How to Cook Sweet Potatoes in an Air Fryer: 5 Delicious Ways
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Craving a whole sweet potato that’s soft and sweet, or little cubes and fries with caramelized edges? It’s easier than you might think. Here’s how to air fry sweet potatoes five different ways.
Sweet potatoes in air fryer baskets cook at different speeds depending on whether they’re whole, cubed, or sliced.
Sweet Potatoes in an Air Fryer: Cooking Times and Temperatures
How long do you air fry a sweet potato? Here’s a quick look at the cooking times below:
| Shape & Size | Air Fryer Temperature | Approx. Cook Time | View Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole — 2 medium sweet potatoes | 390°F (about 200°C) | 20 + 15–20 min / About 35–40 min total | View Steps |
| Cubes — 1 sweet potato, about ⅝-inch (1.5 cm) cubes | 390°F (about 200°C) | 10 + 5 min / About 15 min total | View Steps |
| Wedges — 2 sweet potatoes, 8–10 wedges each | 390°F (about 200°C) | 15 + about 10 min / About 25 min total | View Steps |
| Fries — 1 sweet potato, about 3–4 inches (7–10 cm) long and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick | 390°F (about 200°C) | 8 + about 8 min / About 16 min total | View Steps |
| Slices — 1 sweet potato, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick | 390°F (about 200°C) | 8 + 5–6 min / About 13–14 min total | View Steps |
That’s the quick overview. Now let’s get cooking—but first, let’s pick the right sweet potatoes.
How to Choose Sweet Potatoes for the Texture You Like
For a Soft, Moist Texture, Look for Orange Flesh
At the grocery store, look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Garnet and Beauregard are two common varieties, and they tend to be sweeter and moister once cooked. If you like your whole baked sweet potato soft and creamy, start here.
Prefer a Drier, Firmer Texture? Try White or Pale Yellow Flesh
Hannah sweet potatoes, with their white flesh, are usually a little drier and firmer than orange-fleshed varieties. Some sweet potatoes have reddish-purple skin but white or pale yellow flesh inside. Personally, I prefer the orange-fleshed kind.
5 Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Recipes
You don’t need to try all five at once. Start with whichever version sounds good to you
1. How to Cook a Sweet Potato in an Air Fryer (Whole)
For whole baked sweet potatoes, try to choose medium-sized sweet potatoes that are roughly the same size. This makes it easier for them to cook all the way through within the suggested cooking time. If a sweet potato is especially large, you can cut it in half.
Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes.
Equipment: An air fryer.
Temperature: Use 390°F (about 200°C) as a reference setting.
Instructions:
💡 Tip: Sweet potatoes can release sticky sugars as they cook. A piece of parchment paper underneath can make cleanup easier, but check your air fryer’s manual first. If your model allows it, keep the paper under the potatoes and leave enough room for hot air to circulate.
2. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Air fryer sweet potato cubes are handy for salads, rice bowls, or an easy side dish. Here’s how to make them.
For this batch:
1 sweet potato, plus starch, honey, black pepper, and other seasonings depending on whether you want a savory or sweet version.
Instructions:
Savory version: Toss the cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅜ teaspoon salt, and a little black pepper until evenly coated.
Sweet version: Rinse the starch off the surface of the cubes, then pat them dry with paper towels. (Wet surfaces make it harder for the cubes to crisp up.) Add a little cornstarch, sugar or honey, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss until coated.
3. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
Sweet potato wedges cook much like whole sweet potatoes, except you cut them into sections first, so the timing changes with their size. The nice thing is that you can season them however you like—savory or sweet.
For this batch:
2 sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon olive oil or another cooking oil.
Savory version: Add salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a little black pepper.
Sweet version: Add a little honey or sugar along with a little cooking oil, and toss to coat.
Instructions:
💡 Tip: Wedges coated with honey or sugar brown faster, so check the surface as they cook to keep them from burning.
4. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
If you’re in the mood for fries, cut the sweet potato into long, thin strips. It’s much like making wedges, but the thinner pieces cook faster.
For this batch:
1 sweet potato, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. You can also add a little garlic powder, paprika, or black pepper if you like.
Instructions:
💡 Tip: Thin fries can burn quickly. During the second round, take another look at the edges to see how they’re doing.
5. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Slices
Sweet potato slices are even easier: no need to dice or cut fries—just slice the sweet potato into rounds. If you want them a little crisper, you can rinse away some surface starch. For a sweeter version, add a little honey.
For this batch:
1 sweet potato, a little cooking oil, and whichever seasonings you like.
Choose one of two flavors:
Savory version: Rinse the slices after cutting to wash off some of the surface starch, then pat them dry with paper towels. Cook them without seasoning first, then sprinkle with a little salt, black pepper, or even cinnamon after they’re done.
Sweet version: Put the slices in a bowl, add a little cooking oil and honey, and toss gently so they’re lightly coated.
Instructions:
💡 Tip: Wondering how long to air fry sweet potato slices? Thinner slices cook faster. Honey-coated slices may also brown sooner, so watch how the edges are doing.
Why Aren’t My Sweet Potatoes Crispy, or Why Are They Dry or Still Hard Inside?
Sometimes a sweet potato looks nicely browned on the outside, but you cut it open and find the middle is still hard. Or the fries come out soft, while the edges have already burned. If that happens, here are a few things to check.
Brown Outside, Hard in the Middle
Poke the thickest part with a fork to see whether it’s still firm. If some smaller pieces are already done, take those out and give the rest a few more minutes. If the outside is getting quite dark, try turning the temperature down a little.
A very large whole sweet potato, or pieces cut to very different sizes, can cause this. Next time, choose sweet potatoes of similar size and try to keep the pieces even.
Tender Inside, but Soft on the Outside
If you put too many cubes, wedges, or fries into the air fryer at once, the pieces piled on top of each other won’t brown as well. Try cooking fewer at a time, spread them out, and separate them again when you flip them.
Edges Are Dry or Some Pieces Have Burned
Take out the pieces that are already cooked and let the thicker ones keep going.
Next time, cut the pieces to a similar size. With thin slices and skinny fries, check the edges when you flip them. If they’re getting dark, take those pieces out.
Seasoning and Serving Ideas
Cut open a whole sweet potato and taste it first. If it’s already sweet, it’s delicious just as it is. For a change, try a little butter, cinnamon, or maple syrup.
Sweet potato cubes go nicely with rice, beans, and vegetables as part of lunch or dinner. For wedges and fries, a dipping sauce you already like is really all you need.
If you have Greek yogurt at home, stir in a little garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice to make a quick dip. It tastes great with sweet potato wedges or fries.
If you’d like to make your own Greek yogurt, take a look at our “How to Make Greek Yogurt at Home” guide.
How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
How Should You Store Raw Sweet Potatoes?
Keep whole, uncut sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. Wash them when you’re ready to cook. Refrigerating whole raw sweet potatoes generally isn’t recommended.
How Long Do Cooked Sweet Potatoes Last?
If you make extra, divide the leftovers into smaller portions, put them in clean, shallow containers, and refrigerate them promptly.
Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. If the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (about 32°C), refrigerate within 1 hour. It’s fine to put the sweet potatoes into the fridge while they’re still warm; you don’t have to leave them out until they cool completely.
Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (about 4°C) or below, and try to eat cooked sweet potatoes within 3–4 days.
How to Reheat Cooked Sweet Potatoes
Spread leftover fries or slices in the air fryer and reheat at 350°F (about 177°C). A whole sweet potato is thicker, so cutting it open can help the inside heat through. Reheating time depends on the size and thickness.
Can You Freeze Leftover Sweet Potatoes?
Yes. Divide the cooked sweet potatoes into portions, seal them well, and freeze.
When you’re ready to eat them, you can thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating. The texture may change after freezing, especially with fries and slices, which might not have the same browned edges as when they were freshly cooked.