Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes are small cubes of sweet potato tossed in olive oil, smoked paprika and garlic powder, then air fried until the edges turn golden and crisp and the centers go soft and fluffy. They are an easy side for a weeknight dinner. This sweet potato air fryer recipe serves 3 and takes 20 minutes start to finish.
How to make it: Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes, toss them with the oil and spices, and air fry them in a single layer at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once halfway through.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast: 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes in the air fryer, with no oven to heat.
- Two textures: caramelized, crisp edges around a soft, tender middle.
- Pantry seasoning: smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper are all you need.
- Easy to change: make them spicy with harissa or sweet with cinnamon and maple.
Ingredient Notes
Sweet potatoes: One pound is about 2 large. Orange- or red-skinned kinds such as Red Garnet or Jewel give the creamiest texture. Red Garnet is a little less sweet than Beauregard, the most common sweet potato in US stores.
Oil: One tablespoon of olive oil coats a whole pound of cubes, and avocado oil works the same way. The oil helps the seasoning stick, keeps the cubes from drying out and helps them brown.
Seasoning: Smoked paprika brings a smoky, deeper flavor that plays up the natural sweetness, and garlic powder rounds it out. Taste a cube when they come out and add another sprinkle of salt and pepper if you like.
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, about 2 large, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Black pepper, freshly cracked, to taste
How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
1. Cut the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut each one into 1/2-inch rounds, then cut each round into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep the cubes the same size so they all cook evenly.
2. Season. Put the cubes in a bowl with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss until every cube is well coated.
3. Fill the basket. Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturer’s directions. Arrange the cubes in a single layer in the basket with a little space between them; cook in batches if they don’t all fit.
4. Air fry. Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once halfway through. Start checking at 8 minutes: they are done when the edges are golden and a fork slides easily into the thickest cube. A second batch often cooks faster, in about 8 minutes.
5. Serve. Serve right away, while the edges are crisp, as a side dish or in salads, rice bowls, wraps or tacos.
How Long to Air Fry Sweet Potatoes, by Cut
The cut decides the cooking time. Small, even pieces cook fastest, and whole sweet potatoes take the longest. Every air fryer runs a little differently, so use these times as a starting point and let the fork tell you when they’re done.
| Cut | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2-inch cubes, peeled | 400°F | About 10 minutes (8 to 12), shake once |
| 1-inch cubes | 400°F | 15 minutes, shake once halfway |
| Thin half-moons, skin on | 400°F | 12 to 15 minutes, shake halfway |
| Fries | 390°F | 10 to 14 minutes |
| Wedges, skin on | 390°F | 15 to 20 minutes, turn every 5 to 7 minutes |
| Whole medium sweet potatoes, rubbed with oil | 400°F | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Whole medium sweet potatoes, plain | 370°F | 35 to 45 minutes |
For the 1/2-inch cubes in this recipe, 10 minutes is the usual time, but it can run anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes depending on your machine and how big you cut them. Smaller cubes cook faster and crisp up better than big chunks.
If the cubes are golden outside but still firm in the middle, the pieces are too thick for the heat. Turn the temperature down and keep air frying until they are soft. If they are still hard after the full 10 minutes, give them 5 more minutes.
For whole sweet potatoes, poke them all over with a fork first so steam can escape, and skip the foil. Small to medium ones are done in just over 30 minutes, while larger ones need about 45. The skin will be deeply browned by then, and that’s fine; the fork tells you when the inside is ready.
Tips for Success
Why aren’t my sweet potatoes crisp?
Look for water. Pieces that go into the basket wet won’t crisp up as nicely, so pat the sweet potatoes dry with paper towels after washing them. Skip paper liners without holes, too; they keep the air from moving around the food and can cook it unevenly.
Do I have to preheat the air fryer?
It works either way. Without preheating, the cubes need a couple of extra minutes to reach the same color and texture.
How do I keep the first batch warm?
When the last batch is done, put all of them back in the basket together, with no need for a single layer, and heat them for 1 to 2 minutes so everything reaches the table hot.
Variations
- Harissa or other spices: use 1/2 teaspoon harissa spice blend in place of the smoked paprika. Cumin, coriander, curry powder or berbere are good too. Cajun seasoning already contains salt, so taste before adding more.
- Cinnamon maple: for 1 1/2 pounds of cubes, swap the savory spices for 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. When they’re done, drizzle 1 tablespoon maple syrup over the top and air fry 2 minutes more. Finish with chopped pecans, walnuts or toasted pepitas.
- Loaded whole sweet potatoes: air fry them whole (see the table), split them lengthwise and fluff the insides with butter. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and mini marshmallows, then air fry at 400°F, 1 minute at a time, until the tops are golden. For a savory meal, spoon chili or taco beef on top instead.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. To freeze, spread the cooked cubes on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then move them to a zip-top bag; they will be softer once thawed. Thaw them in the fridge overnight. Reheat them in the air fryer, which brings back the crisp edges, until they reach 165°F, and don’t reheat them in a slow cooker. Keep aioli and other mayonnaise dips out of the freezer, since mayonnaise doesn’t freeze well.
What to Serve With It
These cubes fit next to almost any main. Set them beside slow cooker turkey breast, honey garlic pork chops or baked honey lime garlic butter salmon, or pair them with 3-ingredient slow cooker chicken thighs on a busy night. Put out ranch, ketchup or aioli for dipping. When you want a sweeter sweet potato dish for the holiday table, make sweet potatoes with marshmallows or a steakhouse-style sweet potato casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to air fry or bake sweet potatoes?
Air frying is quicker. Cut sweet potatoes cook in about half the oven time: sliced ones roast in the oven in about 25 minutes plus a 10-minute preheat, while the air fryer does them in 12 minutes after a 3-minute preheat. The edges also caramelize more in the air fryer.
Why soak sweet potatoes before air frying?
Soaking is optional, but cut pieces left covered in water for at least 30 minutes come out crispier. Dry them very well before seasoning. You can also cut them ahead and keep them covered in water in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Do I need to peel sweet potatoes for the air fryer?
No. The recipe above peels them, but skin-on pieces work too, and the skin crisps up nicely in the air fryer. Scrub them well and dry them before seasoning.
Can I use yams or white sweet potatoes?
Yes. White-fleshed sweet potatoes and yams both work in place of the orange ones.
Final Notes
Give the cubes room in the basket and take them straight from the air fryer to the table while the edges are still crisp. If you have a question or make these, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes about 2 large, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut each one into 1/2-inch rounds, then cut each round into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep the cubes the same size so they all cook evenly.
- Put the cubes in a bowl with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss until every cube is well coated.
- Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturer's directions. Arrange the cubes in a single layer in the basket with a little space between them; cook in batches if they don't all fit.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once halfway through. Start checking at 8 minutes: they are done when the edges are golden and a fork slides easily into the thickest cube. A second batch often cooks faster, in about 8 minutes.
- Serve right away, while the edges are crisp, as a side dish or in salads, rice bowls, wraps or tacos.
Notes
Nutrition
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