When I was a kid, if you said French Fries, what came to mind was a greasy white potato that you would get at one of those fast food restaurants. So we would never have them because they weren’t good for you. We would of never thought to make them at home and to bake them instead of frying them and to use Sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes was unheard of. But why not? Sweet potatoes are not only super tasty but they are really good for you. They are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in antioxidants. So you get all the nutritional benefits along with the great taste.
These fries are crispy and full of flavor. There are a few steps that you will have to take to get them that way though.
The first thing you will need are firm sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into fries. I Just cut them by hand but if you have a mandolin you can use that as well. If cutting by hand try to keep the slices uniformed so that they cook at the same rate,
Sometimes cutting sweet potatoes can be tricky because they are rounded. It is best to cut them in half first then place the flat side down and then cut slices out of each half. You will have to cut each slice one or two more times in order to make fries.
This next step is very important if you want a crispy baked fry. Place sliced sweet potatoes in a large bowl and fill with cold water until the potatoes are covered. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes. By doing this you are removing the excess starch from the potatoes. Drain and rinse. Remove potatoes from the bowl and place them on a clean kitchen towel to dry. You want to make sure the potatoes are completely dry before seasoning them.
Once the potatoes are dry, place them back in the large bowl and coat them with olive oil. I like to use an olive oil spray because I feel that I can coat them more evenly.
At this point you will want to mix your spices together. I happen to like the combination of spices that I use but if you want to add or eliminate a spice, you can do that as well. Pour half of the spice mix over your sweet potatoes and toss to coat.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with a non stick spray. Place the fries on the parchment so that they are not touching each other. This will help the fries to become crispy. Sprinkle the remaining spice mixture on top and place in a 375º oven on the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip fries so they can get browned on all sides and return to oven for about 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries:
Ingredients:
- 4 Medium Firm Sweet Potatoes.
- Olive Oil Spray.
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika.
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper.
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder.
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder.
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme.
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper.
- 1 Teaspoon Salt.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and place them on a cutting board. Slice each potato in half so that you have a sturdy surface to cut on. Slice each half into fries, making sure to cut all fries into equal sizes so that they cook evenly.
- Place all cut fries into a large bowl and fill with cold water until completely submerged. Let soak for 30 minutes, doing this will remove some of the starch which will ensure that your fries are crispy.
- While potatoes are soaking you can prepare your seasoning. In a small bowl combine paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper and set aside.
- Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Place the rinsed potatoes on a clean kitchen towel to dry.
- Place dried potatoes back in bowl and spray with cooking spray to coat. Sprinkle half of the spice mix over the potatoes and toss to coat. Place potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet being careful to place them so that they are not touching each other and sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture.
- Place baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes flip the fries so that they can brown on all sides. Return the fries to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes or until browned and crispy. Serve immediately.
