Save room in the oven and make perfect sweet potatoes in the air fryer! Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes are healthy, tasty, and easy to make.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- How Long Does It Take To Cook A Sweet Potato In The Air Fryer?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips for Success
- What to Serve with Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Storing and Reheating
- Do Sweet Potatoes Freeze Well?
- More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes in the air fryer are one of my new favorite side dishes. Here are a few reasons why.
- Perfect year-round. Serving a basic baked sweet potato is a great way to add this wholesome carb to your meals throughout the year, rather than waiting for the holidays.
- Quick & easy. I like making baked sweet potatoes in the air fryer, because air fryer sweet potatoes cook up even faster than oven-baked ones, with all of the flavor and texture you expect from a good baked sweet potato. Plus, it’s easy to do, with no hassle.
- Simple and savory. I tend to go sweet when it comes to serving up sweet potatoes – think marshmallow sweet potatoes and maple mashed sweet potatoes – but these air fryer sweet potatoes are simply topped with butter for a savory side that pairs with nearly anything.
Prefer fries to baked potatoes? Check out my sweet potato fries!
Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?
Definitely! Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutritional benefits. They’re famously high in vitamin A, as well as fiber. You’ll also get vitamin C, potassium, manganese, and lots of other nutrients in a serving of sweet potatoes.
What You’ll Need
This little recipe is a four-ingredient showstopper. This is all you’ll need to make the perfect air fryer sweet potato:
- Sweet Potato: You can use any type, whether orange (such as Garnet or Jewel), purple, or Japanese.
- Olive Oil: Or another fairly neutral-tasting cooking oil of your choice.
- Salt and Pepper: The only seasonings needed! Use to taste.
How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Cooking a tender, moist, and flavorful sweet potato in the air fryer doesn’t get any easier than this – it’s so simple, you’ll want to air-fry sweet potatoes every week!
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Poke 8-10 holes with a fork, evenly around the potato. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Air fry. Cook your sweet potato in the air fryer for 25 minutes, until tender. A knife should be able to easily pierce through to the center when it’s ready.
- Enjoy. Sweet down the center of the sweet potato, fluff with a fork, and serve hot with a dab of butter.
How Long Does It Take To Cook A Sweet Potato In The Air Fryer?
So just how long should you bake a sweet potato in the air fryer? Baking times will vary slightly depending on the size of your potato.
For a smaller sweet potato, start checking it at around 20 minutes. Medium potatoes should cook in around 25 minutes. Large sweet potatoes take 30 minutes or so. An extra large sweet potato will take closer to 40 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few commonly asked questions about this air fryer sweet potato recipe.
Absolutely! I do this often! Follow my directions for a Microwave Baked Potato and cook it 1 minute less than called for in the recipe. After cooking the potato in the microwave, transfer it to the air fryer to finish cooking, about 10 minutes of cooking time (until the center is cooked through). This will produce a baked potato with a crispy outside and soft inside in a fraction of the time!
I have done it both ways without an issue. However, I advise you to go ahead and poke a few holes just in case. No one wants to clean up exploded sweet potato!
Every air fryer is different, so I recommend doing whatever the manufacture recommends for your particular air fryer. Some air fryers need preheating and some do not.
Tips for Success
Need tips? You’re in the right place. These helpful tips and tricks will ensure that your air fryer sweet potatoes turn out just right, every time.
- Poking Holes in the Sweet Potato: I honestly often don’t poke holes in the sweet potato, and I have never had an issue with them exploding in the air fryer. However, just to be safe, you may want to go ahead and poke a few holes.
- Make it Sweet. If you prefer sweet to savory, feel free to top your air fryer sweet potato with some brown sugar and cinnamon or mini marshmallows instead of butter.
- Use Foil: You can wrap the sweet potato in foil before baking it if you like. This can help keep any sweet, sticky juices off of the air fryer basket.
- Ensure it’s Fully Cooked: To test that your sweet potato is fully cooked, pierce the skin with a fork or knife. It should easily slide through to the center.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
An air fryer sweet potato makes a great vegetarian lunch option, served with your favorite toppings and maybe a side salad. You can also serve them as part of a larger meal, with a main course like…
- Pork Chops: A buttery, baked sweet potato is the perfect complement to hearty Chuleta Frita, or Puerto Rican pork chops. This bold, flavorful dinner combination will make your mouth happy! Or this Stuffed Pork Loin is wonderful if you are looking for a fancier dinner!
- Chicken: This recipe for the Best Baked Chicken is a great healthy dinner when you add a sweet potato! Or this Rosemary Honey Mustard Chicken would also be great!
- Squash: Tender summer squash gets an ultra-flavorful upgrade in this zesty Calabacitas recipe. Tomatoes, corn, crema, and queso fresco make this dish so yummy, while a sweet potato on the side makes it a light vegetarian meal.
Storing and Reheating
- Fridge. Air fryer sweet potatoes can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator, in a zip-top bag or another airtight container.
- Reheat. You can reheat it in the microwave, air fryer, or even just the oven.
Do Sweet Potatoes Freeze Well?
In general, sweet potatoes freeze just fine for reheating and adding to recipes.
You can freeze these by cooling them down and then wrapping them in a layer of foil or plastic, followed by a second layer or a freezer bag. Mark with the date, and use within six months. Thaw them out in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Oreos
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
- Crispy Brown Sugar Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed clean
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Poke 8-10 holes in the sweet potato with a fork on all sides.
- Drizzle the olive oil all over the potato and sprinkle on the salt and pepper and rub it in.
- Place the potato in the air fryer and cook at 390°F for 25 minutes, until tender inside.
- Slice down the center of the potato without cutting all the way through and fluff the inside with a fork.
- Serve hot with butter and parsley for garnish, if desired.
Notes
- Storage: Air fryer sweet potatoes can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator, in a zip-top bag or other airtight container. You can reheat it in the microwave, air fryer, or even just the oven.
- Poking Holes in the Sweet Potato: I honestly often don’t poke holes in the sweet potato, and I have never had an issue with them exploding in the air fryer. However, just to be safe, you may want to go ahead and poke a few holes.
- Shorter Cooking Time: If you want to bake your sweet potato faster, you can start it in the microwave. Microwave it for 3 to 4 minutes to get the sweet potato started, and then move it to the air fryer to finish.
- Use Foil: You can wrap the sweet potato in foil before baking it if you like. This can help keep any sweet, sticky juices off of the air fryer basket.
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