Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Fries (Print version)

Golden sweet potato fries tossed in Cajun spices and air-fried to crisp perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sweet Potatoes

01 - 2 large sweet potatoes (approximately 1.5 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch fries

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Optional Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss sweet potato fries with olive oil until evenly coated.
03 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and sea salt.
04 - Sprinkle the spice mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss thoroughly to ensure even coverage.
05 - Place fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket; cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
06 - Air-fry fries for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket or turning fries halfway through cooking until they are golden brown and crisp.
07 - Transfer fries to a serving plate, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside and tender inside without needing a deep fryer or tons of oil.
  • The Cajun spice blend is bold enough to feel fancy but simple enough that you probably have everything in your kitchen already.
  • Fifteen minutes from bowl to plate means you can make these even on busy nights when takeout starts sounding too tempting.
02 -
  • If your fries come out soggy, they likely weren't patted dry enough or your air fryer wasn't hot enough, so make sure that 3-minute preheat actually happens.
  • Soaking cut fries in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking removes some of the starch and makes them noticeably crispier, something I stumbled onto by accident and now do every time.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the air fryer basket because the fries need space for hot air to circulate, and I learned this the frustrating way before I started doing batches.
  • If you have an extra minute, a quick soak in cold water before cooking removes starch and gives you that restaurant-quality crisp that makes people ask for the recipe.
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