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.
Skip right to the printable recipe.
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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Ann
The dip looks good but here in North Carolna the Sweet Potato State we sprinkle sweet potato frys with cinnamon sugar. You should try it. Looking forward to trying your crispy SP fries.
Supal
Thought I'd let you know that I added your picture with a link to this post on my blog under my "I'm craving" feature. Will be making these tomorrow!
Karen
Thanks Supal! Like I tell everyone, there's a bit of a learning curve with this. Light on the cornstarch and heavier on the oil. Guaranteed success the first time, use the deep fryer. (with the cornstarch) Good luck! ~ karen!
Jessica@TheAestate
You're right about the learning curve on these. First time- undercooked sweet potato fries covered in oily starch.(yes I still ate them, I would eat anything with spicy mayo on it.) Second time- getting closer. I cooked them much longer, till they were browned. Some crispy, but very cornstarchy still, so I'll chill out on the cornstarch next time. Hopefully that fixes it. I make sweet potato fries about once a week, so its worth figuring this one out.
Karen
Jessica - Yes ... go very light on the cornstarch. I add mine to the bag a large handful or two at a time. Makes it easier to get a light dusting. Also, as someone else pointed out, make sure your fries aren't cut too thick. Good luck. Third time's a charm. :) ~ karen
Karen
Duane - That's true! You can't have thick cut sweet potato fries! And also, like I say, if all else fails, do them with the cornstarch in the deep fryer or in a pan with oil! ~ karen
Andy
These rocked. This is the first time I made fries without them being soggy. The corn starch helped. Also, I put my sweet potatoes in cold water for 30 min and let them dry out a bit. This is supposed to help get rid of moisture. This was great.
Katie
Thank you! The world is a better place with sweet potato fries. Really, it is.
Megan
I love sweet potato fries more than regular fries so I'm so excited to try this out! I usually coat my sp fries with a mixture of spices (chili powder, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, black pepper, thyme, and oregano) to give them a little kick. They taste delicious but are super mushy. I know I've been cutting them unevenly and too big and crowding my pan, so I'm going to fix those issues. Do you think it would interfere with the crisping process if I mixed the spices with the cornstarch? Or would you add the spices with the oil? Do them in a separate baggie? I just might have to make five batches and test all the options!
Elisabeth
Wow! Just made these alongside Carolina BBQ Turkey Burgers. What a healthy complement to a weeknight summer meal. The corstarch is like a magical ingredient!
Karen
Elisabeth - Excellent! I'm glad they worked out for you. There's a bit of a learning curve w/ them for sure. ~ karen!
Kristy
Ok... I DO love sweet potato fries dipped in home made Bleu cheese dressing.... However, as vile as Mickey D's may be to adults, their ff dipped in a strawberry shake.. Well.. I think that takes professionalism to a whole other level, don't you?! Lol
(btw, please do not knock til you've tried it.. :))
Paul
these need to be fried - there's no way they are getting crispy with corn starch, olive oil, and an oven - NO WAY. Fryer = crispy
Karen
Paul - Yes. They do get crispy. YES WAY. ~ karen
Emily Henning
Making these. TONIGHT. Thanks for sharing!
The Tablescaper
Wow! These sound easy and delicious.
- The Tablescaper
France
Now this may sound stupid but... my man has been asking me for crispy sweet potato fries,so far not happening... do I skip the olive oil process if I use the deep fryer?? and is there a need for pre frying??
thank you :)
Karen
France - If you're doing your sweet potato fries in a deep fryer, you don't have to douse them in olive oil. However, you do still have to give them a dusting of cornstarch. Just remember to give a light coating. The easiest way to do this is to put them in a plastic bag with a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch and shake the bag. Like Shake n' Bake. There's no need to pre fry, but pre soaking them in water will help. Also, sweet potato fries cook quicker than regular fries, so keep your eye on them. Good luck! ~ karen
Kate
I've been searching forever for the secret to crispy sweet potato fries. My attempt was not successful. I deep fried, but mine look like they are coated with a layer of icing. Even though the fries themselves are brown. I am assuming too much cornstarch, but how to coat them with less? And I did not soak th potatos in anything before...
Karen
Kate - I can't believe they weren't successful in the deep fryer! You must have used way too much cornstarch. They just need a dusting. They come out similar to a "crispy fry", so you will notice a slight, slight coating, but it's barely noticeable. Try putting a tablespoon of cornstarch in a plastic bag, then add your fries, make sure there's a lot of air in the bag and then shake it all around. Take a look and see if you need to add a bit more cornstarch. This is the best way to make sure you have an even, thin coating of corn starch. Good luck the second time around! I may have to hold a class in this, LOL. ~ karen
Antof9
P.S. Found you by way of Pinterest :)
Karen
Thx. for letting me know! I'm always curious about how people found me. ~ k
Antof9
I have sriracha in the pantry and mayo in the fridge. I'm quite confident that going to the store for sweet potatoes at this point is like buying an outfit to go with a pair of shoes, but nevertheless I WILL be in the produce section in the next hour or two ... buying sweet potatoes to go with my sriracha :)
Thanks for this! I have a "Puerto Rican Fryer" a friend gave me that I've never used. As much as I want to deep fry things, I can't bring myself to do it. Between the fat (on my body) and the smell lingering for days, I ... well, I'll be baking mine, and these look amazing. Thanks!
-Ant
Karen
Antof9 - Honestly ... the cornstarch then deep fryer method for these fries along with the mayo and sriracha will change your life. Live a little. Go for the fried method! ~ karen
bees
two words....thank you.
you have solved a dilemma that has plagued me for years.
Karen
bees - The best technique is the cornstarch prior to putting them in a deep fryer. However, you CAN make them crispy by using the oven method, it just takes a little fiddling to figure out the ratio of cornstach and oil. Good luck! ~ karen
elle
I tried making these today..first time around, I added way too much corn starch and it was very floury. So I dumped those out and trid it a second time adding the corn starch little by little (thinking it was just the right amount), but it was not cripsy at all. I didn't put the potatoes in water so I am guessing that was the problem, so I'll try again another day. :)
Karen
Elle - I'm guessing you just didn't use enough oil or didn't coat them properly with the oil. Try a bit more oil. And like I say if it's too hard to get the hang of, use a deep fryer. ~ karen!
Tiffany
Booo. I tried these last night, imagine my entire cooking process with "womp womp womp wommmppppp" music as my background.
I followed the recipe to the T, and they came out black and burnt, soggy, and tasted like corn starch.
Reviewing the comments I will try again with MORE oil and less starch, though my pre-cooked fries looked exactly like yours, if your photos didn't even look more starch-y. I think I may have not coated each fry as good as I should have - at least that is what I'm trying next time.
Onward!!
Karen
Tiffany - Yes, there's a learning curve with these fries. If you can't be bothered to go through the learning curve, you can always just chuck them in the deep fryer. You *still* have to add the cornstarch if you're going to deep fry them though. Sweet Potato Fries don't even get crispy in a deep fryer unless you use cornstarch. Good luck! Oh! And if they turned out black your oven might be running a bit hot! You should check it to make sure. ~ karen!
Tiffany
Thanks Karen :) I don't own a deep fryer and I would be scared as hell to attempt to operate one anyway. ;o) I will try in the oven again. The bottoms were black, not the tops. Like when I pushed them off the pan they were charred below. ACK! I will be using a different oven anyway, I tried making them for my dad for father's day in my parents oven and I think their knobby old-school oven isn't entirely accurate!
Rachel
and of course, I just see now why I made them soggy before - you just posted this this May. and I'm a dif Rachel....not too many of us around here - nice to see TWO of us on one blog posting :)