Are you wondering how to make crispy baked sweet potato fries? How about sweet potato fries with an easy, you'll-want-to-swim-in-it, spicy mustard sauce?
I'm a lover of sweet potatoes. I roast them probably twice a week to have in bowls for lunches and dinners. When I see sweet potato fries as a restaurant's side option, I do an internal happy dance. Ok, sometimes it's external. Sorry.
Crispy, skinny sweet potato fries at home, though, I had not mastered. Until now.
The recipe for the fries comes from the book The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Side Dishes by my real-life friend Rebecca Lindamood. Rebecca also publishes the blog, Foodie with Family. Mom of 5 boys, Rebecca knows her way around the kitchen.
Remember the English Muffin Bread we've all been loving throughout quarantine? That's Rebecca. She's the author of two previous cookbooks, Not Your Mama's Canning Book and Ready, Set, Dough.
Her latest book is one that I needed, desperately. I am not good at side dishes. Ask Jack and Mr. E...side dishes around here are most often baby carrots or grape tomatoes. Boom, side dish. Rebecca's book has opened up a whole new (delicious) side dish world.
Not only are there scrummy recipes from Spicy Asian Roasted Broccoli to Whipped Feta-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes to Creamy Radish Dill Salad, the book walks you through the best way to shop for and store all of the veggies.
How to make sweet potato fries...
Start by cutting the sweet potatoes thin. When I've made fries in the past, I haven't been this precise. I'll admit, it takes a little time...more than just cutting them into uneven chunks like I normally do, but the results are worth it.
Soak the cut sweet potatoes in water for at least one hour or overnight. Rebecca says to. Do it.
I love the idea of doing this the night before, so that sweet potato fries for lunch are easy peasy - and fast!
After soaking, they get dried off and then tossed with cornstarch. Toss again with oil and seasoning.
Spread in a single layer and bake, tossing halfway through.
You'll cool them in an open oven for a bit, then sprinkle with salt, and devour.
Don't forget the dipping sauce! Make this while the potato fries are soaking or while they bake!
It's an easy mix of mustard, mayo, cayenne, and sweetener. I use date syrup. Remember we used it in these spiced pumpkin energy balls? It's also good in smoothies and any place where you want a liquid sweetener. Feel free to sub honey or maple syrup.
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mustard Dipping Sauce
for the fries:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 6x1/4x1/4-inch matchsticks (some will be shorter than 6 inches)
4 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder (the book calls for chipotle chile powder; I had ancho)
fine sea salt
for the sauce:
1/4 cup dijon or yellow mustard, or a mix
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon date syrup (or honey or maple syrup)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*fries recipe from The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Side Dishes, sauce recipe from Bake at 350
Place the cut sweet potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight. Drain, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry. They should not be visibly wet.
Set oven racks on the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 420°. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with heavy-duty foil, dull side up. Lightly spritz with cooking spray. Set aside.
Place half of the potato sticks in a large plastic bag. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Trap as much air as possible in the bag, think a chip bag, and cinch the top. Shake vigorously to coat the potatoes. Empty the bag into a large bowl and use your hands to toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and half of the chile powder. Arrange fries in a single layer on a prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
Place the pans on racks and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with a stiff spatula. (If you have an issue tossing, don't panic. They'll release more easily once cooked through. If so, toss before the cooling/crisping.) Rearrange into single layers. Rotate the pans, back to front, top to bottom, and bake another 10-15 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Turn off the oven, prop the door open halfway, and let them cool and crisp for 10 minutes. Toss with sea salt and serve.
Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Stir together the mustard, mayo, syrup, and cayenne. Serve with the fries.
Raise your hand if you're a fellow sweet potato fanatic!
