Why are my sweet potatoes not crispy?

This is most likely because they were too close to each other on the sheet pan and steamed. In general, sweet potatoes are soft, and you can't get them as crispy as regular potatoes, no matter what. But when you give them enough space and add cornstarch, they develop a delicious, crispy crust!

What's the secret to crispy sweet potatoes?

Starch! I like using tapioca starch, but cornstarch works exactly the same. It creates a crispy outer layer that makes these crispy even when technically sweet potatoes always stay soft. It's like magic!

Can I make these in an air fryer?

I don't have one, so I can't give you the exact instructions for that, but yes, totally! My guess would be 400°F for 10 minutes, flip, and roast 10 minutes more. Let me know in the comments below if you try it!

Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Name: Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch); 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; ½ tsp sweet paprika; ½ tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp fine sea salt; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced; 2 tbsp avocado oil; For serving: finely chopped fresh parsley and flaky sea salt (optional)

Description

These Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes make a delicious, flavorful side dish to any lunch, dinner, or even breakfast! The secret ingredient? Tapioca starch! They're great for meal prep and just as delicious reheated.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tbsp + 1 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tbsp avocado oil
For serving: finely chopped fresh parsley and flaky sea salt (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together tapioca starch, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
Add diced sweet potatoes to your prepared baking sheet and dry them using paper towels to make sure they roast extra crispy.
Toss them with avocado oil first, then sprinkle them with the seasoning mix and toss well again to coat.
Spread them out on the baking sheet. The less they touch and overlap, the crispier they will get.
Roast them in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Raise the temperature to 450°F and take them out of the oven to toss and flip them.
Return them back into the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
Serve them hot, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, more black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Parchment paper: I highly recommend using parchment paper for this recipe. Sweet potatoes are very soft, and the tapioca starch makes them stick to the pan more, so they could be very hard to remove from the pan if you don’t use parchment paper.

Seasoning: If you like the seasoning and want to make it simpler next time, I have this French Fry Seasoning with the same spices you can make a big batch of for next time!

Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating: Reheat the potatoes in a nonstick pan on the stove with a little bit of oil or butter until warmed through.

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