Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

My air fryer and I had a rocky start, honestly. I bought it on a whim, convinced it would revolutionize my kitchen, then let it gather dust for months. One lazy afternoon, watching my partner eyeing the vending machine at work, I decided to prove the contraption could make something worth eating. Sweet potato fries seemed like the obvious test run, and when they emerged golden and impossibly crispy twenty minutes later, I understood the hype. That first bite, dipped in hastily whisked garlic aioli, tasted like redemption and potential.

I made these for a casual game night last fall, thinking they'd be a throwaway snack people would nibble between rounds. Instead, my friend Sarah ate half the batch before anyone even sat down, then asked me to teach her the trick. Watching her discover that the soaking step actually matters, that you can't just rush into cooking, felt like passing along something genuine. Now whenever she wants to impress someone new, she texts me for the recipe like it's some kind of secret handshake.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: Choose firm ones without soft spots, as they hold their shape better and develop that caramelized sweetness in the air fryer heat.
• Olive oil: Don't skip this or use cooking spray as a substitute if you want real crispiness; the oil creates the golden exterior you're after.
• Smoked paprika: This ingredient is what separates these fries from boring; it adds warmth and subtle smokiness that makes people ask what your secret is.
• Garlic powder: Fresh garlic would burn at air fryer temperatures, so the powder ensures flavor without char.
• Cornstarch: Optional but genuinely game-changing if you have it on hand; it absorbs surface moisture and creates that restaurant-quality crunch.
• Mayonnaise: Full-fat works best for the aioli, though I've saved money using store brands without noticing much difference in the final taste.
• Fresh garlic: One clove is plenty; grate it if you have a microplane because mincing by hand leaves uneven pieces.
• Lemon juice: Keeps the aioli bright and prevents it from tasting heavy or one-dimensional.

Instructions

Prepare Your Potatoes:

Peel them while cool, then cut each one into quarter-inch thick fries using a sharp chef's knife. I found that cutting them while they're still cold makes them less slippery and easier to get consistent sizes.

Soak for Success:

Drop those fries into a bowl of cold water and actually wait the full twenty minutes. This removes excess starch that would otherwise make them soggy, and I learned this the hard way after my first impatient batch turned out limp.

Season and Coat:

Pat the fries completely dry with a kitchen towel, then toss them in a bowl with olive oil and all your spices until every piece gleams with flavor. The drying step matters more than you'd think; any water clinging to the surface will steam instead of crisp.

Preheat and Arrange:

Get your air fryer to 200°C for three minutes while you lay out the fries in a single layer without crowding. Touching fries steam each other, which defeats the whole purpose of air frying.

Cook with Movement:

After about eight minutes, shake the basket to redistribute them for even crisping, then finish cooking until they're golden. You'll know they're done when they look like they came from a proper chip shop and smell like something you can't resist.

Build Your Aioli:

While the fries cook, combine mayonnaise, grated garlic, lemon juice, and mustard in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Taste it and adjust seasoning because homemade aioli is forgiving and wants to match your preferences.

Serve Immediately:

Hot fries with cold aioli is the only way forward here; transfer them to a serving dish and dive in while they're still steaming. Any delay diminishes the magic.

Save to Pinterest

There's something almost meditative about standing in front of the air fryer window, watching these fries turn from pale orange to deep golden, the anticipation building. My daughter noticed me doing this one evening and asked if I was waiting for a present to unwrap, which pretty much sums up how this simple dish makes even mundane cooking feel special. Food doesn't always need to be complicated to bring people together, and these fries prove that perfectly.

The Soaking Secret Nobody Talks About

I spent three years making regular fried potatoes before learning why restaurants and food scientists care so much about soaking. The starch on the outside of raw potatoes absorbs moisture and prevents browning, so removing it is essential for crispiness. When you soak sweet potatoes specifically, you're also leaching out some of their natural sugars, which sounds like you'd lose flavor but actually concentrates it and prevents burning. The first time I tried this step, my fries looked like they belonged in a proper restaurant instead of my apartment kitchen.

Making Aioli That Doesn't Break

Aioli is just fancy mayo with garlic, but there's a technique to keeping it smooth and silky instead of grainy or separated. The secret is whisking constantly while combining ingredients, and if you're adding fresh garlic, grating it rather than mincing ensures it distributes evenly and won't add excess moisture. I once made a batch by throwing everything in a food processor, expecting it to be faster, and ended up with something that tasted slightly off and looked slightly separated. The slow hand method, boring as it is, produces something infinitely better.

Storage and Reheating

These fries are best eaten immediately while they're hot and crispy, but I understand real life gets in the way. Leftover fries can be refrigerated in an airtight container for two days, and reheating them in the air fryer for four to five minutes at 180°C restores most of their original texture without drying them out. The aioli keeps refrigerated for about a week, though the garlic flavor intensifies over time, which some people love and others find overwhelming.

• Make extra aioli anyway because you'll definitely want it on other things, from roasted vegetables to grilled chicken.
• If you're feeding a crowd, cut your sweet potatoes into slightly thicker fries so they cook through before the exterior burns.
• Leftover fries make an excellent topping for grain bowls or next to grilled proteins if you can resist eating them straight from the container.

Save to Pinterest

This dish went from an impulse air fryer test to something I make whenever I want to feel like I'm taking care of people. These fries remind me that sometimes the most satisfying meals are the simplest ones.

Questions & Answers

→ How do I make sweet potato fries crispy in an air fryer?

Soak the cut fries in cold water for 20 minutes to remove excess starch, dry them thoroughly, then toss with oil and spices before air frying.

→ Can I make the garlic aioli lighter?

Yes, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier aioli without sacrificing creaminess.

→ What spices enhance the flavor of sweet potato fries?

Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper blend well to highlight the fries' natural sweetness and add depth.

→ Is it necessary to shake the air fryer basket during cooking?

Shaking the basket halfway through cooking ensures even browning and crispiness on all sides of the fries.

→ Can I add heat to these fries?

Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder before air frying introduces a spicy kick to the fries.