Crispy Oven Sweet Potato Fries

Name: Crispy Oven Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds sweet potatoes (, white or orange); 2 teaspoons cornstarch (. optional (see note)); 2 teaspoons your favorite oil for roasting (, or veggie broth if you are avoiding oil); ½ - 1 teaspoon sea salt (, adjust to your preference); 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These crispy sweet potato fries are mixed with delicious spices then oven baked to perfection! Use my secret ingredient to get that perfect crisp without the deep frying.

You can use white or orange sweet potatoes for this recipe. They go with just about everything, taste amazing and are so healthy!

Pail with parchment in a cone filled with sweet potato fries next to a bowl of ketchup

This post was originally published on March 13, 2021.

While these sweet potato fries are a side, I could make them a main meal! Pair them with my other veggie varieties like asparagus fries and eggplant fries and it's a veggie filled meal heaven.

Ingredients

In order to make these crispy sweet potato fries you'll need just a few items:

Sweet Potatoes
Cornstarch
Oil
Sea salt
Seasonings

Two sweet potatoes and spices in bowls on a wooden surface

How To Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Oven

No need for splattering oil, these fries are made in the oven for an easy and nutritious dish! Here's what to do:

Cut your potatoes, and soak in salt water if you choose to take that extra step crisp factor.
Place cut potatoes in a bowl and toss with seasonings, cornstarch, and touch of oil.
Spread fries on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

Cut white sweet potatoes in a glass bowl with seasonings.

Cut sweet potatoes covered in seasoning on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

How to Make Sweet Potato Oven Fries Crispy

The issue with fries, is they can leave you feeling bloaty and blah from all the grease. Thankfully over the years I've perfected that 'fried' crisp without actually frying them, which means I get to eat more!

There are many things you can do to collectively get that crispy fry in the oven. For the best crispy oven baked sweet potato fries try these tricks:

Cut the potatoes into thin ¼ - ½ inch matchstick shaped strips as uniformly as you can.
Use a mandoline to assure they are all the same size.
Soak your cut potatoes in salt water like I do in my oven fries recipe.
Dry them well with a towel after soaking.
Coat with cornstarch.
Use enough oil to coat them when baking.
Spread them out so they aren't touching, an overcrowded pan won't crisp up on all the sides.
Bake on parchment paper.
Flip the fries halfway.
Allow them to rest on a cooling rack for a couple minutes before serving.

I find that drying them well and using the cornstarch is the most effective with getting crispy sweet potato fries. But you can also use the soaking method if you prefer!

More Preparation Tips

These fries are pretty simple to make, but here's some additional information that should help you make the best sweet potato fries!

For this recipe I used white sweet potatoes, but you can use orange instead.
I like to keep the skins on the potatoes but you can peel them if you prefer.
Make these fries oil free by using broth instead. Keep in mind they won't be as flavorful or crispy.
Cornstarch helps to make the fries crispy, but you don’t need it if you prefer not to use it.
The parchment paper also helps with crispness and reduces the need for extra oil. If you do not use parchment, you may need to brush your baking sheet with some oil.
The thickness of the fries will affect how long they take to cook so watch them closely to prevent burning.

Hand dipping a sweet potato fry in a small bowl of ketchup.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Fries

Of course every fry needs a dip! Ketchup is a tasty standard, but if you want to mix things up try these other plant based dips:

Snack on the fries as an appetizer, or serve them as a side dish to these vegan recipes:

Common Questions

Are sweet potato french fries healthy?

Sweet potatoes offer nutrients that are good for you, making them a good food to include in your menu rotation. They're filled with fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, and more. However, most fries are deep fried, which isn't healthy. Luckily, these fries are baked and use little to no oil for a much healthier alternative.

How do you make sweet potato fries from scratch?

Making sweet potato fries is easy to do! Simply cut the sweet potatoes, season them, spread on a baking sheet and bake!

Why are my sweet potato fries not crispy?

There are a couple reasons your fries might not be crispy enough. Your oven may not be a hot enough temperature, and they might be undercooked. Make sure to follow the recipe and bake them until they're a nice golden brown.

How do you fix soggy sweet potato fries?

To prevent soggy fries, coat them in cornstarch, toss in a little bit of oil, and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet until the fries are golden brown. If they are soggy you can try reheating on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at 450°F in 5 minute increments.

More Vegan Finger Food

A good finger food is great for a snack, appetizer, or fun side dish! Feel free to eat your fill of these healthy recipes as they're all made with plant based whole foods: