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If you have never made an air fryer baked sweet potato, you are in for a genuinely pleasant surprise. The skin crisps up beautifully, the inside turns soft and fluffy, and the whole thing is ready in about 35 minutes without ever turning on your oven.
All you need is a fork for poking and a little olive oil rubbed over the skin before the air fryer does the rest. The sweet potato then works as a simple side dish or a base for loaded toppings and full meals.
If you prefer the oven method, check out my guide on how to make baked sweet potatoes. For a faster weeknight option, the microwave sweet potato method is also worth bookmarking.
What you’ll need
- Sweet potatoes: Choose medium sweet potatoes that are similar in size so they cook evenly. Look for firm skin with no soft spots, wrinkles, or cracks. Orange-fleshed varieties work beautifully here, but white or purple sweet potatoes are just as good.
- Olive oil: A light coating of olive oil helps the skin crisp up and adds a little richness. Avocado oil works just as well if that is what you have on hand.
- Salt: Optional. Sprinkled over the oiled skin, it gives s a gentle crunch on the outside and brings out the natural sweetness of the potato. Omit depending on how you will use the potato or what toppings you will add.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make air fryer baked sweet potato
Start by scrubbing the sweet potatoes well under running water to remove any dirt from the skin. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Damp skin will steam rather than crisp, so this step matters.
Using a fork, poke holes all over each sweet potato, covering the top, bottom, and sides. This lets steam escape during cooking and prevents the potato from bursting in the air fryer basket.
Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then, optionally, sprinkle coarse salt generously over the skin. The oil and salt together help the skin crisp up nicely as it cooks.
Preheat your air fryer to 400º F for about 3 minutes if your model recommends it. Place the sweet potatoes in the basket in a single layer with a little space between them so the hot air can circulate evenly around each one.
Air fry at 400º F for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark by inserting a fork or thin knife into the thickest part of the potato. If it slides in easily with no resistance, the potato is done. If there is still firmness in the center, continue cooking in 5-minute increments and check again. Larger sweet potatoes can take up to 45 minutes.
Once done, remove the sweet potatoes from the basket and let them rest for 2 minutes. Then slice open the top, give the inside a gentle fluff with a fork, and add your toppings of choice.
Size matters for cook time. Medium sweet potatoes around 6 to 8 ounces are done in about 35 minutes, while large ones can need up to 45 minutes. If you are cooking multiple potatoes at once, try to pick ones that are close in size so they finish at the same time.
Serving suggestions
Baked sweet potatoes are truly a blank canvas. The simplest way to serve these is with a pat of butter, a pinch of salt, and a crack of black pepper. However, you can choose your favorite toppings or enjoy them as a side dish or stuffing for your mains.
- Sweet toppings: try a drizzle of maple syrup or honey with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar or a spoonful of cinnamon butter.
- Savory toppings: load the potato with cottage cheese, homemade salsa, Mexican black beans, or drizzle with lemon tahini sauce.
- Main dish stuffing: use the air fryer whole sweet potato as a base for crockpot chili or crockpot chicken enchilada.
- Complimentary side dish: To make a full meal, serve alongside a kale salad or a chickpea salad. Or serve alongside air fryer broccoli or air fried green beans round out the plate nicely.
- Mashed sweet potatoes: use the flesh from these air-fried potatoes as a shortcut to make mashed sweet potatoes.
Storage and reheating
- Fridge: Store cooled baked sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let them cool completely, wrap each one tightly, and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm in the air fryer at 370º F for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave in 90-second intervals until heated through.
FAQs
Oil is not strictly required, but it helps the skin crisp up and adds a little richness. Without it, the skin will still cook through but will be more matte and slightly tougher rather than lightly crisp.
Yes, as long as they fit in a single layer with space between them. Overcrowding the basket blocks airflow and leads to uneven cooking. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook them in batches.
Size is usually the reason. Larger or thicker sweet potatoes take longer. Keep cooking in 5-minute increments and check with a fork each time until it slides in easily with no resistance.
More air fryer recipes to try
If you love how easy the air fryer makes vegetables, these recipes are worth adding to your regular rotation.
If you baked sweet potatoes in the air fryer, please leave a rating and a quick comment. Your feedback supports the blog and helps other readers.
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes medium, about 6-8 ounces each
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt optional, omit depending on your toppings
Instructions
- Scrub the sweet potatoes well under running water to remove any dirt. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over each sweet potato, covering the top, bottom, and sides generously.
- Rub each sweet potato all over with the olive oil. Optionally, sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over the skin of each potato.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400º F for about 3 minutes if your model recommends it. Place the sweet potatoes in the basket in a single layer with space between them.
- Air fry at 400º F for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Begin checking for doneness at the 30-minute mark by inserting a fork into the thickest part. If it slides in easily, the potato is done. If there is still resistance, continue cooking in 5-minute increments and check again. Larger potatoes may need up to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the basket and rest for 2 minutes. Slice open the top, fluff the inside with a fork, and add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Size affects cook time. Medium sweet potatoes (6-8 ounces) cook in about 35 to 40 minutes. Large sweet potatoes can take up to 45 minutes. Choose potatoes that are similar in size if cooking multiple at once, so they finish at the same time.
- Check for doneness: The skin will look deeply browned before the inside is fully cooked. Use the fork test to judge doneness, not the color of the skin.
- Skip the foil. No foil is needed in the air fryer basket. Foil can block airflow and lead to uneven cooking.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 370º F for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave in 90-second intervals. To freeze, cool completely, wrap tightly, and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
