Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my air fryer sweet potato recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
How To Air Fry Sweet Potatoes
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card. Try other dried herbs (like rosemary or thyme), spices (like chili powder, cinnamon, or cumin), or one of my seasoning mixes (like Italian seasoning, or even Cajun seasoning — keep in mind this one has salt already added). If you’re not sure how much to add, I recommend starting with 1-2 teaspoons of dried herbs (total), 1/2 teaspoon of any spices (each), or 2 teaspoons of a spice mix. You an even drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup (or my sugar-free maple syrup).
Cut all the wedges to a similar thickness. This is key to ensure that they cook at the same rate. The size of your pieces affects the cook time, too, so see my notes below on that. Want extra crispy air fryer sweet potatoes? Cut them and submerge in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This is totally not required, but if you’ve got the time (or are going to meal prep — see below!), it makes them even better! Dry the potatoes well. If there is water left on them, they won’t crisp up as nicely. This is especially important if you soak the sweet potatoes in water ahead of time, but still relevant even if you’re just washing and air frying right away. Cook in batches to avoid crowding the basket. If you pile them all in at once, they won’t get crispy and might cook unevenly. You want spaces between the pieces. Mine usually take about 3 batches. Do you have to preheat? You can, and for some foods it matters. But honestly, I haven’t noticed much difference in my air fryer sweet potatoes between preheating and not. Turn the pieces twice during cooking. Wedges have 3 sides, so I turn them twice to ensure that each side gets some time facing down. This will give you the most even browning, but you can flip them just once or simply shake the basket if you’re juggling too many things in the kitchen (been there!). Add another sprinkle of salt after air frying. This is optional, but I think it brings these air fried sweet potatoes to life! Feel free to toss in more black pepper, too. Warm all the batches together at the end. I just toss them in the air fryer again (all together this time, no single layer necessary) for 1-2 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Air frying time can will depending on size. My time guideline is based on medium sweet potatoes (5-7 ounces each), each cut into 8 wedges. If yours are smaller or larger, or if you cut thinner or thicker wedges, this will affect the time. You can poke them with a fork to confirm that they are tender. Golden brown but not soft enough yet? This can happen if your potato wedges are too thick. If it’s too late and you’re in this situation, just turn down the air fryer temperature to 320 degrees F and continue air frying until soft.
Air Fryer Proteins – Personally, when I make this recipe I usually cook my main dish in the air fryer as well, so there aren’t any pans to wash. Try my air fryer salmon, air fryer chicken legs, or air fryer steak bites! I recommend cooking the sweet potatoes first, since you can warm them at the end (see my tips above). Other Proteins – Prefer to time your main dish with your side? Cook my skillet chicken thighs, ribeye steak, or pan fried tilapia on the stovetop, or pop healthy chicken breast or coconut shrimp in the oven before air frying sweet potatoes. Dipping Sauces – I just love dunking these in ranch dressing, but they’re also tasty with my sugar-free ketchup (above), tahini sauce, or aioli. Veggies – I always need some greens with my spuds, like air fryer broccoli or air fryer brussels sprouts. If you’d rather throw together a quick salad, my kale salad or fall salad is perfect. Breakfast – These air fryer sweet potatoes make the perfect base for fried or baked eggs, or you can serve them on the side with an omelette.
Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle! In fact, I took photos of some of the recipes in the bundle this spring (pictured here), when sweet potatoes were not even particularly in season (lol). But they completed the showcase of recipe variety in the bundle so well, that I made them anyway. They were the first to disappear in my family! If you like the idea of easy, healthy recipes your family will love, all wrapped up in a printable bundle, you can learn more about it here.
