Cooking air fryer frozen sweet potato fries is one way to make crispy restaurant-quality french fries at home. The healthy sweet potato fries finish in 12 minutes- with no oil needed. Then, toss them in your favorite spices for crispy and delicious fries you’ll love. And if you love this recipe, check out more of my air fryer favorites, such as air fryer buffalo chicken wings.
- Why Cook Frozen Fries in the Air Fryer?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- How to Cook Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Oven
- Expert Tips
- How to Garnish Sweet Potato Fries
- What to Serve with Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries?
- What to do with the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
Why Cook Frozen Fries in the Air Fryer?
The air fryer is perfect for meals and side dishes like this one, and it makes the BEST frozen fries- hands down! Grab a bag of frozen french fries and load them into the air fryer; they come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside in the same amount of time it takes for the oven to preheat, which frees you up to focus on the rest of the meal.
Speaking of meals, pair the french fries with our garlic butter chicken wings or grilled chicken drumsticks!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet Potato Fries: My favorite brand of frozen sweet potato fries is the Alexia brand, but Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods also have good options. I use the regular cut fries for this recipe, but adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of the fries if you decide to make waffle fries, shoestring fries, steak fries, or curly fries. I usually prepare half a bag and save the rest for later. If you’re making the side for a crowd, I recommend making the sweet potato fries in batches.
Read our article on how long to cook sweet potatoes in the air fryer for instructions on making sweet potato fries from whole sweet potatoes.
How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 360°F (182°C). Then, add the sweet potato fries to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Step 2: Set the cooking time to 12 minutes, removing the basket to shake the french fries halfway through.
Step 3: Add the cooked sweet potato fries to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to combine.
How to Cook Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Then, arrange the fries onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake half of the bag for 10-12 minutes, moving them around on the baking sheet halfway through.
Expert Tips
- Preheat the air fryer so the fries start cooking right away; my Instant Vortex takes about 3 minutes to preheat.
- There’s no need to thaw the fries beforehand! Simply toss frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket and start cooking.
- Shake the basket halfway through to keep the potatoes from sticking, and ensure the fries cook evenly.
- Like with ovens, air fryers can vary in heat and power. When you shake the basket halfway through, it’s a good idea to check the fries to make sure they aren’t cooking too quickly.
If you love air fryer frozen sweet potato fries, pair them with one of these air fryer favorites!
How to Garnish Sweet Potato Fries
Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer something a bit spicier, adjust the flavor of your air fryer frozen sweet potato fries to suit your palate.
Spices:
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon and Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Cayenne
- Slap Ya Mama Seasoning
- Ras El Hanout
- Smoked Paprika
- Taco Seasoning
- Italian Seasoning
Fry Dipping Sauces:
- Ketchup
- Best Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Sriracha Mayo
- Lemon Dill Aioli
- BBQ Aioli
- Cajun Aioli
- Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Remoulade Sauce
- Toum
- Honey
- Honey Mustard
- McDonald’s Big Mac Sauce Recipe
What to Serve with Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries?
- BBQ Baked Chicken Legs, Peruvian Chicken
- Hamburger, Air Fryer Chicken Burgers, Turkey Smash Burgers, Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Beef Ribs
- Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Shimp Po’ Boy
- Bison Steak Recipe, Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
- Sriracha Salmon
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container. Air fryer frozen sweet potato fries will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat – Warm leftover fries in the air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 2-3 minutes, until they are nice and crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I coat the air fryer basket with oil?
You can add oil to the air fryer basket if you choose. However, the fries cook perfectly without it! Using less oil is one of the main reasons I love making food in my air fryer.
Do I need to thaw frozen fries before air frying?
No, and that’s why I love the air fryer. Pour the fries straight from the bag into the air fryer basket, and you’re ready to go.
How long to cook sweet potato fries in air fryer?
Air fry frozen sweet potato fries for 12 minutes and shake the basket halfway through for the best results.
What if my fries stick to the bottom of the air fryer?
I’ve never encountered this issue with the recipe, but if you do, try using a non-stick spatula to move the fries or cook them for a bit longer to see if they release on their own. However, if you run into this problem often, consider lining the air fryer basket with parchment paper before adding the sweet potato fries.
Why are my frozen french fries soggy in the air fryer?
Eww, no one wants soggy fries. Avoid a common pitfall by adding frozen french fries to the air fryer basket in a single layer. You might be tempted to cook more at one time, but this causes the fries to steam instead of becoming crispy. If you need to cook a whole bag of fries, do it in batches so the air can circulate evenly.
More Potato Recipes:
Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- ½ bag sweet potato fries, frozen
- Preheat the air fryer to 360° F (182°C). Then, add the sweet potato fries to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Set the cooking time to 12 minutes, removing the basket to shake the french fries halfway through.
- Add the cooked sweet potato fries to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to combine.
- Preheat the air fryer so the fries start cooking right away; my Instant Vortex takes about 3 minutes to preheat.
- There’s no need to thaw the fries beforehand! Simply toss frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket and start cooking.
- Shake the basket halfway through to keep the potatoes from sticking, and ensure the fries cook evenly.
- Like with ovens, air fryers can vary in heat and power. When you shake the basket halfway through, it’s a good idea to check the fries to make sure they aren’t cooking too quickly.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Anna
Sunday 2nd of October 2022
I made this for my kids with lunch and they were cooked perfectly. Even my picky daughter who doesn't like when the sweet potato fries char and turn black was happy with her plate.
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 2nd of October 2022
Making the kids happy is what we love to do; I am glad this was helpful.