Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

The air fryer is the best way to make crispy sweet potato fries with less oil and in less time. Deliciously easy for snacking or a side dish.

Once upon a time deep frying was widely considered the best way to make frozen french fries. I remember in the early days of my marriage I’d bake them and my husband would gripe that oven-baked fries weren’t crispy enough. He’d want to pull out the deep fryer because he felt it was necessary for extra crispy fries. I hated the oil splatter on the counter and being left with so much oil in the fryer we’d have to find a use for to avoid wasting it. Everything about deep frying was unappealing to me. So you can imagine how excited I was when I first used the air fryer for fries. It’s truly a game changer!

While I highly recommend the air fryer for all french fries, today we’re focusing on how it can make the best frozen sweet potato fries. You get the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes plus the convenience of using a bag of frozen fries.

I’m telling you these sweet potato fries are really the perfect side dish, snack, or appetizer. They’re so fun for game days but easy enough for busy weeknights.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

• Frozen sweet potato fries: A one pound (or 16-ounce) bag of fries is perfect for most air fryer sizes. If you’re using a compact air fryer you might want to divide the fries into two batches so they cook more evenly.
• Salt: Obviously a little salt is a must for french fries. You can also use your favorite seasonings like black pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and/or italian seasoning to really amp up the flavor. Those are totally optional but fun ways to customize fries.
• Oil spray: We’re using minimal oil to get these fries crispy A little bit of olive oil spray or avocado oil spray will help the salt stick to the fries. Any cooking spray will work.

How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Add frozen french fries to preheated air fryer. As with anything you’re cooking in the air fryer try to get the fries in a single layer or as close as you can manage for the best results. If using a basket-style air fryer fill the basket of the air fryer no more than ⅓ to ½ way full. (You can do multiple batches if the air fryer basket is too small to accommodate all the fries.)

Spray the fries with the oil spray and sprinkle with salt. Add any other optional seasonings you like.

Cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees. Give the fries a good shake. This keeps the pieces at the bottom of the basket from being underdone. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until fries are as crispy as you like them. I like my fries extra crispy so I lean toward 12 to 15 minutes of total cooking time. That can vary depending on the type of fries you make. Voila! Now gobble up this easy side dish!

How Does the Air Fryer Work?

Let’s talk about the air fryer cooking process. The air fryer cooks food by circulating hot air. You need minimal oil because of that circulation which means it’s a healthier option for cooking so many things. I have found it’s truly the best way to achieve that crispy texture whether we’re talking about fries, tater tots, chicken wings, or chicken nuggets. And delicious sweet potato fries too!

How to Store Leftover Sweet Potato Fries

Store leftover fries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. While you can reheat them in the microwave, reheating in the air fryer will give you crispier results.

How to Serve Sweet Potato Fries

Serve these delicious fries immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. Ketchup is an obvious dip option but I also suggest my Comeback Sauce, 3-Ingredient Honey Mustard, or Ranch Dressing.

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