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American

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato sticks are tossed with cornstarch and spice, then roasted until the edges brown and the centers are tender. They are oven fries, spread out so they do not steam.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Seasoned sweet potato fries with browned edges spread on a sheet pan

Why you’ll love it

  • Cornstarch is what helps the cut sides brown instead of staying soft.
  • A hot oven and an uncrowded pan beat a thick pile that steams.
  • Sweet potatoes are done when a thick stick is tender in the center and the edges are browned.
  • Salt goes on while they are hot so it sticks.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 425°F. Place two sheet pans in the oven while it heats.

  2. 2

    Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks about 1/2 inch thick. Pat them dry.

  3. 3

    Toss the sticks with the cornstarch until they look dusty.

  4. 4

    Add the oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss again.

  5. 5

    Spread the fries in a single layer on the hot pans. Do not crowd them.

  6. 6

    Roast 15 minutes. Flip the fries.

  7. 7

    Roast 12 to 15 minutes more, until the edges are browned and the thickest stick is tender when pierced.

  8. 8

    Taste one. Add a pinch more salt if the fries taste flat. This serves 4.

Pro tips

  • One crowded pan will not brown. Use two pans or roast in batches.
  • Very thin sticks burn before the centers of thick ones cook. Keep the size even.
  • They soften as they cool. Serve them soon after they come out.

Easy substitutions

paprika
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
neutral oil
olive oil

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. They will not stay crisp.

Reheating

Spread on a pan and heat in a 425°F oven for 8 minutes, until hot. A microwave steams them.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
220
Protein
3 g
Carbs
34 g
Fat
8 g
Fiber
4 g

Budget friendly · Oven

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients