This Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato is light and fluffy with crisp skin. It is amazingly delicious topped with butter, brown sugar and toasted pecans or your favorite toppings.
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
This recipe is got to be one of our favorites! It is quick, simple, easy, healthy, packed with nutrition, so tasty and enhances the sweet flavor! They come out perfectly fluffy in the center with crisp skin.
Yams or Sweet potatoes, these are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, sweet, tasty and are versatile. They are delicious baked, roasted, fried, stuffed, mashed or made into a casserole.
They are loaded with nutrients such as potassium, vitamin E, C, and are a great source of fiber when eaten with the skin on. The air fryer gets the skin amazingly crispy that is seasoned to perfection and the inside is soft, light and fluffy.
What is Baked Sweet Potato?
They are whole baked root vegetable that is cooked with the skin on. It is usually served with various sweet or savory fillings or toppings as a side dish for dinner or a fantastic base for easy, healthy meals.
It is usually cooked in oven but the air fryer makes it faster and easier without heating up the whole kitchen. This is going to be one of your favorite air fryer dinner recipes.
This recipe is made sweet topped with butter and brown sugar that melts into the warm potato and topped with toasted chopped pecans for crunch. It is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving feast especially when you are cooking for a small intimate gathering.
WHY IS THIS THE BEST?
- Air Fryer - Cooks quick in about 40 minutes compared to more than an hour in the oven. This gets the skin crispy and crackly. It is also a convenient option when you’re short on oven space or don’t want to heat up your kitchen, making it perfect for the holidays when you want your oven free to cook up a feast.
- Amazing texture - They come out perfectly cooked with creamy, soft and fluffy flesh.
- Make them savory or sweet - These root vegetables are usually popular during the holidays especially Thanksgiving, but they are amazing year round as breakfast, snack or dinner.
- Health benefits - These are honestly one of the healthiest foods you can eat. They are loaded with several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, high in fiber, antioxidants, beta carotene and resistant starch, supporting healthy immune system.
WHAT TYPE OF SWEET POTATO TO USE?
Often confused as yam in the grocery stores, they are starchy root vegetables known for their earthy candied flavor. Scientifically known as Ipomoea batatas, they are members of the Convolvulaceae or morning glory family.
We love to find deep orange colored flesh like the red Garnet or Jewel variety, which contains the enzyme amylase breaking down starches to sugars, making then supremely sweet. They cook up moist and creamy when baked, making it perfect for this recipe.
We recommend passing on the white, tan or purple variety, as they tend to be more starchy and does not cook up moist and sweet.
Look for firm ones without much wrinkles, cracks, bruises or discolorations and avoid ones that are soft to the touch. Store them in a cool, dry, dark, but well ventilated place.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO AIR FRY?
It depends on the size! Medium ones take about 35-45 minutes to cook at 375F degrees, which is less time than they take in the oven. Adjust cooking time when using small or large guys.
HOW TO BAKE IN OVEN?
If you do not own an air fryer, then here is how to bake in oven instead. Pork holes using a fork, set them on a foil lined baking sheet, which makes clean up easier. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven and cook for about an hour, until puffed and soft when pierced with a fork.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO POKE HOLES?
Poking holes allows steam to escape when it’s cooking, which guarantees perfect texture and keeps it from exploding. Although this rarely happens, it doesn’t hurt to be on the safer side.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE DONE?
I start by grabbing a fork or knife and poke the thickest part to ensure the inside if soft. If it is not soft or has a resistance, then they need few more minutes of air frying.
Another precise way to check is using a thermometer. Insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part and it should read 205 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
CAN YOU EAT THE SKIN?
Sure can! The skin is totally edible and has a high nutritional value. Also, it cooks up crispy and is well seasoned making it taste delicious.
INGREDIENTS
- Sweet Potatoes - Use a medium size orange fleshed one for best result.
- Olive Oil - Olive, avocado, coconut or any neutral oil will work.
- Salt and pepper - Use as needed.
PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Cooking time - It depends on the size of the vegetables. It took 45 -50 minutes for medium sized ones. Adjust cooking time if using smaller or larger guys.
- Poke holes - This step is important to make sure to allow the steam to escape and cook evenly.
- Wash and scrub - Make sure to wash and dry well, as they grow in dirt.
- Use evenly sized ones - So they all cook evenly in the recommended cooking time.
- Don’t wrap in foil - Although this is the chosen method for oven roasting, it is not recommended for frying as it will not make the skin crispy.
- How many can you cook? You can cook as many as will comfortably fit in a single layer in the basket. We were able to cook 3 medium guys in a 6 quart.
- Preheat - It allows them to start cooking as soon as you place them in the hot basket.
TOPPING IDEAS
Sweet potatoes are almost as versatile with toppings as russet potatoes. You can top them however you like going savory or sweet. Here are a few ideas:
SWEET IDEAS
- Brown Sugar - A sprinkle of salt, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and toasted pecans (like the photos).
- Marshmallows - Room temperature butter, freshly grated orange zest, brown sugar and marshmallows. Pop back in the air fryer to soften the marshmallows.
- Candied Pecans - Top with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped candied pecans.
- Hot honey - Butter, salt and a pinch of cayenne.
- Coconut - Brown or coconut sugar, butter and shredded coconut or toasted coconut chips.
- Nut Butter - Almond or peanut butter, berries and toasted chopped almonds or peanuts.
- Ricotta - Ricotta, orange zest, honey and berries.
- Granola - Topped with your favorite granola, fresh berries and nuts.
- Pina colada - Chopped fresh pineapple, coconut oil, sugar and coconut cream.
SAVORY IDEAS
- Butter - Salted or unsalted room temperature butter.
- Sour cream and chives.
- Chicken - Top with shredded rotisserie chicken, bbq chicken, Mexican chicken, shredded Buffalo chicken or Buffalo chicken dip.
- Bacon - Top with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream and cheddar.
- Chickpeas - Mexican chickpeas, avocado and cilantro sauce.
- Black beans - Top with seasoned black beans, quinoa, cheddar, guacamole or avocado crema.
- Pizza - Use as a base for your favorite pizza toppings like basil pesto, marinara, cheese, olives, pepperoni or cooked mushrooms.
- Eggs - Top with scrambled or sunny side up eggs, avocado, sriracha and cilantro.
- Mexican - Refried or black beans, jalapeno, avocado, corn and cheese.
- Yogurt - Top with spicy yogurt and lime juice.
- Salsa - Salsa, sour cream and grated cheddar.
- Zatar - Pomegranate molasses, zatar and labneh.
HOW TO MAKE?
These are so easy to make and most of the time is hands-off while cooking. (Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Prepare - Wash, scrub, and dry the potatoes. Poke holes all over with a fork, then rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook - Place in a preheated basket and cook for 40-50 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Top - Transfer to a plate, allow to sit for about 5 minutes, then use a knife to gently split open the top and load up your favorite toppings.
HOW TO SERVE?
There are so many ways to serve these for snack, side dish, main course or even for breakfast.
Snack - Top with salted butter, brown sugar, a tiny sprinkle of salt and toasted pecans.
Side dish - Simply salt, pepper and then top with melted butter or coconut oil. Serve along with chicken, fish, shrimp, soup or sandwich.
Main Course - Top with seasoned black beans, chickpeas, roast chicken, shredded chicken, eggs or refer above for more filling ideas to make a complete meal.
Breakfast - Top with granola, berries, eggs, nut butter or nuts.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS?
Wrap leftovers (without any topping) tightly in foil and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, remove foil and air fry at 350 for 3 to 7 minutes or microwave until warmed through.
They can be filled or stuffed as per your liking and served as whole. Also, the flesh can be chopped or mashed and repurposed to be made into casserole.
Can This Be Frozen?
Yes! Let them cool completely, wrap tightly in foil and seal in zip lock bags or air tight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the air fryer or microwave.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Absolutely! These have about 50% more fiber, beta carotene, anti oxidants and more vitamin and minerals than a regular potato. If your goal is to add more fiber to your diet, then I’d go with a sweet potato.
Soaking might be recommended if cut into fries or cubes, to get them more crispier. These are cooked whole so all they need is a good wash and scrub to remove any dirt.
More Air Fryer Side Dishes to try:
- Air fryer carrots
- Asparagus Fries
- Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic
- Roasted Corn on the Cob <--- with 3 Flavored Butters
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Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes about 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Butter room temperature
- Golden Brown Sugar
- Chopped Pecans toasted
- One pinch salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
- Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Prick all over with a fork, brush the outside lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 45 minutes. When hot, place prepared sweet potatoes in the basket and cook for 40 - 50 minutes or until soft.
- Let it cool for for 5 minutes. Using a knife, carefully slit open sweet potatoes and top with a sprinkle of salt, butter, brown sugar and pecans, wait for a few seconds for butter and brown sugar to melt. Serve hot or top with your favorite toppings.
- If your sweet potatoes have cooled down, then pop them back into the air fryer after adding the toppings, at 375°F for 2-5 minutes, until butter and brown sugar melts. Serve hot.
- (Calculated calories are without toppings)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third party calculations, should be considered estimates and not be construed as a guarantee. Varying factors such as product types, brands purchased, produce, the way ingredients are processed and more change the nutritional information in any recipe.
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