30-Minute Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes are easy to make, and cook perfectly every time. Faster than oven roasting, with crispy skins, and creamy soft insides. Serve with a drizzle of Balsamic Tahini Dressing, vegan butter, or load with your favorite toppings.
A quick and easy fall or Thanksgiving side dish or main, these Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes are a staple in my house. They are so healthy and versatile. Cooking them in the air fryer is not only faster, it also makes the skins deliciously crispy, and that's where all the fiber is! This recipe is so convenient. There's no preheating involved, and it keeps the oven free for cooking other foods.
Try these Harvest Bowl Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for a complete meal. Or pair them with my Tofu Taco Meat to add plant-based protein.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Use moist sweet potatoes, which have copper skins and orange flesh, for this recipe. They contain an enzyme that breaks their starches into sugars, which is how you get that sweet, caramelized flavor. I used Garnet sweet potatoes, but any moist sweet potato will work, including Beauregard, Jewel, Red Garnet, Covington, Centennial, and Hernandez. (Dry sweet potatoes have golden skins and paler flesh.)
- Olive oil gets the skins extra crispy. While you can air fry sweet potatoes without oil, a little goes a long way in getting the skins delicious.
- Rub with a dash of salt before air frying for a delectable flavor and slight crunch.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍠 Substitutions
- Olive oil - use any oil you have on hand, or omit for oil-free
- Salt - use flaky sea salt for a slight crunch, any salt you have on hand, or omit as desired
- Sweet potatoes - Use a moist variety of sweet potatoes–Beauregard, Jewel, Garnet, Covington, Centennial, and Hernandez. These are red or orange on the outside. They contain an enzyme that breaks their starches into sugars, which is how you get that sweet, caramelized flavor.
See this Roasted Chickpea & Veggie Bowl on my website for an easy sheet pan sweet potato recipe. For more ideas for serving your sweet potatoes, visit my Veggie Bowls page.
⏲️ Equipment
Air fryers cook with convection—and because of their size and design compared to regular convection ovens—you can bake sweet potatoes in them in half the time. I used the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Oven for this recipe. (This is a paid affiliate link.)
📖 Instructions
Step 1. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Place them in a large bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt. Rub the skins until evenly coated with the oil. Prick each one several times with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Place the potatoes in an air fryer basket, leaving space between them so the hot air can circulate freely.
Step 2. Air fry at 390ºF for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Check for doneness by squeezing one of the potatoes in an oven mitt-protected hand and inserting a sharp knife into the center. They should feel quite soft and the knife should glide all the way through without resistance. If not, cook for about 5 minutes more, or until tender.
Step 3. Set aside to cool until they can be handled comfortably, about 5 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the air fryer basket and slice them open. Fluff the inside with a fork, then add your favorite toppings.
💡 Expert Tips
- Buy potatoes that are the same size and shape. This will ensure that they are done cooking at the same time.
- Avoid overcrowding. Cook them in batches instead. Overcrowding will make them steam and they will become soggy instead of crispy. Make sure to place them in a single layer.
- Flip them halfway so that they cook evenly on both sides.
- Adjust the cooking time as needed. Wider sweet potatoes may need more time, while long, thin ones may need less time in the air fryer.
- Storage: Refrigerate Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Reheat them in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.
- Freezing: Let the baked sweet potatoes cool completely, then store them whole in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat them in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.
- For serving: Simply slice and serve with a pat of vegan butter or a drizzle of tahini. Or load your potatoes with protein-rich toppings for a complete meal. You can also repurpose leftover baked sweet potatoes for different meals. Use them to make soup, dice them and add them to chilis and stews, make mashed sweet potatoes, or combine them with black beans for easy tacos.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Sweet Potatoes are are lower in calories and carbohydrates than the average spud. They're also higher in vitamins A and C, as well as B6 which is important for brain and nervous system health. In addition, they are a good source of potassium and magnesium, which may improve heart health by helping to regulate blood pressure.
For small to medium sized sweet potatoes, cook at 390ºF for 30 to 35 minutes. Check for doneness by squeezing one of the potatoes in an oven mitt-protected hand and inserting a sharp knife into the center. They should feel quite soft and the knife should glide all the way through without resistance.
Avoid overcrowding and place them in a single layer. Overcrowding will make them steam and they will become soggy instead of crispy. Flip them halfway so that they cook evenly on both sides. Rubbing the skins lightly with oil before air frying gets them even crisper.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 small-medium sweet potatoes (Garnet, or any moist sweet potato with a copper skin)
- Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
- Dash of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the sweet potatoes: Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes before placing them in a large bowl.
- Season: Add a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt. Rub the skins until evenly coated with the oil.
- Prick: Use a fork to prick each one several times evenly. This allows the steam to escape.
- Cook: Place the potatoes in an air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them so the hot air can circulate freely. Air fry at 390ºF for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Check for doneness by squeezing one of the potatoes in an oven mitt-protected hand and inserting a sharp knife into the center. They should feel quite soft and the knife should glide all the way through without resistance. If not, cook for about 5 minutes more, or until tender.
- For serving: Set aside to cool until they can be handled comfortably, about 5 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the air fryer basket and slice them open. Fluff the inside with a fork, then add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Buy potatoes that are the same size and shape. This will ensure that they are done cooking at the same time.
- Avoid overcrowding. Cook them in batches instead. Overcrowding will make them steam and they will become soggy instead of crispy. Make sure to place them in a single layer.
- Adjust the cooking time as needed. Wider sweet potatoes may need more time, while long, thin ones may need less time in the air fryer.
- Storage: Refrigerate Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Reheat them in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.
- Freezing: Let the baked sweet potatoes cool completely, then store them whole in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat them in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.
- For serving: Simply slice and serve with a pat of vegan butter or a drizzle of tahini. Or load your potatoes with protein-rich toppings for a complete meal. You can also repurpose leftover baked sweet potatoes for different meals. Use them to make soup, dice them and add them to chilis and stews, make mashed sweet potatoes.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Amina
I would’ve never thought to air fry my sweet potatoes with the skin on. Very quick and easy to do!
Nisha Melvani
Yes! It's the best. Super easy.
Neena Chandiramani
Yummy!
Nisha Melvani
They truly are delicious!