Crispy Sweet Potato Fries with Just 3 Ingredients

These deep-fried sweet potato fries are ultra-crispy on the outside, tender inside, and worth every extra step. If you’re craving restaurant-quality fries at home, this is the one to bookmark. Sometimes there’s only one right way to do something, and this method is it. Simple ingredients and a two-step fry make all the difference.

These are super addictive, easy to make, and kid-friendly. You’ll want to make them all the time.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

You can use canola or vegetable oil if you can’t find peanut oil. And while you can do this in a Dutch oven, an electric deep fryer is much safer and gives better results.

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If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

• Deep fryer or Dutch oven (use a deep fryer if you can, it’s safer)
• Paper Towels (have lots of them on hand)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes scrubbed clean and peeled
• 1 quart peanut oil for frying (can use canola or vegetable oil)
• salt
• paprika

How to Make Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Step One: Cut Potatoes

Using a sharp knife or French fry cutter, cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4 square strips.

Step Two: Ice Bath

Place them in a bowl of ice water. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, drain the water from the potatoes and pat them as dry as possible. They will be very cold, maybe even frozen.

Step Three: The First Fry

Set up the deep fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions and fill it with peanut oil. Preheat the deep fryer to 325℉. Place the potatoes in the basket. It’s okay if they are crowded for the first fry. Submerge them in the oil and deep fry for about 5-7 minutes until they are softened and slightly darker, but still pale. Place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Step Four: The Second Fry

Increase the heat in the deep fryer to 375℉. Fry the French fries a second time, in smaller batches, so they float freely in the oil and don’t touch each other. Fry for only 2-4 minutes or until they have reached the desired level of brownness and crispness. Drain on paper-towel-lined baking sheets and season with salt and paprika immediately. Serve as soon as possible.

Storage Instructions

Fully cooked fries will reheat pretty well in an air fryer, but won’t be as delicious.

Before storing, let the fries cool down to room temperature on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to avoid any moisture buildup. Place them in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Heat in a 390-degree air fryer for about 5 minutes. A conventional oven will work well too.

You can freeze them as long as they are not fully cooked. After the first fry, flash freeze them and finish them later. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, ensuring they’re not touching each other. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours or until the fries are completely frozen. Once frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer-safe plastic bag or an airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To cook them, pick up the recipe at the second frying stage and fry them straight from frozen. They’ll take a bit longer.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Fries

These taste great with ketchup or even Cajun ranch dressing.

• Serve these with a side of hot dogs or burgers.
• You already have the fryer out, so you might as well make buttermilk deep-fried chicken, too!
• Have some fries on the side of a crispy baked beef Chimichanga.

More Potato Recipes

• Instead of deep-frying sweet potatoes, you can make old-fashioned candied sweet potatoes in a cast-iron skillet.
• Use this same method to make regular deep-fried French fries.
• Cast iron skillet home fries are perfect for breakfast or dinner!
• If you want to preserve potatoes all year long, learn how to pressure can potatoes.
• Or take it easy and use your slow cooker for these delicious crockpot cheesy bacon ranch potatoes.

Printable Recipe