This Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes recipe saves loads of time, and creates a healthy, tasty side or snack that’s incredibly versatile. These savory sweet potato cubes will become your new go-to.
If I had to choose, I think sweet potatoes would be one of my all time favorite vegetables. You can use them in so many different ways! Not only are they delicious on their own, but you can add them to all sorts of soups or casseroles. Flavor-wise, I love that they can be savory, used in something like a Breakfast Hash, Burrito Bowls, Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie, or even Sweet Potato Cornbread. But, they're also sweet enough that you can use them in something like this delicious Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole.
This method for air frying sweet potato cubes makes the process of making them extremely easy and prepares them to toss into any dish you need. Sometimes we even just eat these air fried sweet potato cubes as a healthy snack with some dipping sauce!Roasted sweet potato cubes are also really easy to freeze for later use!
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Why This Recipe Works
Here are a few reason why I love this method of making sweet potatoes:
- Healthier than deep frying. Air frying sweet potato cubes offers the best of both worlds – the crispy texture of your favorite fries without the guilt associated with deep frying. With just a tablespoon of olive oil, you'll achieve the right amount of seasoning, resulting in a healthier alternative to traditional cooking methods.
- Perfectly crisp. The hot air circulating in the air fryer ensures an even cook, creating a perfect balance between the outer crispiness and the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
- Quick and easy. Air-frying your sweet potato chunks is the fastest way (and the easiest way!) to cook them - they cook quickly in just 10 minutes and you don't even need to turn your oven on!
- Versatile. Sweet potato cubes can be used in so many dishes! They're the perfect side dish for things like chicken, fish or steak, but you can also toss them into soups, stews, casseroles or use them in a breakfast bowl. These delicious little sweet potato bites also make an easy holiday side dish, and won't take up space in your oven!
Key Ingredients
You need just a few simple ingredients to make this easy sweet potato recipe.
- Sweet potatoes. I used a pound of sweet potatoes, which is about 3-4 large sweet potatoes. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to make them in batches so keep that in mind when you're planning your cooking time.
- Neutral oil. Unless I'm using these for a specific recipe, I like using something like avocado or grapeseed oil vs. olive oil to allow the taste of the sweet potatoes to really shine through. A great thing about making these sweet potato cubes in the air fryer vs. the oven or deep fryer is that you can use way less oil, making this a super healthy side dish.
- Seasoning. For these sweet potato cubes, I used just a pinch of salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to create a savory taste. But feel free to use whatever your favorite seasonings are, or mix it up depending on the dish you're serving these with or how you'll be using them.
- Parsley. If you're making these as a side, a bit of fresh parsley adds a nice garnish.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cubes in the Air Fryer:
Making these air fryer sweet potatoes is a cinch. Here's how to do it.
- Prepare your sweet potatoes. Using a sharp knife and a large cutting board, peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into 2-inch cubes. Try to make the size of the cubes as even as possible to ensure they all cook evenly.
- Add some seasoning. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato cubes with avocado oil and the savory spice blend created with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Prepare the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Add the sweet potatoes. Arrange the savory sweet potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket at the halfway mark for even cooking.
- Serve. Once golden and crispy, remove the sweet potato cubes from the air fryer and serve immediately.
Variations and Substitutions:
Of course there are lots of ways to change this recipe up. Here are a few ideas:
- Make them sweet. For a sweet flavor, try adding a sprinkle of brown sugar, ground cinnamon or a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Change the seasoning. Experiment with different seasonings like chili powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning.
- Add some other potatoes. Substitute sweet potatoes with white potatoes or mix both for a colorful side dish.
- Change the shape! This recipe works well with any shape you choose. Make sweet potato fries or air fryer sweet potato wedges to serve with a delicious burger. Or, shred the sweet potatoes to make air fryer hash browns.
Tips For The Best Air Fried Sweet Potato Cubes
For best results, follow these tips:
- Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized chunks. This will ensure that the sweet potato cubes cook evenly in your air fryer and you won't have any over or under cooked pieces.
- Make sure the sweet potatoes cubes are fully dry. When air frying, you don't want any extra water or moisture on the food since that makes it harder for them to become crispy. Dry the sweet potato cubes thoroughly before adding them to the air fryer basket.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Adding too many potatoes at once won't allow the air to fully circulate and they won't turn out as crispy.
- Don’t use too much oil. Using too much oil on the sweet potatoes will result in soggy potato bites.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the size of your potatoes, but typically about 3-4 large sweet potatoes will equal 1 pound.
Of course! Personally, I think the potatoes come out crispier when made in the air fryer, but the oven is a good option. Simply place some parchment paper on a large baking sheet, and add the seasoned sweet potato cubes to the sheet. Roast the sweet potatoes in a 400 degree F oven for about 25-35 minutes, tossing them halfway through the cook time.
Store any leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, simply pop them back in the air fryer for a couple of minutes to regain their crispiness.
Yes, feel free to use your favorite cooking oil. Extra virgin olive oil works well, but you can experiment with others based on your taste preferences.
Yes! It takes just a couple of steps. You’ll want to get the cubes partially frozen before you place them into an airtight container to ensure they don’t all freeze together in one big clump.
To freeze, spread the cooked, slightly cooled sweet potato cubes onto a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer, then place the cubes in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply use your air fryer again! Reheating from frozen is similar to how you would heat frozen french fries in the air fryer. Place the frozen sweet potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 365 degrees F. Air fry the sweet potato cubes for about 7 minutes.
If you try this method for making Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes, let me know what you think in the comments below! And don't forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
Recipe
Quick And Easy Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potatoes (about 3-4 sweet potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- On a large cutting board, using a sharp knife, peel and cube the sweet potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add the avocado oil and seasonings to the bowl and toss the sweet potato cubes well to coat.
- Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees F and place the cubed sweet potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not over-crowd the basket. (You may need to do this step in batches depending on how large your air fryer is.)
- Ary fry the sweet potato cubes for 10 minutes, shaking them at the halfway mark.
- Remove the crispy air fried sweet potato cubes and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with parsley and serve.
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