How to Make Sweet Potato Fries

Hey, I’m John Cannell. Today on Preppy Kitchen we’re making delicious sweet potato fries, so let’s get started.

Preparation and the Soaking Debate

First off, we’re gonna grab some sweet potatoes, and I gotta tell you there is a big sweet-potato-fry controversy: basically, it’s “to soak or not to soak.” There are two trains of thought, so I thought it would be fun to show both methods and see which one’s better. I’m going to try and rope Brian in to see if he’ll do a blind taste test.

What You’ll Need

• Two large or three medium sweet potatoes
• Vegetable peeler
• Sharp knife
• Olive oil
• Seasonings (added later)

Cutting the Potatoes

We want quarter-inch-thick slices—lots of surface area—because later we’re going to dust these in cornstarch and add seasoning. I like to cut my sweet potatoes in a conveyor-belt fashion. Sweet-potato fries are a great way to get beta-carotene into your kids and re-introduce them to foods they might not love yet.

Method 1: Overnight Cold-Water Soak

Place the cut fries in ice-cold water, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The hope is that excess starch will disperse into the water, yielding crispier fries that don’t clump.

Method 2: No-Soak Control

Peel and cut a second batch the same size. These go straight into seasoning and baking without soaking.

Post-Soak Prep

Drain the soaked fries, rinse, and pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. Excess surface water can hinder crisping.

Coating with Cornstarch

Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp cornstarch over each batch; toss to coat lightly. The thin starch layer helps with browning and crunch.

Oiling and Seasoning

Spread the fries on a baking sheet in a single layer. Mist or drizzle with olive oil until every piece is lightly coated—ignore recipes that call for a single teaspoon; full coverage is key. Season with fine sea salt now; add more after the mid-bake flip. Feel free to add chili powder, seasoned salt, or any spice blend you like.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Bake one sheet at a time for 8–10 minutes, flip each fry, re-space, then bake another 8–10 minutes until crisp. Repeat with the second batch.

The Taste Test

We plated both versions anonymously. Brian’s verdict: “They taste pretty similar; maybe the soaked ones are a tiny bit better, but it’s almost exactly the same.”

Conclusion

If you like to prep ahead, soaking works fine. If you want fries right now, skip the soak—both deliver great results. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce alongside a turkey burger and enjoy!