These Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes are ready in less time than oven-baked. Simple and fuss-free, these perfectly cooked whole sweet potatoes are great for a fast dinner or a weeknight side dish.
Everyone loves a fast meal without a lot of fuss, and these crispy baked sweet potatoes in the air fryer won’t disappoint!
How to Make an Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
*You’ll find a detailed and printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with measurements and cooking times/temps.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and dry them with a clean dry towel (or air dry). Gently poke each spud ~10 times with the tines of a fork.
Add olive oil, kosher salt, and minced garlic to a bowl (I used my beloved glass mixing bowl) and drop the spuds in. Swirl the bowl, making sure you coat all of the skin with the olive oil garlic mixture.
Lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil (or use air fryer parchment) and add the sweet potatoes. Bake for 37 minutes.
How Long Does it Take to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Air Fryer?
I have a 5.8-quart Cosori air fryer and on average it takes 37 minutes at 370 degrees F to air fry sweet potatoes. This method is so much faster than making oven baked sweet potatoes.
Each model/brand might cook the potatoes a bit differently, so test your spuds at 30 minutes by sticking a sharp knife into the center.
The skin should be crispy and browned and the inside should be perfectly soft and fluffy.
If you need something that is ready faster, check out our Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes. They’re ready in under 16 minutes.
How to Flavor an Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
Top your potato with your favorite toppings – butter, cinnamon, and sugar, Crispy Fried Onions, Sweet Potatoes Fries Dipping Sauce, Chipotle Sauce, Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce, shredded chicken (mixed with Sugar-Free Barbeque Sauce), Air Fryer Bacon, or a big ol’ scoop of white beans and shredded cabbage.
Are Sweet Potatoes Healthier than Other Potatoes?
Orange sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and dietary fiber. One sweet potato can provide 400% of your daily intake of vitamin A.
For people who cannot tolerate the glycemic index of white potatoes, the fiber in sweet potatoes can slow the pace of digestion, which can regulate and even out glucose absorption.
The beta carotene in sweet potatoes converts to vitamin A that can help boost your immune system and support your vision.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes:
- Poke each sweet potato ~10 tines with the size of the fork. This is important to ensure that the potato can vent heat while it bakes.
- Each model/brand might cook the potatoes a bit differently, so test your spuds at 30 minutes by sticking a sharp knife into the center.
- Sweet potatoes make a great meal prep item. Fully bake ahead of time and reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
- If you have a larger family or need to cook more at once, invest in an air fryer that is 5 quarts or more.
How to Buy Sweet Potatoes
Choose firm sweet potatoes with smooth skin without dents, blemishes, cracks, or visible damage. Avoid any sweet potatoes that show sprouting on the skin.
Most grocery stores sell orange skin/flesh or red skin/orange flesh varieties of sweet potatoes. Both will work in this recipe.
If baking multiple sweet potatoes at a time, select ones that are similar in size for even baking time.
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 37 mins
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
-
Scrub the sweet potatoes and blot with a clean dry towel.2 sweet potatoes
-
Gently poke each spud ~10 times with the tines of a fork.
-
Add olive oil, kosher salt, and minced garlic to a bowl and drop the sweet potatoes in. Swirl the bowl, making sure you coat all of the skin with the olive oil garlic mixture.1 tsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 tsp kosher salt
-
Lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil and add the potatoes. Bake at 370 F for 37 minutes.
Oven instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Follow steps 2-3 above.
- Put a piece of foil or a baking sheeting on the bottom rack of your oven. Place the potatoes directly on the rack above the foil/baking sheet.
- Bake for 60-90 minutes depending on how many spuds you have. Four potatoes will need 60 minutes, and any more than that will need 90 ish.
Notes
- Preheating is not necessary but may cut 1-3 minutes of total cooking time. Optional: preheat at 370F for 3 minutes.
- Each air fryer model is different. Check potatoes at 30 minutes. The sweet potatoes are ready when a sharp knife pierces easily into the skin.
- There is no need to flip the potatoes during cooking unless your air fryer creates “hot spots”.
- These make great meal prep items. Fully bake ahead of time and reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
