Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato

Name: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes; 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other high heat neutral oil; Salt or other seasonings to taste

Why Air Frying Sweet Potatoes Works

Quick and Easy: While baking sweet potatoes isn't overly complicated, baking them in the air fryer is quicker, so you get dinner on the table even faster.

No Oven Needed: Craving a baked sweet potato in the summer, but it's too hot to turn on the oven? Air frying sweet potatoes is the answer!

Crispy Skin: The air fryer is the secret to a crispy skin that tastes so good! This is thanks to the air that circulates to cook the sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes: I prefer using sweet potatoes with a deep orange flesh and orange or red skin when air frying sweet potatoes. They cook up tender and moist with a sweet flavor. If you love sweet potatoes, try these sweet potato and black bean quesadillas, too!

Oil: Rubbed on the outside of the sweet potato to help the skin cook up crisp in the air fryer.

Seasoning: Salt and pepper are the bare minimum, but feel free to add more to the skin or sprinkle on top for serving.

Air Fried Sweet Potato Variations

Basic: I'm a purist at heart when it comes to air fryer baked sweet potatoes. My favorite way to enjoy a whole baked sweet potato is with butter and salt. It's literal perfection.

Savory: If you want to jazz it up a bit, add some garlic powder, smoky paprika, or chipotle powder. Sprinkle them on before baking to season the skin and/or on top when you're ready to serve it. You can even try combinations like garlic butter and chives or more adventurous seasonings like harissa, za'atar, and furikake.

Sweet: For a sweeter take, sprinkle some brown sugar, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup over the flesh of the sweet potato.

How to Make Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer

This air fryer sweet potato recipe couldn't be any easier. You'll have healthy, delicious sweet potatoes in no time. You can make baked sweet potatoes in a basket or an oven-style air fryer. I purchased this Cuisinart model for the multiple functions. A major upgrade to my basic toaster oven!

Whole raw sweet potato in air fryer basked being pricked with a fork.

Step 1: Prep the sweet potatoes. Scrub the sweet potatoes and then dry them completely. Rub the potato with a bit of oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Next, pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork.

Air fryer baked sweet potato split and topped with butter and salt on a white and blue patterned plate.

Step 2: Cook. Arrange the sweet potatoes in the air fryer basket, making sure to leave some space in between each one.
Air fry at 400°F for 45-50 minutes until fork tender, rotating potatoes halfway through. Cool slightly, and then split it lengthwise and serve. Enjoy with a bowl of spicy black bean soup or on its own.

Jessica's Top Tips

Clean them well. Use a scrub brush to clean the outside of the sweet potatoes thoroughly. They can be quite dirty, and the skin will be crispy and delicious.

Dry the sweet potatoes. Wet foods don't get crispy! I like to let them dry on a cooling rack. This ensures that the air flows around all sides of the potatoes and that they dry completely.

Poke them all over with a fork. Creating tiny holes all over the sweet potatoes helps the steam escape.

Pick the right size potatoes. This recipe comes out best with medium-sized, longer, skinnier sweet potatoes. Bigger, rounder sweet potatoes will still work, but note that the cook time will be longer, and they may not cook as evenly.

Serving Suggestions

Sweet potatoes are good for you and a great addition to any meal. Baking a few whole sweet potatoes in the air fryer is also a great way to prep healthy meals for the week.

They make a tasty side dish for this sheet pan teriyaki salmon and eye of round roast beef. It really pairs well with any roasted chicken, grilled steak, or fish dish.

Enjoy an air-fried baked sweet potato as a main dish and pair it with a crispy goat cheese salad or this marinated asparagus and tomato salad.

You can even scoop out the flesh and use it in recipes like these sweet potato oatmeal pancakes.

Top your air fryer sweet potato with protein to make it heartier. This works great with black beans and cheese, Mexican pulled pork, or shredded chicken.

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Recipe FAQs

What are the best kind of sweet potatoes for baking?

For the best baked sweet potatoes choose varieties with orange or red skin and deep orange flesh, like Red Garnet and Jewel. These cook up sweet and moist, whereas tan and purple sweet potatoes are much drier.

How do I store leftover air fryer sweet potatoes?

Store leftover baked sweet potatoes in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in foil) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Can I cook cubed sweet potatoes in the air fryer?

Yes, you can! Instead of cooking them whole, dice up the desired amount, toss in the oil and seasonings, and add them to the air fryer basket. Be sure to spread them out so there is room between the pieces. Cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.

What's the key to crispy skin when air frying sweet potatoes?

Make sure to dry the potatoes very well after cooking them. If you can scrub them ahead of time and allow them the time to dry completely. Rubbing the skin with oil also helps the skin crisp up as it cooks.

How do I know when my air fried sweet potatoes are done cooking?

I suggest giving them a squeeze first. They should give when pressed and feel soft to the touch. You can also stab them with a fork in the center to test that it's done all the way through. If you feel some resistance, keep cooking in five minute intervals until it's fully cooked.