I feel like I was late to the air fryer game, but I have officially arrived. I started by making some of our favorite frozen foods like chicken nuggets and tater tots in the air fryer. Now I’m moving on up to other basics and just in time for the holidays, I knew I had to try making a sweet potato. Once you try an air fryer sweet potato, I’m pretty sure you won’t want to make them any other way!
AIR FRYER SWEET POTATO
AIR FRYER SWEET POTATO RECIPE
I know there a lot of different ways to enjoy sweet potatoes during the holidays. Some recipes are sweeter than others and some are made for those big holiday meals. But if you’ve ever found yourself craving a sweet potato on a chilly fall or winter night, making an air fryer sweet potato is an easy way to get one with a tender, rich inside with a crispy skin that doesn’t get much better.
Something about sweet potatoes just feels like crisp, cool days and time with family. There’s a comfort food aspect to them.
I also like that they pack a lot of nutrition. Sweet potatoes have almost twice as much fiber as regular potatoes. They’re also packed with other nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Potassium! So as long as I keep it light on the super sweet toppings, it’s a great option!
SWEET POTATO AIR FRYER INGREDIENTS
The ingredient list to make baked sweet potato in air fryer is about as basic as it comes. You’ll need sweet potatoes, olive oil, and salt.
I cook two sweet potatoes in our air fryer at a time because they fit well in the basket. The number of yams you can cook depends on the size of your air fryer. If you do cook more than two at a time, you may need to extend your cooking times.
When you choose your sweet potatoes, try to choose ones that are similar in size so they cook in about the same time. With large sweet potatoes, you could turn them into 4 servings by cutting them in half once they’re cooked. It’s a great way to turn them into a side dish!
HOW TO COOK SWEET POTATOES IN AIR FRYER
First, you’ll need an air fryer! Right now I’m working with a 6 quart air fryer very similar to the first one, but I have my eye on something like the second one!
Cooking in the air fryer is always pretty easy. That’s why I love it. But it has other benefits too.
You get lower fat food because you use less oil. You don’t have the messy clean up that you have to do when you fry foods. Your food will be so crispy on the outside while staying tender on the inside.
Plus most air fryer recipes (especially the ones I’m starting to depend on), are very low key. You can put the food in the fryer and leave it. You might need to check on it once or twice, but it gets you out of the kitchen or working on other parts of the meal!
HOW LONG TO AIR FRY SWEET POTATOES
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Air Fryer Sweet Potato
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 large Sweet potatoes
- 1/2 Tablespoon Olive oil
- Salt (to taste)
- Butter (if desired)
- Brown sugar (if desired)
Instructions
- Wash and dry each sweet potato.
- Use a fork to poke three sets of holes in the top and bottom of each potato.
- Brush the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place the potatoes in the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Flip potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes more or until tender when gently squeezed.
- Allow sweet potatoes to cool slightly before serving with desired toppings.
Notes
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon sugar
- Mini marshmallows
- Maple syrup
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado
Nutrition
SWEET POTATO TOPPINGS
Once you’ve baked your sweet potatoes in the air fryer, cut them open and mash them with a fork. Then top them with your favorite toppings.
If I’m serving the potatoes as a side dish, we usually enjoy some of these toppings:
- Butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, & chives
- Shredded cheese
- Brown sugar & mini marshmallows (for a simple take on a Thanksgiving and Christmas favorite in our house)
- Cinnamon & sugar (you can try a dash of pumpkin pie spice too!)
- Pecans, walnuts, or almonds (this pairs well if you’re using brown sugar)
If you want to go the loaded sweet potato direction, try some of these options:
- Chopped veggies (I like to top this with cheese)
- Canned beans
- Salsa
- Barbecue sauce
- Ranch or Blue Cheese
And if you want to turn your sweet potato into a main dish on its own, add in a protein:
- Barbecue meats (My favorite is pulled pork but shredded chicken and brisket are delicious too!)
- Sloppy joe filling
- Taco meat (You can also skip the meat and go with beans, salsa, avocado, & sour cream for the same taco vibe!)
- Chili
So don’t be afraid to take your basic whole sweet potato, bake it up in your air fryer, and then get creative! I love recipes that are as versatile as this one is!
If you’re doing holiday cooking for a smaller group or just your family, this is a great way to get sweet potatoes/yams on the menu without having to make a huge casserole!
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