Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Za'atar and Tahini

These easy, crispy baked sweet potato fries in olive oil are everything you want in a fry but with far less guilt!  You can make these in the oven or in the air fryer. Baked to perfection--crispy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside. I like to serve them with a bit of homemade tahini sauce for dipping, but the possibilities are endless. Vegan. Gluten Free. Whole 30 and Paleo-friendly! 

Grab all my tips for making the best oven baked sweet potato fries. And if you have an air fryer, check out my instructions for how to make sweet potato fries using your air fryer.

I’ve got sweet potatoes on my mind lately, from cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes to some herb-tossed ones and all sorts of stews with sweet potatoes in them! It happens every year, around this time, when I just need a little more warm-your-belly kinda food.

But my biggest cravings have been for a basket of crispy sweet potato fries. Not just any sweet potato fries, baked sweet potato fries.

We're talking about a basket of sweet potato wedges tossed in olive oil and baked until they're super crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. As if that doesn't sound amazing enough, I coat them in flavorful Mediterranean za'atar spice and dip them into my homemade creamy tahini sauce.

Baking these sweet potato fries is everything I want in a fry without all the caloric guilt: crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and lots of flavor. Seriously, these baked sweet potato fries are a dream come true.

This recipe for crispy sweet potato fries is a snitch to make using a a high-heated oven to get that satisfying crunch. And if you have an air fryer, you can definitely use it—see instructions below!

A Healthier Fry

Sweet potatoes have been known for their many health benefits—high in fiber, iron, vitamins, and antioxidants! Plus they are super tasty and satisfying.

Baking any kind of potato cuts back the calorie count drastically.  So, because these sweet potato fries are baked in the oven, using a small amount of olive oil reduces the calorie count while providing a heart-healthy alternative compared to vegetable oils used for frying.

Bonus, these homemade sweet potato fries are whole 30 and paleo-friendly.

How to Make Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Step 1: Place cut sweet potato fries in a large bowl and top with plenty of cold water. Soak for about 30 minutes or even overnight in your fridge (soaking is optional but does make a difference if you’re looking for really crispy fries. Drain and dry the fries and the bowl real well

Step 2: Heat the oven to  oven to 425 degrees F. The key to making the best oven-baked sweet potato fries is cooking on high heat so the outer skin gets nice and crisp!

Step:3 Return the fries to the now dry bowl. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Add seasoning but hold the salt till later.

Step 4: Spread the sweet potato fries on a large pan lined with parchment paper or two (do not crowd them.) Bake for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove the pan from the oven and flip the fries over and arrange them in a single layer (nothing should overlap.)  Return to oven and let them bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until nice and crispy.

Step 5: When fries are nice and crispy to your liking, remove from oven and season with salt (we don't salt them earlier to help them get more crispy in the oven.) Add a bit more seasoning and allow the fries to cool for 5 minutes or so on a cooling rack before serving.

Seasoning for Sweet Potato Fries

I don’t think you can go wrong whatever flavor combination you choose to jazz up your baked sweet potato fries! Totally have fun and make this recipe your own. Looking for something spicy and smoky, use a combination of cayenne and smoked paprika. Want a bit of an Italian twist, try something like oregano and thyme flakes.

But this time, I used  Za'atar spice, which is a Middle Eastern spice blend made of roasted sesame seeds and wild thyme.  If you haven't tried our all-natural za'atar spice, find it here.

Here, za’atar’s earthy and slightly tangy flavor is a great contrast to the soft and mellowed sweetness from the sweet potatoes. I make sure to sprinkle some more za'atar on the sweet potato fries as they come out of the oven to give them even more of a flavor blast. Comfort at its best!

FAQs and Tips for Making Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

1. How Do I Cut Sweet Potato Fries? 

Everyone has their preference, but for this recipe, I like to cut the sweet potatoes in thin wedges or ¼ to ½" sticks. The important thing is to try and keep them as evenly cut as possible for even baking. I prefer thicker because they’re more satisfying. I find thicker cuts help the baked sweet potato fries keep their crispy outside with fluffy and tender inside.

2. Should I peel the sweet potatoes before baking?

You can, but I prefer to keep mine with the skins on. Sweet potato skins are high in fiber and contain tons of nutrients.

3. Do I need to soak sweet potatoes before baking?

Many readers ask if they really need to soak the sweet potatoes before baking to get that great crunch. I’ve tried it both ways and found that soaking the sweet potato fries for about 30 minutes or so in plenty of cold water does help them crisp up a bit more. The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they’re a bit more crispy.

That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

4. What Temperature to Bake My Sweet Potato Fries?

A high-heated oven is the way to go. I set my oven at 425 degrees F. For some ovens, you may even need to turn on the convection feature (you know your oven best and can make this call.)

5. Do I really need to flip my fries part-way through baking?

If we’re talking about crispy fries, you need to do a couple of things in preparation for baking. First, toss them in good extra virgin olive oil to make sure each fry is well-coated, then spread them out on a large pan or two. Do not crowd the sweet potatoes. Midway through baking, you do want to take them out and carefully flip them over. Taking a few minutes to turn all the fries at least once during baking really does make a big difference. Trust me.

How to Make Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer

For those of you who prefer using an air fryer, coat the sweet potato fries with the olive oil and spices as per the recipe directions. Air-fry the sweet potato fries in batches by cooking them one layer at a time.

Fry potatoes at 400 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. About halfway through, shake the basket to flip the fries. When done, dust with more spice to taste and air fry for an additional 3 minutes.

Season with salt and more of the spices to your liking.

What to Serve Along?

I love to serve these sweet potato fries with my homemade tahini sauce (also Whole30 and Paleo-friendly dipping option.) Its made with only a few ingredients like sesame seed paste, garlic, fresh lime juice, and parsley. Tahini sauce goes with almost everything, but it goes especially well with sweet potato fries.

These baked fries make a great side next to chicken shawarma sandwiches,  Greek burgers, or grilled beef kofta kebabs!

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Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Za'atar and Tahini

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★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews

• Author: Suzy Karadsheh
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x

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Description

These easy, crispy baked sweet potato fries in olive oil are everything you want in a fry but with far less guilt!  You can make these in the oven or in the air fryer. Baked to perfection--crispy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside. I like to serve them with a bit of homemade tahini sauce for dipping, but the possibilities are endless. Vegan. Gluten Free. Whole 30 and Paleo-friendly! 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For Sweet Potato Fries: 

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into wedges or thick battons (¼ inch thick or so)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO)
• Seasoning of your choice (I used 2 tsp za'atar, 1 ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, and pinch of cayenne pepper.)
• Salt

For Tahini Sauce (optional)

• 1 homemade Tahini sauce recipe 

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Instructions

1. Place cut sweet potato fries in a large bowl and cover with cold water for about 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight.) This is an optional step, but can absolutely help the fries crisp up. Drain and rinse out the bowl and dry it well.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Pat the fries dry and return to the clean dry bowl. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil (about 2 to 3 tbsp.) Toss to make sure all the fries are well-coated with the oil. Mix the za'atar and paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, then add to the fries and toss to evenly coat.
4. Transfer the fries to a large sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. Do not crowd the pan; if you have to, use 2 pans.
5. Bake in the heated oven for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove the pan to flip the fries over and arrange them nicely. Return the pan back to the oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or so or until cooked through and crispy.
6. While fries are baking, prepare the Tahini for dipping (or any other dipping sauces you plan to use.)
7. Remove from heat and transfer and season with salt. Sprinkle with more of the za'atar and spices to your liking. Transfer the fries to a cooling rack and let them rest for about 5 minutes or so before serving.
8. Serve with tahini for dipping. Enjoy!

Notes

• Air Fryer Instructions: For those of you who prefer using an air fryer, coat the sweet potato fries with the olive oil and spices as per the recipe directions. Air-fry the sweet potato fries in batches by cooking them one layer at a time. Fry potatoes at 400 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. About halfway through, shake the basket to flip the fries. When done, dust with more spice to taste and air fry for an additional 3 minutes. Season with salt and more of the spices to your liking.
• Visit our Online Shop to browse our olive oils and all-natural spices including za'atar

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keywords: Sweet Potato Fries, Baked Sweet Potato Fries

*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2016 and has recently been updated with new information and media for readers' benefit. Enjoy!