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    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Sides Dishes and Salads

    The BEST Crispy Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

    Published: Jan 18, 2019 · Modified: Oct 28, 2022 by Melissa · 9 Comments

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    The top picture is of a plate of sweet potato fries and dipping sauce, the bottom picture is of sweet potato fries on a baking sheet, with the words "sweet potato fries" written in the middle
    Picture of a plate of sweet potato fries and a bowl of dipping sauce with the words "sweet potato fries" written at the top
    Sweet potato fries lined up on a baking sheet with the words "sweet potato fries" written at the top
    Picture of sweet potato fries next to a sauce with the words "sweet potato fries"
    The BEST Crispy Homemade Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

    The BEST crispy Sweet Potato Fries are made with a secret ingredient and a perfect spice blend, then baked to crisp perfection.

    sweet potato fries on a white serving plate with a light red dipping sauce in a round white bowl

    I love sweet potatoes and I love fries.  So why not mix the two?  Sweet potato fries are one of my all-time favorite side dishes and I've spent a lot of years researching and figuring out how to make them crispy and perfect. I have made and eaten far too many sweet potato fries that were burnt on one end and soggy in the middle so I took it upon myself to figure out the tips and tricks to make the best sweet potato fries on the block.

    There's a lot that goes into making a great sweet potato fry, but I'm here to tell you that going through the steps is worth the effort because you end up with perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked, deliciously crispy sweet potatoes that are better than any you've had (even at a restaurant - you don't find a better fry than these!).

    close up of cooked fries on a parchment paper on a baking sheet

    How do you make sweet potato fries crispy?

    Here are a few tips:
    1. Soak the potatoes prior to cooking to help remove extra starch
    2. Cut them very evenly so that they can cook evenly
    3. Use the secret ingredient (cornstarch!) in your seasoning mix to add additional crunch when cooked
    4. Don't add salt until after cooking (the salt draws out moisture and that won't help them crisp)
    5. Flip the fries once during cooking so that they can brown on two sides
    6. Let the fries cool for just 5 minutes before eating.
    I know that it looks like a long list, but it's worth it to get the perfect sweet potato fry!

    sweet potato fries, cooked, on a white and blue baking sheet looking down from the top

    Tips and Tricks for Making Sweet Potato Fries

    • Don't skip any of the steps. You'll want evenly cut taters to soak, coat, flip, and rest before eating if you want perfect sweet potato fries.
    • Feel free to change up the seasonings to meet your liking! There are so many great options that you can add. Want a little heat? Try adding some chipotle chili powder to your seasoning and cornstarch mix.
    • These are perfect with some dipping sauce! I love to use equal parts ketchup, mayo, BBQ, hot sauce, and mustard for a great sweet potato fry dipping sauce.
    • You can add the sweet potato fries to a big zipper-topped bag and use the bag to toss the fries in the oil and cornstarch mix easier (do the oil first and then add the dry mix).

    Can you freeze sweet potato fries?

    I have not had great luck with freezing this recipe. They sure don't freeze before baking and they only froze ok after baking but I couldn't get them to crisp back up when it came time to reheat and serve them. I would not freeze this recipe. These sweet potato fries actually don't store well at all. I'd suggest making as many as you are going to eat and not more so that you don't have leftovers. They just aren't very good reheated.

    close up of cooked sweet potato fries with dipping sauce on white plate

    What do you serve sweet potato fries with?

    • The Ultimate Pulled Pork Sandwich
    • Peperoncini Beef Sandwiches
    • 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Legs
    • Healthy Homemade Frozen Chicken Nuggets from America's Test Kitchen
    • The BEST Baked Chicken Breast
    Print
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    The BEST Crispy Homemade Sweet Potato Fries


    ★★★★★

    4.3 from 4 reviews

    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 4
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    The BEST crispy homemade Sweet Potato Fries are made with a secret ingredient and a perfect spice blend, then baked to crisp perfection.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
    • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (olive, vegetable, canola, etc. all work)
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • table salt, to taste

    Instructions

    1. Cut your sweet potatoes into ¼ inch square fry-shaped pieces. Consistency in the thickness of the potato is key for evenly and properly cooked potatoes.
    2. Place the cut sweet potatoes in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours (they can soak overnight without issue).
    3. After the sweet potatoes soak, remove from the water and pat dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
    4. Add the dry sweet potatoes to a large bowl or zipper-top bag and drizzle with the oil. Toss well to coat evenly.
    5. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Sprinkle over the oiled sweet potatoes and toss again to evenly coat.
    6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
    7. Spread the sweet potatoes in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    8. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
    9. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip every fry over, one by one.
    10. Return the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
    11. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt.
    12. Let the fries rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.

    Notes

    • Don't skip any of the steps. You'll want evenly cut taters, to soak, coat, flip, and rest before eating if you want perfect sweet potato fries.
    • Feel free to change up the seasonings to meet your liking! There are so many great options that you can add. Want a little heat? Try adding some chipotle chili powder to your seasoning and corn starch mix.
    • These are perfect with some dipping sauce! I love to use equal parts ketchup, mayo, BBQ, hot sauce, and mustard for a great sweet potato fry dipping sauce.
    • I'm 90% sure that arrow root powder would work in place of the cornstarch just FYI.
    • Prep Time: 40 min
    • Cook Time: 30 min
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: sweet potatoes, vegetable, healthy, how to make sweet potato fries, the best sweet potato fries, how to make crispy fries, homemade sweet potato fries

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

    This sweet potato fry recipe is inspired and heavily influenced by America's Test Kitchen and Gimme Some Oven.

    Picture of a plate of sweet potato fries and a bowl of dipping sauce with the words "sweet potato fries" written at the top

    I can't wait for you to make these sweet potato fries a regular part of your meals because they are so very good. Don't forget that dipping sauce - it's a game changer.

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆
      Recipe Rating




    1. buzzer aktif

      November 05, 2022 at 4:15 am

      hai im from Indonesia, i really like this food, looks very good, it seems i have trouble finding food like this in indonesia

      Reply
    2. Kaeden

      July 21, 2020 at 3:10 pm

      My favourite way of prepping fries. Soaking, oil and the cornstarch with seasonings are what make this recipe good. I do use an air fry tray in the oven instead of a sheet pan and I think it works even better.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Melissa

        July 22, 2020 at 8:47 am

        Ohhh I love that idea, I bet it works great. I'll have to find one of those trays!

    3. Lindsay

      April 03, 2020 at 6:55 pm

      Okay, these were AMAZING.

      I do have one question though—how can I make them crunchier? Mine were very very soft. Almost mushy in some cases (didn’t stop my fiancé and I from eating the entire thing lol). Wondering if I should put the broiler on it maybe? Or more cornstarch? Hotter for longer? Thinner cut?

      Any tips appreciated.

      Thank you 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Melissa

        April 03, 2020 at 8:36 pm

        Cutting them to a smaller size helps!

    4. Marg

      December 23, 2019 at 5:58 pm

      If the planets all align correctly, then maybe this recipe will work. I saw all the great reviews and expected a better outcome. The cornstarch was a disaster. I probably didn't do everything as instructed but I will not be trying this recipe again.

      ★★

      Reply
      • old_cook

        August 08, 2021 at 7:21 pm

        i agree

    5. Lydia

      August 01, 2019 at 10:34 am

      I've made these a few times and they're amazing- but I was wondering if there is a way to make them in bulk and freeze them for later, so we don't have to cut and prep every time. Do you think that would work? Thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 01, 2019 at 11:42 pm

        I think the reheat is the issue. Do you have an air fryer? I feel like if you prepped, baked, froze in a single layer, bagged them up and frozen them and THEN did something like an air fryer, they just might reheat nicely (I swear my air fryer is magical for this kind of frozen potato product). I'm going to try this! If you do too, will you report back and let us know. It's a fabulous idea.

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