Crispy Fried Sweet Potato Fries

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
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.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/14/24
Tested by
Lauryn Bodden
headshot for associate food editor Lauryn Bodden
Tested by Lauryn Bodden
Lauryn is Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Soak Time: 30 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 4 servings

If you've had trouble getting your sweet potato fries to crisp up, this recipe may become your favorite. The water-cornstarch bath and 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.

Sweet potato fries with dip on a plate

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Serve the sweet potato fries with pulled pork sandwiches or grilled ham and cheese. They are also delicious as an appetizer or snack with a dipping sauce such as garlic aioli or Sriracha mayo.

Tips for Making Fried Sweet Potatoes

  • Choose the right frying oil - 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.
  • Best eaten hot - 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.
What You'll Need to Make This Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
group photo of dutch ovens on a kitchen counter next to vegetables on a wooden cutting board
A Heavy Dutch Oven
Taylor Precision Products Taylor Candy And Jelly Deep Fry Thermometer
An Accurate Deep Fry Thermometer
Wusthof Classic IKON 8-inch Knife
A Sharp Chef's Knife

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

Sweet Potato Fries Tester Image
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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 recipes gathered

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  2. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside.

    Large bowl filled with with ice water

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  3. Peel 1 1/2 pounds (about 2 large or 3 medium) sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch sticks about 3 to 4 inches in length.

    Sweet potatoes cut into long narrow fries with a large knife on a cutting board

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

    Sweet potato fries placed in the bowl with ice water

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  5. In a large food storage bag or bowl, combine 1/3 cup cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water; stir until smooth. The mixture will be quite thin.

    Cornstarch stirred 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.

    Fries coated with cornstarch and water mixture and placed in a plastic bag

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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 vegetable oil to 325 F.

    Thermometer inserted in a pot with 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.

    Fries cooking in foaming oil

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  9. Using a metal slotted spoon, lift the potatoes out onto paper towels or brown paper to drain. 

    Sweet potato fries degreasing on paper towel

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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.)

    Precooked sweet potatoes frying in oil 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.

    Golden brown sweet potato fries draining on paper towel

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  12. Sprinkle the sweet potato fries with kosher or seasoned salt or dust lightly with a cinnamon-sugar blend.

    Sweet potato fries sprinkled with seasonings on a large plate

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Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

You can season the sweet potato fries with kosher salt and spicy seasoning, such as a Creole or Cajun blend. For a complementary sweet flavor, sprinkle them lightly with cinnamon sugar.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
352 Calories
18g Fat
45g Carbs
3g Protein
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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.)