Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I’m always looking for new side dishes to serve with dinners. I’m pretty creative and adventurous when it comes to the entree, but for the accompaniments, I tend to fall back on making the same (delicious but not terribly exciting) side dishes over + over again. My husband loves sweet potato fries, and frequently orders them at restaurants, so I decided to try making a healthier, non-fried version myself at home. And I’m so glad I did, because they turned out SO good!

They’re delightfully crisp (+ insanely addictive), with a wonderful sweet-salty-spicy flavor. And they’re super simple to make – you simply peel + chop your sweet potato into fry-shaped pieces, toss with some cornstarch and your desired seasonings, then bake them until they reach that perfectly crispy texture. Since they’re baked, not fried, you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in them. Fearless Baby absolutely loved them, and since they’re packed with good-for-you calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, I didn’t have to hold her back in enjoying them. =) I can’t wait for y’all to give these a try soon – I have a feeling that you’re going to love them as much as we do!

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

serves 3-4, adapted from Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into slim french fry-shaped pieces (about 1/2″ wide). Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly.

Put the uncooked fries into a large ziplock bag. Sprinkle with the cornstarch, close up the bag, + shake until all fries are coated evenly. Open up the bag, and add in the olive oil and all seasonings. Seal it up and shake again until all fries are coated evenly and there are no powdery spots.

Pour the fries directly onto a non-stick baking sheet for best results (do NOT line with parchment paper or tin foil – that results in a less crispy result). Arrange your fries in a single layer and do NOT overcrowd, otherwise they will not crisp up. If needed, spread them out over 2 different baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. I find the easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick turn of the wrist.

Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until the fries are crispy. You’ll know they’re done when the surface of the fries change from shiny orange to a more matte, puffed up texture. It’s essential to bake them long enough, otherwise they won’t be crispy. Don’t worry if the edges are a little bit brown; they will taste caramelized, not burnt.

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