Baked sweet potatoes cooked in the air fryer are an easy, nutritious and delicious side dish. Crispy skin on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, air fried whole baked sweet potatoes are perfect for any night of the week.
I’m obsessed with my air fryer. I was super late to the game in getting one, but now I can’t remember what life was like before this glorious appliance. I make so many quick and easy things in my air fryer and these baked sweet potatoes are definitely one of my favorites. If you love your air fryer, you’ll definitely want to try my Air Fryer Green Beans and these Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fries for some other delicious air fried vegetable sides.
You can make baked sweet potatoes in a basket or oven style air fryer. I purchased this exact model for the multiple functions. A major upgrade to my basic toaster oven!
How to make whole baked sweet potatoes in the air fryer
Air frying whole sweet potatoes couldn’t be any easier. You’ll have healthy, delicious sweet potatoes in no time.
- Scrub sweet potatoes and let them dry completely.
- Coat in a little bit of oil and desired seasonings.
- Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork.
- Air fry until fork tender.
That’s it!
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.
Tips for making whole baked sweet potatoes
- Clean the outside of the sweet potatoes thoroughly. They can be quite dirty and the skin will be crispy and delicious.
- Let the sweet potatoes dry thoroughly before air frying. Wet foods don’t get crispy! I like to let them dry on a baking 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.
Seasonings for baked sweet potatoes
I’m a purist and my favorite way to enjoy a whole baked sweet potato is with butter and salt – literal perfection. If you want to jazz it up, add some garlic powder, paprika or chipotle powder. For a sweeter take, add some brown sugar, cinnamon and honey or maple syrup!
How to store leftover 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.
What to serve with whole baked sweet potatoes
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 great way to prep healthy meals for the week.
- A simple green salad for a light lunch or dinner.
- Roast chicken, steak or fish.
- Scoop out the flesh and use it to make these Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes.
More sweet potato recipes you’ll love
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash with Sausage and Kale
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas
- Sweet Potato Avocado Toast
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other high heat neutral oil
- Salt or other seasonings to taste
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the sweet potatoes thoroughly and let dry completely.
- Coat the whole sweet potatoes in oil and salt, rubbing it in with your hands. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees if your model requires it.
- Prick each sweet potato 6-8 times with a fork.
- Arrange sweet potatoes in air fryer basket, making sure to leave some space in between each one.
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes until fork tender, rotating potatoes halfway through.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, split lengthwise down the middle. Squeeze gently and fluff up flesh with a fork. Top with butter or other desired toppings.
Jen
I’ve been looking for a good air fryer sweet potato recipe and this one was spot on. My sweet potatoes came out soft and delicious!
Robin
I’m still in the experimental stage of using my air fryer. The sweet potatoes came out just as you described – perfectly!
Dee Moore
I don’t use my air fryer as often as I should, the next time I’m planning to add sweet potatoes to my menu, I’m for sure using this recipe.
Marcus Avery
Thanks for giving me another recipe for my air fryer! These sweet potatoes were great!
Tamara
I am obsessed with using my air fryer! So this was a must! I actually liked the way my sweet potatoes came out with this method, way better than any other! Thanks for the idea.
Crystal
Been doing a lot of searching around for air fryer recipes and came across this. Didn’t realize how fast a sweet potato would take to cook! I sprinkled some brown sugar on mine too!
Stephanie
Such a simple recipe with so much flavor. This recipe was so easy to make and the sweet aroma of the sweet potato was incredible. I added some cinnamon on top and it was perfect.
Lynne Vaughn
We make a meal out of a large sweet potatoe. Yummy with butter & salt & pepper. Love my air fryer.