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I absolutely love sweet potatoes – and sweet potato fries – but getting them nice and crispy is always a bit of a challenge. This time I experimented with chickpea flour, and I was really happy with the result. The fries turned out lightly crispy on the outside. If you prefer, you can substitute the chickpea flour with cornstarch, but I really liked the extra flavor the chickpea flour adds.
Table of contents
Do Sweet Potato Fries get as Crispy as Regular Fries?
Why don’t sweet potato fries ever get quite as crispy as regular French fries? The reason is that sweet potatoes contain much less starch and much more moisture and natural sugars than regular potatoes. That means they caramelize more quickly while staying soft and creamy on the inside.
The chickpea flour in this recipe creates a thin, crispy coating that gives you that satisfying “French fry” texture. For the best results, always cook the fries in a single layer so they have plenty of room to crisp up and turn beautifully golden brown.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes – About 1 pound (500 g). Choose firm sweet potatoes so the fries hold their shape. Cut them as evenly as possible for even cooking.
- Chickpea flour – Creates an extra crispy coating. You can substitute cornstarch if you prefer, but chickpea flour adds a little more flavor.
- Olive oil – Helps the seasonings stick to the fries and promotes browning.
- Seasonings – Ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder add lots of flavor. Prefer less heat? Simply leave out the chili powder.
- Avocados – The base for the creamy avocado mayo. Make sure they’re ripe.
- Lime – Adds freshness to the sauce. Lemon juice works just as well.
- Cilantro – Adds a fresh, vibrant flavor. Not a fan? Substitute flat-leaf parsley.
- Mayonnaise – Makes the avocado mayo rich and creamy. You can replace part of it with Greek yogurt for a lighter sauce.
- Red pepper flakes – Optional, for an extra kick of heat.
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
Wash or peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fries of roughly the same thickness.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour with the cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle the fries with the olive oil and toss well. Add the seasoning mixture and toss again until all the fries are evenly coated.
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Arrange the fries in a single layer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. Cook in two batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
Using an oven instead? Bake the fries at 350°F (180°C) for 15–20 minutes, checking halfway through to make sure they aren’t browning too quickly.
Meanwhile, make the avocado mayo. Place the avocado flesh, lime juice, cilantro, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a tall measuring cup or blender jar. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
Serve the sweet potato fries immediately with the avocado mayo, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if you’d like a little extra heat.
Storage
These sweet potato fries are definitely best enjoyed fresh from the air fryer. While you can store them, they will lose some of their crispiness.
Refrigerator: Store the fries in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes to restore some of their crispiness. The avocado mayo will keep for about 1 day in the refrigerator. It may discolor slightly because of the avocado, but it’s still perfectly fine to eat.
Freezer: Freeze the cooked fries for up to 3 months. Reheat them straight from frozen in the air fryer. The avocado mayo is not suitable for freezing.
FAQ Sweet Potato Fries
That’s completely normal. Sweet potatoes contain less starch and more moisture than regular potatoes. The chickpea flour and cooking the fries in a single layer help create a delicious crispy exterior.
Yes! Bake them in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 15–20 minutes. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet for the crispiest results.
Yes. You can prepare it a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to help minimize browning. But because it does brown a little bit I tend to make this last minute.
Absolutely! Feel free to customize the seasoning blend with your favorites. Smoked paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or Cajun seasoning all work well.
Yes. As long as you use certified gluten-free chickpea flour (or cornstarch), this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
More Vegetable Fries
Broccoli Fries With Parmesan (Air Fryer or Oven)
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Fries
- 500 grams sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Avocado Mayo
- 2 ripe avocados
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 100 grams mayonnaise
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes optional
Equipment
- Air fryer
Instructions
- Peel or scrub the sweet potatoes and cut them into evenly sized fries.
- In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle the fries with olive oil and toss until evenly coated. Add the seasoning mixture and toss again.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Arrange the fries in a single layer (cook in batches if needed) and air fry for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
- If baking in the oven, bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes, checking halfway through.
- To make the avocado mayo, scoop the avocado flesh into a tall measuring cup. Add the lime juice, cilantro, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Serve the fries immediately with the avocado mayo, and garnish with red pepper flakes if desired.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
