I love sweet potato fries. I like the flavor plus I’m getting great fiber and Vitamin A. They are one of those red/orange vegetables we are supposed to eat 5-6 cups of each week. Sweet potatoes cost more than white potatoes, but they are in-season in fall/winter so expect the best prices right now.

Making sweet potato fries can be tricky. Even restaurants that deep fry them have a hard time getting them crispy and not mushy in the middle. Our recipe doesn’t add a lot of fat by frying them and they have a nice texture, just don’t expect that they will be super crispy and brown.

One of the keys for making this recipe successfully is making sure the potato is sliced evenly.  Because raw potatoes are so hard, we suggest that you cut the potatoes lengthwise and then put the cut side down on the cutting board and slice them crosswise. This will give you a flat, stable surface when you’re cutting.

Sometimes my store sells yams and sometimes sweet potatoes. I use them both in recipes like this, but if you are curious about the difference this article is helpful. What’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?

Sweet Potato Fries

Serving Size:  about 1/2 c fries and 1 T dip | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
• 1 T  vegetable oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• DIP:
  • 1/4 c light mayo
  • 1 T ketchup
  • 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, chili powder,  or paprika

Instructions

1. Rinse potatoes under running water. Peel if desired or just scrub potatoes well.
2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.
3. Lay each potato half flat and cut into half-moon shapes.
4. Combine potatoes, oil, and salt in a bowl. Stir so potatoes are covered with oil.
5. Grease cookie sheet with cooking spray or vegetable oil and lay potatoes in a single layer.
6. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.
7. While potatoes are baking, mix the dip ingredients.
8. Serve immediately.