This recipe for Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes is the perfect way to add a delicious, nutritious side dish to your next meal. Just chop, toss in a savory spice blend, and roast to golden brown perfection!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Savory sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for so many main courses. They pair well with almost any protein - think barbecue chicken, steak, or pork chops.
- This simple way to prepare sweet potatoes makes it so easy to get a nutritious side item on the table fast.
- These are fool-proof - just chop, soak, and toss!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes - I like to get the larger variety; not only do you have to peel less, but they tend to be a little bit sweeter.
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil - Any oil works here; use what you have!
- seasonings - This combo is really subjective; you can use just about anything in your spice cabinet here! I recommend the following combo: 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
Variations & Additions
- Add or take away spices as needed. You can leave any of the seasonings out of this recipe. If you'd like, you can also add herbs like thyme, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, rosemary, or onion powder. Add about 2 teaspoons of any given seasoning.
- Not an olive oil fan? Use avocado oil, butter, or vegetable oil instead.
- If you'd like to bring out the sweeter side of the sweet potato, add a tablespoon of honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup to the seasonings before tossing with the sweet potatoes.
How to Cut Sweet Potato Cubes
There are three simple steps to getting the perfect sweet potato cubes.
Start with peeled sweet potatoes.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the sweet potato into ½-1" sheets.
- Slice those sheets into 1" thick sticks.
- Chop the sticks into ½-1" cubes.
Just think sheets, sticks, cubes! If you'd like to make more of a sweet potato fry, just leave the sweet potatoes as sticks and add a few minutes to the cooking time.
How to Air Fry Sweet Potato Cubes
Once your sweet potatoes are chopped into the perfect cubes, soak those cubes in cold water for about 10 minutes. This will remove excess starch from your potatoes, making it even easier to get them nice as crispy in the air fryer.
While your sweet potatoes are soaking, add olive oil and spices to a gallon-sized plastic bag. Mix the seasonings and oil a little bit with your fingers.
After about 10 minutes of soaking, dry your sweet potatoes with a paper towel. This is an important step - that moisture will prevent your potatoes from browning.
Then, add those dried cubes to the plastic bag and shake well, until the potato cubes are completely covered in oil and seasonings.
Add sweet potatoes to an air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at around 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes, until sweet potatoes begin to brown at the corners, tossing occasionally.
Love an easy side dish? You'll also want to try my Air Fryer Roasted Okra or Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles!
Alternate Cooking Directions: Oven Roasting
This recipe is easy to make in an oven too!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once heated, add potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through baking.
Bonus Recipe: A Quick Dipping Sauce
Make a really yummy dipping sauce to go with your roasted sweet potatoes by mixing the following:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper for spice
Leftovers & Storage
STORAGE: These sweet potatoes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy them within 3-4 days of air frying.
REHEATING: When you're ready to enjoy again, set the air fryer to "reheat" mode (or about 200 degrees) and air fry for 10-12 minutes, until slightly browned and sizzling.
FREEZING: These freeze really well, making for a super simple last-minute side dish! Just cook as directed, cool, and freeze in a gallon-sized freezer bag for up to 6 months. When you're ready to serve again, no need to thaw - just pop them in the Air Fryer frozen (on around 425 degrees) for 8-10 minutes, until warmed and crispy on the outside.
Must-Know Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your sweet potatoes are in a single layer in the air fryer. It's ok to do several batches if needed.
- If you have the kind of air fryer that has trays on top of one another, make sure to rotate them halfway through cooking.
- Make sure the sweet potato cubes are as dry as possible before adding them to the olive oil and seasoning blend. Water is your enemy when trying to get crispy, crunchy potatoes!
- If your sweet potatoes turn black in the Air Fryer, that's a good thing! This happens because of caramelization on the outside of the sweet potato that's going to give it extra crunch and great flavor. Because there's a higher amount of sugar in sweet potatoes, they caramelize more easily, giving them that black/brown coating.
I can't wait to see what you think of these air fryer sweet potatoes as your next side item! 🍠 Leave a rating or review ⭐️ of this recipe below.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Peel sweet potatoes. Chop sweet potatoes into ½-1 inch cubes and soak cubes in cold water for about 10 minutes.
- While sweet potatoes are soaking, add remaining ingredients to a large gallon-sized bag.
- After about 10 minutes of soaking, pat sweet potatoes dry with a paper towel. Add to the bag with the spices and toss well.
- Add sweet potatoes to an air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes, until sweet potatoes begin to brown at the corners.
Notes
- Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer - work in batches if needed - and dry them well before seasoning for maximum crispiness.
- If using a tray-style air fryer, rotate trays halfway through cooking for even results.
- Don’t worry if the sweet potatoes turn black...that’s just caramelization from their natural sugars, and it adds great flavor and crunch!
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
