Ingredients
Method
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
- Peel 800g sweet potatoes and cut into fries about 1cm thick, keeping sizes as even as possible for consistent bake time. Place in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak 15 minutes. Drain, then pat completely dry with kitchen towels—take this seriously; any dampness will steam in the oven and soften the fries.
Coat with Cornstarch
- Return dry fries to the bowl and sprinkle 20g cornstarch over them. Toss thoroughly until each fry looks lightly dusted and no dry piles remain in the bowl; cornstarch creates a thin layer that bakes crisp instead of turning sticky. Shake off any heavy clumps—too much cornstarch can turn pasty.
Season and Oil
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Add 30ml olive oil, 6g salt, 3g paprika, 2g garlic powder, and 2g black pepper. Toss until evenly coated—oil should lightly coat, not pool at the bottom.
Bake Until Crispy
- Spread fries in a single layer on two parchment-lined baking sheets so fries don’t touch. Bake 15 minutes, flip each fry, then bake another 15 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges. If fries are tender but not crisp, add 3–5 minutes and check frequently—sweet potato browning accelerates at the end. Serve immediately.
Notes
Sweet potatoes are harder to crisp than russets because they contain more sugar and moisture. That’s why this recipe stacks technique (soak + dry + cornstarch + space) instead of adding more oil. If crispness is missing, fix dryness and spacing first.
Cornstarch works best as a thin, even coating. If you see white patches after baking, you likely had clumps—toss longer and shake off excess next time. The coating should be barely visible before baking.
Two trays are essential—crowding guarantees soft fries. Fries need dry hot air around them so moisture escapes; touching fries trap steam between surfaces. Bake in batches if you only have one tray.
Reheating: re-crisp in a 200°C oven for 8–10 minutes. Avoid the microwave; it turns the coating soft and chewy.