Vibrant 2-Colour Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer is a fun way to pimp up a classical side dish. These crispy, colourful fries will impress, especially with this smooth avocado, basil, and lime dip or sriracha mayo!
These 2-Colour Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are going to impress! Purple flesh sweet potato is a delight if you can get your hands on it! I think it’s slightly firmer, a tad less sweet, and has an earthier flavour than its orange peer! Both can be prepared the same way, so why not make them up to have fun? These will undoubtedly appeal to the eyes and tastebuds of many, especially served with smooth green avocado, basil, lime dip and/or sriracha mayonnaise. Easy, breezy side dish recipe that is healthy. Who could ask for more?
Purple Vs Orange Sweet Potato
The purple sweet potato is not to be mistaken with the purple potato or ube, which is a yam and not a potato. The orange potato, although similar, is usually larger and thicker with softer flesh. The main difference between the two is what makes their colour: Beta-Carotenes for the orange and Anthocyanins for the purple. The first one benefits the eyes, and anthocyanins are a powerful antioxidant. Both potatoes are rich in minerals and vitamins and low in fat and cholesterol, which makes them a healthy bite! If you want to dig deeper into all the health benefits and details, I invite you to check this link here!
To Soak or Not to Soak?
Before even cooking, you’ll want to soak your French fries in cold water for 30 minutes to an hour to release their starch, which is the culprit for the burned marks; in other words, it helps to conserve their colours! Also, some say the cold bath helps to make them firmer and less saggy. I often omit this step when the kids are hungry; Mama needs to put food in those bellies ASAP, so time is critical. But if you want to impress and boost colours with your Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer, go all the way and give them a little cold bath before cooking them.
Air Fryer vs. Deep Frying
A quick overview of why Air frying is so much better if you want to live a little longer is the amount of oil used and absorbed by the food. Some foods absorb more oil than others, but overall, it cuts by at least half the fat in your food. Here are a few interesting facts about the air fryer, conventional oven, and electric deep fryer.
Appliances Comparison
You can do them both ways, of course; the air fryer is, after all, a mini convection oven more than a deep fryer. If you go the baking way in the oven, add 10 to 15 minutes of cooking. I usually cut my fries with the help of the mandoline to make them ultra-thin, which means crispier and ultra-fast. But these purple potatoes were strangely too firm to cut this way, so I did them with a sharp knife. Keep in mind that thinner equals crispier!
Tricks
- Also, shaking your fries once or twice while cooking is crucial to separate them. Like pasta, you need to move them in the first 3 minutes to prevent them from sticking together.
- Another misconception about Air fryers is the amount of food you put in there. I saw a famous food blogger putting ten fries at a time in there, but we all know this won’t work for the family’s appetite in real life! You can fill up the basket with fries, but sometimes you’ll need to adjust the time if it’s fuller and add a few minutes. Meat is another story…
- Add oil to the fries before cooking them in the Air fryer. Yes! Just a tablespoon is enough, so mix the salt and oil. You can also add the spices of your choice (garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, thyme, etc.).
- The smaller you cut the fries, the crispier they will be.
* Do you like your Air fryer? Do you want to keep it for a long time? Check out this article about how to keep it in good shape!
The Dips
To complement the Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer, I highly suggest those two sensational dips made in no time: sriracha mayo, which you can make by mixing mayo and sriracha sauce to your liking, which counterbalances all that sweetness from the fries! Or the avocado, basil, and lime dip, a smooth and fresh dip everyone goes nuts for! For this last one, mix at the last minute to keep it vibrant green, and you’ll get a healthy yet succulent dip!
Multicolored Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 purple sweet potato
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
The avocado, basil and lime dip
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 basil leaves
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into fine sticks.
- Add to a bowl of cold water and let it rest for 30 to an hour.
- Dry the fries with a paper towel.
- Add to a bowl with olive oil and salt and mix.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer at 200°C (400F) for 15-18 minutes, don't forget to shake them mid-way.
- During that time, blend the dip ingredients in a small food processor.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
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I love my air fryer so much!! Honestly, it’s my current favourite kitchen appliance right now (besides my espresso machine lol). We do all of our sides in it and I’m especially fond of roasting veggies. I hadn’t tried sweet potato fries yet, so when I saw your post I just had to try it. The fries were awesome and definitely better than mashed sweet potatoes I usually make.
The Air Fryer is the only kitchen appliance I use weekly! When you have a large enough and strong enough one it’s a dream to cook with! Especially when you need things healthy and quick! Glad you loved my simple French fries! Long life to the Air fryer!
These were so easy to make in the air fryer and SO GOOD! I’ll definitely be snacking on these again.
Thanks!