The best Air Fryer Sweet Potato Slices are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This recipe is quick and easy and only requires 6 ingredients. The caramel-like sweet flavor is balanced with a spicy kick of cayenne for a combination that is irresistible.
Why this Air Fryer Sweet Potato Recipe is Amazing: The simple seasoned rounds cook up faster than whole sweet potatoes for a quick & easy side that is also healthy.
This is also my favorite hassle-free Thanksgiving side & leaves my oven & stove free for other foods. They come out golden & beautiful so no one can resist & good thing because everyone can enjoy them. They are paleo, whole30, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian, & vegan.
This was inspired by my sweet potato fries on this site and pairs well with my Air Fryer Pork Chops (no breading).
Ingredients
All you need is 6 ingredients for this recipe. The quick homemade mix of 4 spices is what makes this simply delish without any effort.
The best varieties of sweet potatoes for this recipe include the sweeter, less starchy kinds; beauregard, jewel, red garnet, covington, & centennial. These are typically the golden, orange, or reddish skin & flesh ones found at most grocery stores.
- Sweet Potato - 1 large or 2 medium of similar size so the round slices come out even.
- Avocado Oil Spray - best high-heat oil for air frying.
- Paprika - a touch of color & flavor.
- Salt & Pepper - simple seasoning.
- Cayenne Pepper - spicy heat to balance the sweet & savory flavors.
How to Air Fryer Slices of Sweet Potatoes
No boiling or pre-baking is needed for this recipe. The air fryer does all the cooking in one easy step.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe:
- Prep & Slice the Sweet Potatoes
- Spray & Season
- Cook in the Air Fryer
See the recipe card for full instructions.
1 - Prep & Slice the Sweet Potatoes
Begin by cleaning, drying, and peeling the sweet potatoes. I had one very large potato to peel but you may have 2 to equal one pound.
Yams or sweet potatoes will work in this recipe. They are different but they can be sliced and cooked at the same time and temperature.
Using a sharp chef's knife, slice rounds that are ½" thick. It is important to make them as uniform in size as possible. This will ensure they will all cook evenly.
I got 16 nice slices from my one large potato. Each serving resulted in 4 slices. The number of slices will vary.
2 - Spray & Season
Lightly spray one side of the slices with the avocado oil. Sprinkle all the rounds with the seasoning blend. Use ½ of what is in the bowl, reserving the other half for the other side of the sweet potatoes.
Flip the slices over and repeat. Spray them with the avocado oil and sprinkle on the remaining half of the spices.
3 - Cook in the Air Fryer
For the recipe, you need an air fryer. I have the Breville Air Fryer/Toaster Oven combo and LOVE it.
Preheat the air fryer to 370°. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Times may vary based on the thickness of your slices.
Once the air fryer is preheated, carefully add the slices to the air fryer. Place them in a single layer.
Let them cook for the 15 minutes that are on the timer.
Hint: It is also best to have a bit of space between each if you can. This helps them get crispy on all edges.
BASKET-STYLE AIR FRYER TIP - you may want to flip them over halfway through cooking. I have a tray and did not need to flip or rotate the sweet potato slices.
Serving Suggestions
Once the air frying is complete, use a set of tongs to carefully remove the crispy cooked sweet potato slices from the air fryer. Arrange them on a platter or individual dinner plates.
Top with chopped parsley & enjoy immediately while warm, crisp, & tasty.
What to Serve with Sweet Potatoes : this classic autumn vegetable is great with comforting meals in fall or winter like my recipe for Creamy Dijon Pork Chops or Fried Buttermilk Chicken Tenders.
If you love this recipe, try my Air Fryer Curried Acorn Squash Slices. They are sweet, savory, nutty, & fantastic. If you prefer whole sweet potatoes, try my recipe for Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes. They cook in a lot less time than an oven will and the skin is crazy crispy good.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 tip make sure the rounds are the same size & not too thick so they get tender on the inside & crispy on the outside.
- If you don't have avocado spray brush with a tiny bit of vegetable oil before air frying.
- Substitute any colorful yam for sweet potatoes.
- Omit the cayenne pepper for a mild kid-friendly version.
- Did you know there are 14 types of sweet potatoes that are commonly found now in the USA & so many different colors.
- My kids actually love to pick these up and dip them in ketchup like they are fries. Made me cringe at first but I tried it and I admit, it is good that way too!
- Make sure you serve these your next Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter meal with my Pineapple Glaze for Ham.
FAQ
If you love to eat the skin on sweet potatoes, you can leave it on. You do not need to peel them, it is personally how I like them in this recipe. I do leave them on when I bake or fry them so I know how yummy the skins can be.
If you do not have an air fryer, this can be baked in the oven. I used to make them that way before I got my air fryer. Bake in a 400° preheated oven on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. They will not be as crispy on the outside but they will still be amazing.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Slices
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes 1-2 large
- avocado oil spray
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped optional
Instructions
- Begin by cleaning, drying, and peeling the sweet potatoes. I had one very large potato to peel but you may have 2 to equal one pound.1 pound sweet potatoes
- Using a sharp chef's knife, slice rounds that are ½" thick. It is important to make them as uniform in size as possible. This will ensure they will all cook evenly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the 4 spices together and stir.½ teaspoon sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Lightly spray one side of the slices with the avocado oil. Sprinkle all the rounds with the seasoning blend. Use ½ of what is in the bowl, reserving the other half for the other side of the sweet potatoes.Flip the slices over and repeat. Spray them with the avocado oil and sprinkle on the remaining half of the spices.avocado oil spray
- Once the air fryer is preheated, carefully add the slices to the air fryer. Place them in a single layer. It is also best to have a bit of space between each if you can. This helps them get crispy on all edges.
- Let them cook for the 15 minutes that is on the timer. If you have a basket-style air fryer, you may want to flip them over halfway through cooking. I have a tray and did not need to flip or rotate the sweet potato slices.
- Once the air frying is complete, use a set of tongs to carefully remove the crispy cooked sweet potato slices from the air fryer.
- Top with fresh parsley if deserved. Serve and enjoy immediately.fresh parsley, chopped
- Leftovers store easily in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Notes
- Leftovers store easily in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
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Gordie says
Enjoyed these a lot. I cut them thicker than suggested since I wanted to be able to stack them under filets. I just cooked them a bit longer and they were perfect.