Healthy Home Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

If you’ve never tasted them, oven baked sweet potato fries are not only healthy and delicious, but simple to make at home as well.

These fries are healthy because they’re not fried, and sweet potatoes are some of the most nutrient-dense foods you can find.

A satisfying appetizer or side dish, sweet potato fries bake up a bit faster than regular potato fries, crisp up beautifully, and if you allow them to caramelize and get a bit of char, you’re in for a scrumptious surprise.

When a bit charred, sweet potatoes are reminiscent of toasted marshmallows. They even puff up a bit like tasty pillows of sweet goodness.

A wide variety of spices can be used to customize your sweet potato fries, depending on what you’re serving them with. In this particular recipe, we’re using some cayenne pepper and sweet smoked paprika, but here are a few options to spice up your sweet potato fries recipe:

smoked paprika
cayenne pepper
cumin
paprika
coriander
turmeric
chili powder
rosemary

Want your sweet potato fries extra crisp? A pinch of corn starch to coat the fries, gives you a crispy finish like no other.

Type: Side Dish or Appetizer

Prep Time: 5 min
Bake Time: 15 – 20 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs sweet potatoes – about 3 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
sea salt – to taste
1 – 2 pinches sugar
1 – 2 dashes cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1/4 tsp corn starch

Instructions:

Wash and peel potatoes, if desired.

Tip: It’s a nice change to leave parts of the peel on the potatoes. Not only does it look nice, but it also gives you some extra nutrients found in the skin.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Also, place baking sheets in the oven to preheat.

Tip: Line baking sheets with a baking mat or parchment, so sweet potatoes don’t stick upon baking.

Cut sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch sticks.

Combine sweet potatoes, spices and oil in a large mixing bowl.

Toss sweet potatoes to coat evenly with oil and spices.

Arrange sweet potato on baking sheets evenly, and in one layer.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes before checking and turning.

After 15 minutes, flip fries over to ensure even baking and browning. Test for doneness with a sharp knife.

Return to the oven until browned, crisp and knife tender.

Note: Switch baking sheets in the oven, and turn baking sheets around the other way too. This ensures even cooking.

Tip: For crispier fries, after sweet potatoes are knife tender, turn oven off and let fries sit for an additional 10-20 min or so.

Season sweet potato fries with flake sea salt. Serve hot.

Finishing these fries with flake sea salt is a beautiful touch, as it looks great, tastes great and feels great for the chef to crumble with their fingertips – a true foodie delight.