Japanese Sweet Potato Air Fryer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why soak sweet potatoes before air frying? ›

If you'd like, you can soak the sweet potato slices for 30 minutes up to 2 hours before frying to remove excess starch. Personally, though, going through this step didn't make a real difference for my fries. Peels on or off — it's up to you!

Because they're a little drier and starchier than other varieties, Japanese sweet potatoes have a distinct creaminess and a fluffier, lighter texture, a little more like a regular baking potato than a standard orange sweet potato. They also have a particularly sweet yet, subtle flavor compared to many other varieties.

If your air fryer fries are soggy, it is likely because you over-crowded them in the basket. The sweet potatoes steam when crowded together, instead of air frying. For the best, most crispy results, cook the fries in a single layer so that the air has room to circulate.

Bake at low temperature (325ºF or 160ºC). Slow and steady will bring out the best texture and flavor, so let it bake for 90 minutes. Check the doneness with the bamboo skewer. The thickness of each sweet potato is different, so make sure it's cooked through using a skewer.

I wouldn't bother doing potatoes from the raw state, without soaking. It will take about a half an hour and the texture won't be nearly as rewarding. They just don't get very crispy without that cold soak.

Why do my air fryer sweet potato fries turn black? Sweet potatoes contain a higher concentration of sugar than standard potatoes, and caramelize as they cook in the air fryer. If you find the fries are darkening too quickly or deeply, cook at a lower temperature, or for a shorter period of time.

Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes: A Classic Delight

A simple drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and some time in the oven result in a comforting dish that's both rustic and refined. The caramelized edges and creamy insides make for an irresistible combination that's perfect as a side or a standalone snack.

Best of all they contain all the essential amino acids that our bodies need. Are Japanese sweet potatoes healthier than regular sweet potatoes? All varieties of sweet potatoes are good for you but these purple-skin tubers do have higher concentrations of specific vitamins and nutrients.

Yes, sweet potato skins are totally edible, so put the peeler down and step away from the tuber. Find out why you should be eating sweet potato skin. Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience.

Sweet potatoes take 40 to 50 minutes to bake in the air fryer at 370 degrees F, compared to 50 to 65 minutes (or longer) in the oven (check out How to Bake a Sweet Potato). Use that time to whip up a fast, easy main like Pan Fried Chicken Breast.

Can you put foil in an air fryer? ›

The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.

You might be cooking at too high of a heat and/or cooking the sweet potato fries for too long in your air fryer. To avoid this I recommend cooking the fries at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Toss halfway through cooking and check frequently toward the end of cooking to ensure desired results.

My go-to way of eating a Japanese sweet potato is slathered with avocado, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and then topped with steamed greens or broccoli and fresh sunflower sprouts. HEAVEN! But there are so many ways to enjoy this tuber packed with antioxidants, vitamins A and C, fiber, and potassium.

Place the prepared sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. You'll know they're ready when the skin turns crispy and the flesh becomes tender and easily pierced with a fork.

They're simultaneously drier and creamier than orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which means that when you roast them at high heat (cubes, wedges, circles, or halves, simply coated with olive oil and salt and cooked between 425 and 450°), their edges get unbelievably crispy and burnished, belying the pudding-like centers.

Soaking: A Crispy Essential

This creates the “double fried” effect that makes many restaurant fries so addictive. Be sure to pat your soaked potatoes very dry with kitchen towels or paper towels so they crisp nicely.

Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up. I've tested soaking sweet potato fries many times, and I've found that it doesn't make them much crispier, if at all.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

Soaking the sliced potatoes in water helps to draw out some of the starch from the middle of the potato, resulting in a sturdier, crispier French fry.