Baked Sweet Potato Fries (Plus VIDEO)

Content… Baked vs. Fried Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Soul-Satisfying Sweet Potato Recipes to Try Watch How to Make It

Baked vs. Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Ok, so I just talked about the healthiness of these baked sweet potato fries, and obviously, frying them would reduce the health factor. But sweet potatoes, in general, are more nutritious than regular potatoes.

So, if you’ve got the urge to fry these fries, go for it! I do on occasion. 🤫In favor of the healthier baked version, you’ll still get beautifully crisp fries out of this recipe—something to take into consideration. 

Recipe Ingredients 

1. Sweet Potatoes – The subtle sweetness combines beautifully with the kick of the seasonings.
2. Cornstarch is my secret weapon for fries. It helps the seasonings stick but also soaks up moisture, giving you the crispiest possible outer layer.
3. Fats – Butter and oil combine to crisp up those fries in the oven and add a little depth of flavor.
4. Seasonings – The supporting players here are homemade Cajun seasoning, onion, garlic, oregano, cayenne, and a touch of salt. 😋

How to Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Prep Your Fries

• Preheat oven to 425℉/218℃.
• Scrub the sweet potatoes, then cut them into the desired shape—the thinner, the less time to bake, and the thicker takes longer. Just make sure they are a uniform size for even cooking.
• Coat in Cornstarch – In a large bowl, toss the uncooked fries with cornstarch until thoroughly coated. Shake off the excess cornstarch.
• Finish Seasoning – Add the melted butter and oil to the bowl and toss to combine. Then, season with homemade Cajun seasoning and salt.

Bake the Fries

• Arrange – Spread the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. You might have to use two sheets, depending on the quantity.
• Bake the potatoes for 25-35 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes with a spatula until evenly browned and crispy. After 25 minutes, you have to check on them every 5 minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
• Serve – Allow the sweet potato fries to cool slightly, and serve them with your favorite sauce. 🍟

Recipe Variations

1. Home fries. Cube sweet potatoes and pan-fry them in a little lard or butter to make sweet potato home fries! You don’t have to heat the oven, and they pair perfectly with scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast.
2. Customize your seasonings. I love love love the heat of the Cajun seasoning with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, but you can season however you like. Try warm spices like garam masala, go minimalist with good old S&P, or shake things up with an Italian seasoning blend. 
3. Regular baked fries. I’ve been raving about sweet potatoes in this recipe, but you can totally make Cajun oven-baked regular fries. Swap them with Idaho, russet, or Yukon gold potatoes.

Tips and Tricks

1. Are you looking for an extra crispy fry? Something I do for regular and sweet potatoes is to soak them in the water for a few minutes to get the excess starch out, then drain and dry them. After that, you can toss them with cornstarch, oil, and spices.
2. Another trick for crispier fries is to not overload your baking tray. Give them plenty of room – even if it means using two baking sheets. Trust me, it’s worth it. 
3. Cooking time varies depending on how thick your fries are. The thinner the strips, the faster they’ll cook.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can cook and freeze these sweet potato fries if you’d like to have some on hand for a last-minute snack. Simply let them cool completely and then store them in the freezer for up to three months in a Ziplock bag.

Reheat them straight from the freezer. Spread them on a baking sheet again and bake them in a 300℉ (150℃) oven for about 10 minutes. 

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve sweet potato fries hot out of the oven with all your favorite dipping sauces. These babies always taste best fresh from the oven.

Store leftover sweet potato fries in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat them in a 300℉ (150℃) oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

What Goes With Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Sauces go with baked sweet potato fries! I love dipping them in ketchup, homemade mayo, or roasted red pepper sauce. My family usually requests remoulade sauce, too. 

If you’re using them as a side, try them with grilled salmon burgers or a pulled pork sandwich. Yum!

More Soul-Satisfying Sweet Potato Recipes to Try

1. Curry Chickpeas Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
2. Sweet Potato Casserole
3. Irio (Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Peas and Corn)
4. Sweet Potato Bread
5. Sweet Potato Souffle
6. Sweet Potato Pancakes

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”sHiNd6nv” upload-date=”2022-01-05T03:08:36.000Z” name=”Cajun Baked Sweet Potato Fries” description=”Cajun Baked Sweet Potato Fries are a simple and savory side dish perfect for your next snack or weeknight meal. Sweet potatoes drizzled in olive oil, sprinkled with Cajun seasoning, then oven-roasted for a crispy outside and melt-in-your-mouth inside have a natural sweetness that will get you addicted in no time.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]