Air fryer sweet potato cubes are an easy and quick appetizer or side! Perfectly crisp and caramelized, these sweet potato bites take less than half the time as an oven. They’re perfect for meal prep, adding to salads or nourish bowls, or dipping in your favorite sauce as a snack.
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You’re going to love this healthier twist on sweet potatoes. Air frying is my preferred roasting method because everything comes out crispy and golden with less oil, thanks to the magic of the air fryer.
Air frying veggies is a great way to quickly and easily prepare an easy side dish, appetizer, or healthy snack. Some of my favorite things to air fry are cauliflower bites, tater tots, and polenta fries.
Why you’ll love this recipe
These easy air fryer sweet potato chunks make meal time a breeze! No more long cooking times in the oven and they come out perfect every time!
Using an air fryer cuts the cooking time in half so you can make these even on busy nights.
I love cooking sweet potatoes quickly in the microwave, but sometimes I want them nice and crispy! That’s when I switch to the air fryer which only takes a few minutes longer.
I use this Dash air fryer and found that I don’t even need to preheat it to get great results! And truth be told, sometimes I don’t even shake the basket halfway—everything still comes out crispy from all sides!
If you’re a novice at air frying, this is a great beginner recipe and shows how perfectly roasted an air fryer can make sweet potato.
These roasted air fried sweet potatoes are:
- Perfectly crispy. The air fryer transforms sweet potato cubes into crispy, golden delights with just a fraction of the oil. Enjoy that satisfying crunch without the guilt of deep frying.
- Quick and effortless. The air fryer significantly reduces cooking time, allowing you to enjoy perfectly cooked sweet potato cubes in a matter of minutes, making it an ideal option for busy days.
- Versatile and easy to customize. Experiment with various spices and herbs, such as cinnamon, paprika, rosemary, or a sprinkle of brown sugar, to create a sweet or salty dish depending on how you’re feeling.
- Crowd-pleasing. Make a great side dish or great addition for salads, nourish bowls, stir fries, etc. Air-fried sweet potato cubes are sure to win over everyone at the table, making it a go-to snack or appetizer for gatherings.
How to cook sweet potato cubes in the air fryer
You really only need one ingredient (sweet potatoes!) to roast sweet potatoes to perfection in an air fryer, but for more flavor you can toss them with a savor combination of spices. Full details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
1. Start by scrubbing your sweet potatoes under cold, running water to remove any dirt/debris.
2. Grab a cutting board and slice the sweet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. Try to chop them as evenly as possible.
3. Place the sweet potato cubes in a large bowl. Optionally, drizzle with olive oil—this isn’t necessary but does increase the golden color. Sprinkle with the seasonings and toss to combine.
4. Evenly spread out your seasoned sweet potatoes in an air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 400F for 8 minutes. Shake the basket to flip them around, then continue cooking for 5-7 more minutes. Once they can be easily pierced with a fork, they’re done.
5. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the sliced parsley. Serve immediately to enjoy crispy. Over time they will start to soften.
What to serve with
These air fryer sweet potatoes are great for adding to salads, wraps, tacos, stir fries, or chilis. They are really versatile!
They’re also the perfect side dish for almost any meal. We love them alongside chickpea and lentil curry, chickpea patties, vegan lasagna, and jackfruit burgers.
They also taste great with just a little salt and black pepper as a side dish or dip them in your favorite sauce for a snack!
If you want to get creative with your sweet potato chunks, below are some additional flavor ideas.
Savory sweet potatoes (mix and match or add a dash of them all!):
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder or cayenne pepper
- Smoked paprika
Sweet flavors:
- Ground cinnamon
- Coconut sugar
- Maple syrup
Toss in your favorite seasonings before cooking.
Expert Tips
- For one large sweet potato, I’ve found that 12-15 minutes total is perfect. A small sweet potato may only need 8-10 minutes.
- Work in batches if needed to avoid overfilling your air fryer. You don’t want your sweet potato chunks to touch if possible, so that they cook evenly on all sides.
- Try to slice your cubes to all be similar in size. This makes sure they all cook evenly in the same amount of time.
Storage and reheating
Store cooked sweet potato in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for longer.
Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to maintain crispiness. You can also reheat in the microwave for a minute or two if crispiness is not desired. Increase time if reheating from frozen.
FAQ’s
Sweet potatoes don’t have as much starch content as white potatoes, so there’s no need to soak them to remove the starch before air frying. They crisp up just fine without soaking.
It’s completely up to your personal preference. I love potato skins, plus they hold extra fiber and nutrients so I never peel. If you prefer yours without the peel, feel free to remove them. Cooking time and temperature stays the same regardless.
If you’re cooking from frozen, I recommend preheating your air fryer first. Do this by setting the desired temperature and allowing it to run for 3 minutes first before adding food. Evenly spread out the frozen sweet potato chunks in the air fryer and cook until heated through and crispy.
It could be that you’re not cooking them for long enough—perhaps because your air fryer is not as powerful. Add a couple minutes at a time until you see the outside start to brown. You could also spray your sweet potatoes with a little oil to help, but I’ve achieved crispy results without any oil.
More easy air fryer recipes
If you love this sweet potato cubes recipe, check out these other easy air fryer recipes:
- Want more sweet potatoes? Check out these frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer or see how to make sweet potato sauteed.
- Kale chips are the best healthy chip option that comes out so crunchy in the air fryer.
- Toss tofu in the air fryer for a crispy versatile protein that can easily be added to any dish.
- Did you know you can make toast in the air fryer? It’s great for making big batches of toast at once!
- Quickly roast asparagus in the air fryer for a healthy side dish.
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Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Method
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley thinly sliced
Instructions
- Start by scrubbing your sweet potatoes under cold running water to remove and dirt/debris.1 medium sweet potato
- Then slice into ½-inch cubes. Try to chop them as evenly as possible.
- Place the sweet potato cubes in a large mixing bowl. Optionally, drizzle with olive oil—this isn't necessary but does increase the golden color. Sprinkle with the seasonings and toss to combine.½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Evenly spread out your sweet potato cubes in an air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 400°F for 8 minutes. Shake the basket, then continue cooking for 5-7 more minutes until crispy and starting to brown on the outside. Pierce with a fork to check for doneness.
- Transfer to a bowl and toss with the fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy!2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Notes
Love this recipe?Check out my new cookbook Whole Food Plant-Based Weeknight Dinners for 70+ easy and delicious oil-free recipes.Nutrition
These air fryer sweet potato cubes were originally posted on January 10th, 2022, and updated on October 1, 2023 with additional tips and new photos.
Love these! The seasoning was perfect and they were so easy to make. I’m going to try the sweet version next time!
So glad you liked it! The sweet version is equally delicious 🙂