as possible, as this will aid in cooking time consistency.

Because they will shrink as they cook, I find that chopping them into 1/2 inch thick sections is the ideal size for fries.

However, based on your preferences, you could cut them smaller or larger. If you do this, you will need to alter the cooking time.

Air frying sweet potato fries

  1. Cut your sweet potato lengthwise into thin planks to make classic or shoestring fries. To create fries, cut each plank into strips. You can also opt to use a mandolin slicer, but depending on the quality of the slicer, the sweet potato may be excessively firm.
  2. Before air frying sweet potato fries, soak them in cold water for 30 to 60 minutes (or up to 8 hours). This is crucial for eliminating extra starch and assisting in crisping the fries.
  3. Drain the sweet potato fries and pat them dry. Toss the potatoes in a mixing bowl with a teaspoon of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. 
  4. Place fries in your air fryer and spread them out as thinly as possible. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 390 degrees F (200 degrees C), shaking the basket a few times throughout cooking to ensure equal cooking.

More air frying tips

  1. Cut the potatoes into uniform slices. Use sweet potatoes that are similar in size to guarantee that all of the potatoes cook at the same time. To cut the potato halves equally, use a very sharp knife and put them flat on a cutting table. Nothing will overcook or undercook this way.
  2. Remember to preheat the oven. While it isn’t required to preheat all air fryers, most do. Even if your air fryer doesn’t advocate it, I believe preheating is essential for accurate cooking at your chosen temperature.
  3. Make sure the basket isn’t too full. It’s tempting to toss in all of the potatoes at once. However, if you overcrowd the basket and the sweet potato fries overlap, you may have a steaming result rather than a crisping appearance.
  4. Halfway through cooking, turn the sweet potatoes. To turn the sweet potatoes, shake the basket or use tongs. While air circulates the potatoes, the heat on the bottom is more intense than on the top, which is why this advice is vital.

What’s the best oil for air fryer sweet potato fries?

You can use any type of oil you want. Many people suggest using an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado or canola oil.

However, I enjoy the flavor of olive oil and have had tremendous success with it. Cooking spray can also be used.

Is it possible to cook sweet potato fries in an air fryer without oil?

You can, but the texture will be closer to that of a cooked sweet potato stick than a regular fried one.  The crispier outside of a french fry prepared with oil is far more appealing to me.

Keys to preventing soggy sweet potato fries

  • If your air fryer fries are mushy, you packed them too tightly in the basket. Instead of air frying, the sweet potatoes are then steamed.
  • Cook the fries in a single layer so that air can flow for the best, crispiest results.
  • For good results, you can cook up to two layers of sweet potato fries at once. To ensure consistent cooking, ensure the layers are not too tightly packed and toss the fries in the basket frequently.
  • Some recipes recommend soaking sweet potatoes in water before cooking to help eliminate some of the starch and make the fries crispier.
  • When creating sweet potato fries, though, I found that this step didn’t make enough difference to justify the effort.

Reheating sweet potato fries

Allow leftovers to cool completely to avoid moisture formation before storing them in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You can reheat them in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes, toast them in a pan with little oil, or heat them in the microwave.

Last words

For health-conscious folks, an air fryer is a wonderful frying and roasting option. To obtain precisely cooked fries, one must use high-quality vegetables. The main drawback to utilizing an air fryer is that it takes time.

You would have to wait a long time to cook a large amount of food. Otherwise, the air fryer is a wise and healthful option for frying little servings.