There are two ways to get guaranteed crispy sweet potato fries. In your oven (yes!) or in a deep fryer. But even deep frying plain sweet potato fries won't get them crispy. You need a tiny bit of the secret ingredient - cornstarch.
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Right here, right now I am going to teach you how to make crispy sweet potato fries. Even though they're not a real french fry. They are french fry substitutes to be eaten when a real french fry can't be found.
Yes, I know. But you loveeeeeeeee sweet potato french fries. You like them wayyyyyyyyyy better than regular french fries. That's because you're an amateur. I on the other hand, am a french fry professional.
I have been making, eating and gorging myself on theses sticks of potato deliciousness for as long as I can remember. In high school I ate so many of them at lunch that at the end of the year I threw up a ball of grease. So ... clearly ... a professional here whose advice should be followed.
But ... if you're on some sort of stupid meal plan, or you're all out of regular potatoes, or you just feel like having something a little different than regular french fries, why wouldn't you cook up some Sweet Potato French Fries?
Because they're soggy messes. That's why. They'll get brown but they don't get crispy.
I've oven baked them, par boiled them and deep fried them and they don't get crispy. They get brown, but not crisp.
Finally, I've figured out how to make crispy sweet potato fries and the best part is you can do them in the deep fryer or the oven! Either way, you'll end up with crispy fries. Guaranteed.
But like with most things, you're more guaranteed if you do them in the deep fryer.
Here's what you need to do to create this perfect sweet and spicy lunch or side dish.
Gather your sweet potatoes.
Get some corn starch.
Also get some olive oil. Just the cheap stuff. Not the good stuff like my favourite Lorenzo No.5. Seriously best tasting olive oil ever.
Peel your sweet potatoes. I have used the same brand of vegetable peeler for 15 years now. It's the cheapest, most basic vegetable peeler around and it's pretty much every cook's favourite. It's the Great Lash mascara of the vegetable peeling world.
Cut your sweet potatoes until they're a medium thickness. Not hugely thick cut and not shoestring.
Let potatoes soak in water for an hour - half the day. (not mandatory, but recommended)
Preheat oven to 425°
Throw a Tablespoon or two of cornstarch into a plastic bag.
(update: I'm reducing this to a definite 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch because people were reading this as 1 to 2 to 173 Tablespoons of cornstarch. So it's a hard 1 Tablespoon now. Got it?)
Dump a handful of sweet potatoes into the bag with the cornstarch. You don't need to dry them with paper towels or anything. Just drain the water and then give each handful you drop in the cornstarch a good shake. Twist the top of the bag so it forms a balloon with some air inside and shake the fries around until they're lightly coated with the cornstarch. This is important. Too much water and too much cornstarch and you'll end up with a goopy mess. Plus your fries will taste like cornstarch.
Put them on a non stick cookie sheet. The darker the cookie sheet the better - all the better to brown with.
Drizzle 2 Tbsps. of olive oil over the sweet potatoes. This is if you want to be healthy.
Any vegetable oil will work. I've used sunflower, avocado, vegetable etc. etc.
Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Saturated Fats for frying
- Lard
- Tallow
Monounsaturated & Polyunsaturated Fats for frying
- Olive Oil
- Canola Oil
- Peanut Oil
- Sunflower Oil
You can use as much oil as you want.
(Update: The more oil you use the easier time you'll have of getting the fries crispy but the less healthy they will be.)
I usually go the totally unhealthy route to make sure the fries are crispy. Just drizzle the oil across them and then mix them up with your hands to coat well.
Spread the whole mess out evenly on your baking sheet.
Arrange them so they have space between each fry. The less of them on the pan the better they'll cook. Too many shoved together and they'll never get crispy. They'll just steam. So do NOT overcrowd the pan. Pop the pan into your preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile you can make the dipping sauce. Mix together ½ cup of mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce and ¼ teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper.
You can adjust the proportions to taste. Mix it up and taste it then adjust as you like.
Check them after 15 minutes, flip them over (you might have to use a spatula depending on how "non stick" your pan is) and return to the oven if necessary for another 5 minutes. The timing really depends on the size of your fry, the heat of your oven and how well your pan conducts heat.
(update: You can see the pan I'm using here is very dark, this very dark, old, used pan cooks things faster and crispier. So if you have an old pan like this use it. If you have a shiny, new baking sheet your fries will take much longer to cook, will have a greater tendency to stick and won't get as crispy)
Maxwell Williams French Fry and dipping cup!!
If you prefer your food deep fried, (and who doesn't) throw them in the deep fryer at the highest setting for a few minutes instead of sticking them in the oven. You STILL need to coat them in cornstarch. Even in a deep fryer, sweet potatoes fries won't want to get crispy unless they have a coating of cornstarch.
This is how I do them when I'm in a rush. They're always crispier than those from the oven, but far less healthy.
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
- *Dipping Sauce*
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon or more Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 or deep fryer to highest setting
- Peel sweet potatoes, slice into medium thick slices (closer to thin than thick).
- Soak potatoes at least 4 hours in water.
- Drain water from sweet potatoes and shake dry with your hands.
- Put 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch into food safe plastic bag.
- Dump sweet potato fries into bag, blow some air into it, and shake bag until fries are coated.
- Place fries on cookie sheet, drizzle with a couple Tablespoons of olive oil.
- Toss fries until evenly coated with oil.
- Arrange on cookie sheet(s) with lots of space in between fries to prevent steaming.
- Cook in hot oven for 15 minutes then check.
- The fries will release from the pan when they're ready to flip the same way a steak would.
- Flip fries, and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- (cooking time depends greatly on the quality of your baking sheet so keep an eye on them)
- Dipping Sauce: Mix together mayo, pepper and Sriracha sauce. Adjust to your taste.
Notes
- Do NOT use too much cornstarch. It will lead to heartache and raw, powdery tasting fries.
- A dark, metal baking sheet will give the best results.
- Sweet Potato Fries will get dark fast because of their high sugar content. Don't forget to flip and turn them.
TIPS
- Do NOT use too much cornstarch. It will lead to heartache and raw, powdery tasting fries.
- A dark, metal baking sheet will give the best results.
- Sweet Potato Fries will get dark fast because of their high sugar content. Don't forget to flip and turn them.
Please note : This recipe does have a bit of a learning curve. It may take a few attempts to get your proportions of corn starch and oil correct. It took me several years to figure out how to do this, but with these instructions it shouldn't take you more than a couple of tries.
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Amy
Hi! Just wondering if this would work if you add more spices with the cornstarch (I'm thinking brown sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper) before cooking, or maybe cost in cornstarch and then add the spices with the olive oil?? Has it been tried yet?
Karen
Hi Amy - I haven't done that myself, but I suspect the brown sugar would caramelize. Would could be good or bad. It may just turn the cornstarch into a gloppy mess. Salt and Cayenne would be fine though. Just toss the fries in cornstarch, then coat in olive oil and put them on the pan. Then season however you like. When you turn the fries, season them again. Hope it goes well! ~ karen
Monica
Hey there! First, my fries turned out soggy as other users had said, BUT my second time around I used less olive oil (less is more in this case, at least for me) and I broiled them for the last 5-10 minutes keeping a close eye on them, and they came out perfect! If you don't succeed try, try again! Awesome recipe Karen!
marianna
Do you think these would work with arrowroot instead of cornstarch? Trying to get off corn. Thanks; they look wonderful.
Maggie
Guys...this is a recipe with which you absolutely HAVE to be patient. It took me 5 tries; the trick is to just do a handful at a time. Experiment with just a handful and change up the amount of cornstarch, amount and type of oil, amount of time in the oven, etc. It takes time but it is absolutely worth it! Don't be stubborn or self righteous about it, go in with an open mind and you will succeed!
P.S. Karen, way to stick to your guns! You're right, this recipe is fantastic!!
Karen
LOL. Thank YOU for being so patient with it. And yes, overcrowding is the #1 mistake I suspect people are making. And too much cornstarch. Glad you stuck it out ~ karen!
Abby
This is a pretty robust recipe-- I baked these at 350 for 20 minutes on accident (trying to bake a cake and sweet potato fries at the same time. Oops.) and still had a very light crisp, though they didn't develop that flaky crust in the photo.
I'm thinking next time I'll be a little more liberal on the starch and oil...and bake it at the right temp. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
Hi Abby - Be very careful with the cornstarch! Adding too much doesn't do much to get the fries crispier it just makes them cornstarchier. Go stronger on the oil instead. :) ~ karen
Michele Chorman
Yes, Karen, probably they were. I think there are a few variables, like you said to others, but I loved them and will do them again and again, they were perfectly yummy and I appreciate you sharing with us.
Michele Chorman
Just made them and ate them in a flash - they are all gone :( ! We are expecting a storm, here on the coast today and are having a cozy day and this recipe was perfect to go along with my husband's soccer game. Some came out crispy, some not, but they were yummy and the sauce was great. We didn't have the srirachi, so we used Chili Garlic Sauce (by H. Fong foods) and I can see us using this recipe and the sauce often. Thanks for the recipe, it's a keeper.
Karen
Hi Michele - Let me guess ... were the fries that weren't crispy on the inside of the baking sheet? That always happens. Next time try to keep all the fries around the edge of the baking sheet. Or stir them up and around the pan more. But that's just my guess. ;) Glad you liked them and the sauce! ~ karen
Erika
This was my first attempt at making french fries (of any kind). I am particular about the texture of my french fries so I was a bit nervous attempting this recipe. They turned out perfect! I cut them fairly thin and followed the instructions. The only thing I'd do differently next time is use non-stick foil and/or parchment paper.
Thanks Karen! I love your enthusiasm about french fries, I feel the same was about pancakes :-)
Karen
You're welcome Erika! The only reason I haven't used parchment paper is because I find things don't brown as well on it. If you have a good, blackened cookie sheet you're usually in business. But if you don't have one, yes parchment would be the way to go. ~ karen!
Pun
I guess the soaking is essential. I was running out of time and since your post said that soaking wasn't mandatory, I only soaked them for 1/2 hour. They came out a soggy mess. Crisped up a bit after being out of the oven for a few minutes, but I have to say that the taste of cornstarch was too overwhelming--and I was careful not to dust them more than showed in your photos. I can't imagine that chalky taste would disappear even if they were crispy. My partner threw his share in the trash. It was probably my fault for not soaking them enough, but I have been forbidden to try this experiment again, so I guess I'll never know.
Michael
I simple cut two small sweet potatoes into wedge fries, 8 per potato, after removing skins. I dusted with about two teaspoons of cornstarch. Gently tossed. Used parchment paper. Drizzled crisco oil on fries. Seasoned fries with salt and Cajun seasonings. Roasted for 20 minutes at 425, flipped, roasted 20 minutes at 450. Served with mayo/catsup/hot sauce dropping sauce. Best fries ever! Thanks!
Karen
That's great! Thanks for letting me know Michael. ~ karen!
Carla
WOW! Came out exactly as I imagined! Awesome, crispy and perfect! I drizzled honey over mine.
Thank you for sharing this awesome and easy recipe!
Tracy
Looking through all of the comments, I saw one person mention the possibility of failed sweet potato fries from using a gas oven and I think there may be some truth to that. I used to make sweet potato fries all the time at my parents house using their electric oven with no issue. I've since moved into an apartment with a gas oven and my fries never seem to get crispy. Nothing else about the way I'm baking them has changed.
Andrea
I NEVER comment on recipes (I feel guilty about that, since I love reading others' reviews), but I had to chime in. These are by far the best sweet potato fries anywhere - this method is genius! Thank you!
Karen
Thanks for taking the time to leave the comment Andrea! Glad you like em. ~ karen!
Eline
Hi!
I have a question (or actually a bunch). I spent a semester studying in Canada last year and got addicted to sweet potato fries there, but ever since I got home I have been ably to make them crispy myself. Now, I would really like to make crispy sweet potato fries this Christmas (my parents put me and my brother in charge of dinner this year, so we want to impress). Since we're already using the (small) oven for another dish, I'd like to use the deep fryer. Your recipe says to use the highest setting on the deep fryer, and I was wondering how high that is for you. I live in the Netherlands, and really have no clue on whether these setting vary across the world.
Also, I assume I can only fry a small amount of fries at the same time? And how will I know they're done? Do I just check if they look nice enough after a few minutes?
I hope you can help me out so I can impress my folks and feel a little bit like I'm back in Canada this Christmas! :)
Karen
Hi Eline!
Here are my tips for you. :).
Don't use too much corn starch. They'll taste corn starchy.
Remember to soak the fries in water. All day if you can!
Fry at 200 c.
They're done when they're brown and crispy. Just pull on our and feel or taste it.
Good luck and I hope you Christmas dinner goes well! ~ karen!
Jinnie
Is there a way to make these for the freezer? The freezer fries are awesome (and easy) can I make and freeze these for convenience?
Karen
I actually just made these last night Jinnie and was wondering the same thing. I haven't tried it yet so I can't tell you for sure but for some reason I don't feel like these would freeze well. You could always give it a go and report back to me. :) ~ karen
claudia
I like your french fries cup and dipping sauce. yhx for shating my 1st time yo make this. And, I love swewt potato fries
Alissa
This recipe was amazing! My husband doesn't even like sweetpotatoe fries and he ate almost the whole batch :) I put a bit of popcorn salt with the cornstarch and really liked the outcome. Next time I'll have to try using the Greek yogurt for the dip. Thank you!
Karen
You're welcome Alissa! I'm very happy they worked out for you. ~ karen
elizabeth
OMG. EXACTLY how it looks like in your picture. Taste even better than the fried ones at the diner. These are to die for. I've already eaten 2 whole sweet potatoes. These will definitely become a staple. Thank you!
Karen
Glad to hear it Elizabeth. Did you make the sauce? ~ karen!
Tiffany Merritt
Looks so yummy! Wanted to let you know that I'm doing a round up of recipes that I can't wait to try in the near future, and I'd like to include this one. I will be listing the name of your recipe, linked back to your site, as well as your site name. A photo will bein a collage format only, so that your picture cannot be "swiped" from my site. And there will be no information about the ingredients or recipe steps so that readers must come visit you if they want to know how to make it! This will go live on the 13th; please do let me know if you don't want me to link to you for some reason. I hope it brings you a lot of traffic!