How to Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer
I’m here to show you How to Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer, which is the BEST WAY, in my opinion! Sometimes, you just want to pop a sweet potato into the trusty air fryer quickly without heating the entire kitchen with the oven. And if your family is anything like mine, I’m the only person in the house that eats sweet potatoes (It’s crazy… I know), then throwing them into the air fryer is perfect for one or two people.
Unlike my picky family, I think sweet potatoes are AMAZING! In my opinion, they are the candy of the vegetable community and make a delicious side dish. The fact that they are naturally sweet is just so appealing to me. With just a sprinkle of salt and a little butter, you are in business!
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Let’s chat for a moment about the beauty of sweet potatoes. I can’t understand why everyone in my crew is not impressed with the sweet potato. It has all the elements that I think kids would love. It’s ORANGE, for goodness sake! (And we eat with our eyes first.) It’s a nice bright color that looks fun to eat. It’s also naturally sweet. (My kids are always trying to put sugar on things… it’s a real problem.) So, I thought my kiddos would adore sweet potatoes as much as I do. But I was wrong. They would prefer to have regular russet potatoes every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
But I want to show you why sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for many main dishes:
- First of all, it’s a healthier alternative to lots of other Southern sides like macaroni and cheese, French fries, etc. (Nobody said those sides weren’t delicious, but the sweet potato might be a great option to help you stay on track if you are on a health journey.)
- Second, it’s a side dish with simple steps and minimal prep. Whether you use an air fryer or an oven, it’s a hands-off cooking method that requires minimal effort. (That’s very helpful when making a complicated main dish.)
- Third, sprinkling salt and melted butter is all you need to make it delicious. And some would say that’s not even necessary. It’s a no-fuss side.
- Sweet potatoes contain vitamin C, fiber, protein, and other important nutrients. This healthy side dish is an easy way to get some much needed daily values of nutrients into your diet.
Check out these 8 benefits of eating more sweet potatoes!
If you don’t have an air fryer, this is the moment that I’m going to do my best to explain to you WHY this is the next kitchen investment you need to make. The first reason is that it’s basically an oven on your countertop that doesn’t heat your entire kitchen. I don’t know if you have that problem, but if not, then consider yourself lucky. But my oven tends to make the entire kitchen warm.
Now, I’m not opposed to using my oven if I’m doing a lot of cooking or using large dishes, but sometimes I just need to throw a couple of things into the oven to either warm them up or only cook a small amount. And the air fryer is the perfect cooking tool for that very thing!
(There are different types of air fryers. My first one had a basket, and my most recent purchase had trays. I prefer the trays.)
Another great thing about the air fryer is that it’s easy for my kids to use. The buttons are easy to push, and you can select the right temperature and amount of time. (For some reason, my oven confuses the kids.)
My youngest kiddo throws a frozen corndog or hot pocket in the air fryer multiple times a week, and my husband swears that the air fryer crisps up leftovers and makes them just as crunchy as when they were first cooked. And I must say… he is right. Once the air fryer made it to my home, the microwave got to take a LONG vacation. (LOL)
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Now that you know you need an air fryer for your birthday or Christmas (HA) let’s talk about how you can jazz up these beautiful sweet potatoes after air-frying them. Now, sweet potatoes are so delicious on their own. They don’t need anything but a sprinkle of salt. But if you want a little variety in your life, let me give you some delicious ways to try below:
- Top your potato with some shredded cheese. This combination might sound weird, but trust me, it works. The cheese adds a creaminess along with the sweetness. For reference, I once ate a grilled cheese where the bread was made of two donuts and pressed like a panini. It was DELICIOUS and DECADENT! I’m not sure my taste buds knew what to do! (HA)
- Chili-topped sweet potatoes are a nice surprise that steps out of the side dish category and into the main dish arena. The potato’s hint of sweetness adds a nice complexity to the chili.
- For a fun twist on sweet and savory, which the sweet potato lends itself to so naturally, try this recipe. Top the sweet potato with crumbled bacon and a drizzle of honey. This would also make a delicious breakfast with a fried egg (sunny side) on top!
- If sweet and heat is the way you roll, adding red pepper flakes or even cayenne pepper might be on your list to try. I recommend those two ingredients because they give you the spice without extra flavors that might clash with the potato.
- And then there is the classic butter and brown sugar or brown sugar and toasted marshmallows. (Which is my favorite way.)
Tips for How to cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer:
- If you are concerned about the juices dripping from the sweet potato and into your air fryer, place a piece of aluminum foil underneath the sweet potato.
- If you are cooking multiple sweet potatoes in the air fryer, for best results, arrange them in an even layer to cook evenly. (especially if you are using an air fryer basket.)
- If you like to eat the skin with the potato (I do this with regular potatoes), rub the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. This will give you crispy potatoes on the outside and tender potatoes on the inside. (If you are on a low-calorie diet, want to use less oil, and are concerned about the oil, swap it for a cooking spray.)
- If you have the entire air fryer full of potatoes, the cooking time might have to be adjusted. Just check them at the 50-minute mark and make that call.
Let me show you How to cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer on YouTube!
How to cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato
- Salt to taste
How to cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer Instructions:
- First, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
- Second, wash the potatoes in cold water and dry thoroughly.
- Third, take a fork and poke 2-3 holes on each side of the sweet potato.
- Next, place the potato in the preheated air fryer and cook for 50 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and a little golden brown on the edges. (I turned the potato over at the halfway mark.)
- Finally, cut the potato in half, fluff with a fork, top with salt, butter, or other favorite toppings, and ENJOY!
Storage for Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes:
- If you cook more than one potato and have leftovers, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and store them in the fridge. When you want to eat the potato, pop it into the air fryer in the foil until it is warmed.
What are the Macros for Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes?
Makes 1 serving (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 potato)
- Calories – 103
- Protein – 2.3 grams
- Carbs – 20 grams (net)
- Fat – .2 grams
Check out some of my other Air Fryer recipes!
Deer steak wrapped in Bacon and cream cheese
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How to cook Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
- Second, wash the potatoes in cold water and dry thoroughly.
- Third, take a fork and poke 2-3 holes on each side of the sweet potato.
- Next, place the potato in the preheated air fryer and cook for 50 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and a little golden brown on the edges. (I turned the potato over at the halfway mark.)
- Finally, cut the potato in half, fluff with a fork, top with salt, butter, or other favorite toppings, and ENJOY!
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