Crispy Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Tested by
Lauryn Bodden Reviewed on 04/20/21 by
Lauryn is associate food editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.
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Lauryn Bodden
Updated 07/29/21
Sweet potato fries

The Spruce 
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Soak Time: 30 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
352 Calories
18g Fat
45g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 352
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 63mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 33mg 167%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 808mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you've had trouble getting your sweet potato fries to crisp up, this recipe may become your favorite. The water-cornstarch bath, as well as frying the potatoes twice, are the secrets to crispy, golden brown, deep-fried sweet potato fries. Soaking the raw potato strips in an ice water bath at the start also helps to keep the potatoes from sticking to each other, and adds to their crispiness.

You can season the sweet potato fries with kosher salt, or use a spicy seasoning, such as a Creole or Cajun blend. For a complementary sweet flavor, sprinkle them lightly with cinnamon sugar. Serve the sweet potato fries with pulled pork sandwiches or burgers or alongside a grilled ham and cheese. They are also delicious as an appetizer or snack with a dipping sauce such as garlic aioli or Sriracha mayo.

"Treating myself to restaurant-quality sweet potato fries is so much easier thanks to the tips and tricks in this recipe." —Lauryn Bodden

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 medium)

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

  • 1/2 cup water, cold

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • Kosher salt, flaky sea salt, seasoned salt, or cinnamon-sugar blend

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for sweet potato fries
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  2. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside.

    Fill a large bowl with ice
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  3. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch sticks about 3 to 4 inches in length.

    Cut sweet potatoes
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  4. Put the sweet potatoes in the ice water and let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

    Pour sweet potato strips in water
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  5. In a large food storage bag or bowl, combine the cornstarch with the cold water; stir until smooth. The mixture will be quite thin.

    Combine cornstarch with water
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  6. Place the potato strips in the cornstarch and water mixture. If using a bag, flip over a few times to make sure the potatoes are well coated; if in a bowl, stir to mix evenly.

    Immerse the strips in cornstarch and water mixture
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  7. Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil to 325 F.

    Taking the temperature of the vegetable oil
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  8. Working in small batches, remove the potatoes from the bag or bowl using a slotted spoon, and carefully place them in the hot oil; discard the cornstarch mixture. Fry the sweet potatoes for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir them a few times to keep them from sticking together. When done, the fries should be tender but not browned.

    Cooking the fries in small batches
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  9. Using a metal slotted spoon, lift the potatoes out onto paper towels or brown paper to drain. 

    Using slotted spoon, take out sweet potatoes
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  10. When all of the potatoes have been fried once, raise the temperature of the oil to 350 F. Working in small batches, fry the sweet potato sticks again for about 1 minute. (Allow the oil to come back up to temperature before frying each batch.)

    Frying the sweet potatoes a second time
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  11. When the fries are golden brown, remove them to paper towels or brown paper to drain again.

    Fries draining on paper towels
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  12. Sprinkle the sweet potato fries with kosher or seasoned salt or dust lightly with a cinnamon-sugar blend.

    Sprinkle fries with seasonings
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Tips

  • Make sure you choose a high-heat neutral flavor oil for deep-frying. Oil labeled "vegetable oil" is as good as any other and is usually cheaper than other types. Sunflower, peanut, canola, and refined safflower oil are good choices as well.
  • Sweet potato fries are best served as soon as they are cooked and drained. If that isn't possible, heat the oven to 200 F and place a rack on a baking sheet. When the fries are ready, transfer them to the rack and place the pan in the oven until serving time.
  • Fry in small batches. Overcrowding the oil will lower the temperature and could result in limp, greasy fries.

Are Sweet Potato Fries Good for You?

When compared to white potato french fries, sweet fries have an advantage since the orange root vegetable has a high concentration of vitamin A. However, sweet potato fries are fried food, which when eaten in excess can lead to certain health issues, such as weight gain and high cholesterol.