Sweet Potato Fries

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Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfectly seasoned, these Easy Sweet Potato Fries are a delicious side dish everyone will love! Fry them for an easy recipe that’s perfect with burgers, sandwiches, or as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce.

To say I am not a fan of sweet potatoes is an understatement.   While I am totally, completely in love with regular potatoes and eat them frequently, I have a hard time getting behind the sweet potato.

What is a sweet potato?

A sweet potato is a naturally sweet, starchy root vegetable that grows underground. Despite its name, it’s not closely related to regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family, while white potatoes are part of the nightshade family.  Sweet potatoes are popular for their naturally sweet and earthy flavor.

I just can’t get over the sweetness of the sweet potato.  I’ve tried sweet potato fries, tater tots, and even a stuffed sweet potato and while they all taste fine, I just can’t get over the sweetness of the potato.

I will, however, use sweet potatoes in desserts as they add a sweet and earthy flavor.  One of my favorite things to make are sweet potato cupcakes because they are warm and spiced and taste a lot like pumpkin cupcakes. I also make a delicious Sweet Potato Haupia which is a Hawaiian dessert.

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A quick funny story.   In an effort to have healthier school lunches our cafeteria started serving sweet potato tots.   None of the kids would eat them so I decided to take one for the team and get some to try.  I figured even if I didn’t like them, I’d eat them and show the kids they weren’t that bad.

The lunch ladies were thrilled.   I took my first bite and almost gagged.   They were soggy and horrible!   I managed to eat a second one but had to throw the rest away.  Total teacher fail.

So late this summer we went to a friends house.  He was cooking us dinner and my husband and I were very excited.   While he was preparing dinner he told us he was making his sweet potato fries as an appetizer.

My husband and I gave each other a look, knowing that neither of us enjoy sweet potatoes.   Since we were at a guests house we would both take a handful and pretend to enjoy them.

As they came out of the fryer, they actually looked pretty good.  I tentatively took a first bite and was surprised.   I took another bite and actually smiled.  They were delicious!

So I decided to try and make the sweet potato fries for myself.  I knew I needed a big pot and vegetable oil to fry them in.

Can I bake the sweet potato fries?

You can bake them in the oven or put them in an air fryer.  To make them in the oven preheat it to 425 degrees. Toss with oil and seasonings then bake for 15 minutes.  Flip the fries and bake another 10-15 minutes.  You can also preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.  Toss with oil and seasonings and cook for 13-15 minutes, shaking the basket every 4-5 minutes.

Ingredients:

• sweet potatoes
• vegetable oil
• salt
• seasonings (I just used garlic powder on mine)

To make the fries you simply heat the oil in a large pot to 350 degrees (using a thermometer helps with this) and then add about 20 fries at a time.   Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are golden brown.

When they come out place them on a paper towel to drain.  Then sprinkle with seasonings!   We like to use salt and garlic powder but feel free to sprinkle on your favorites.

What seasonings can I use on Sweet Potato Fries?

A variety of sweet and savory spices and seasonings can be used on the sweet potato fries.

• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
• Cinnamon, sugar, and salt
• Cajun seasoning, salt, and paprika
• Brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg
• Dill, parsley, garlic powder, and salt
• Garlic powder, honey drizzle, salt, butter
• Maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar

We ended up eating a ton of these sweet potato fries.  They were so crispy and delicious with just a small sprinkle of salt.  In fact, we liked them so much that I made them for dinner the next week.

These sweet potato fries are great fresh out of the fryer but they don’t keep well for later so they are best eaten the day that you make them.

Sweet Potato Fries

Crispy sweet potato fries are easy to make and are a delicious side dish!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Author: Hezzi-D

Equipment

• 1 stock pot
• 1 deep fry thermometer
• 1 spider strainer

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

• Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into very thin sticks. Each sweet potato should make about 40 potato sticks.
• Place the oil in the bottom of a deep saucepan. Heat until a thermometer reads 350 degrees.
• Add about 20 fries to the oil. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes on one side and then flip. Cook for 1-3 minutes on the other side, just until they begin to brown.
• Remove the fries with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining fries.
• Sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder and serve hot.

Notes

Recipe from Randy