Japanese Sweet Potato Air Fryer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why soak sweet potatoes before air frying? ›

If you'd like, you can soak the sweet potato slices for 30 minutes up to 2 hours before frying to remove excess starch. Personally, though, going through this step didn't make a real difference for my fries. Peels on or off — it's up to you!

My go-to way of eating a Japanese sweet potato is slathered with avocado, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and then topped with steamed greens or broccoli and fresh sunflower sprouts. HEAVEN! But there are so many ways to enjoy this tuber packed with antioxidants, vitamins A and C, fiber, and potassium.

Because they're a little drier and starchier than other varieties, Japanese sweet potatoes have a distinct creaminess and a fluffier, lighter texture, a little more like a regular baking potato than a standard orange sweet potato. They also have a particularly sweet yet, subtle flavor compared to many other varieties.

If your air fryer fries are soggy, it is likely because you over-crowded them in the basket. The sweet potatoes steam when crowded together, instead of air frying. For the best, most crispy results, cook the fries in a single layer so that the air has room to circulate.

I wouldn't bother doing potatoes from the raw state, without soaking. It will take about a half an hour and the texture won't be nearly as rewarding. They just don't get very crispy without that cold soak.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

Are Japanese sweet potatoes healthier than regular sweet potatoes? All varieties of sweet potatoes are good for you but these purple-skin tubers do have higher concentrations of specific vitamins and nutrients.

We eat the skin of Japanese sweet potatoes. That's why it's important to scrub and wash the sweet potatoes well before you bake them. Of course, you can peel it before you eat, but don't forget that the skin has plenty of nutrients!

Did you know that Japanese sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest foods you can eat? They're packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and they're a staple of the diet in Okinawa, Japan, one of the world's Blue Zones, where people live longer and healthier than anywhere else.

Japanese sweet potatoes are rich in healthy minerals, especially potassium, copper and manganese. The amounts, per potato, are as follows: ‌Potassium‌: 940 milligrams. ‌Calcium‌: 80 milligrams.

How long does it take to bake Japanese sweet potatoes? ›

Fill a pot with water and place a steaming basket or rack inside. Arrange the sweet potato pieces in the steaming basket. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a gentle simmer. Steam the sweet potatoes for around 20-30 minutes, or until they're tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork.

Why do my air fryer sweet potato fries turn black? Sweet potatoes contain a higher concentration of sugar than standard potatoes, and caramelize as they cook in the air fryer. If you find the fries are darkening too quickly or deeply, cook at a lower temperature, or for a shorter period of time.

Sweet potatoes take 40 to 50 minutes to bake in the air fryer at 370 degrees F, compared to 50 to 65 minutes (or longer) in the oven (check out How to Bake a Sweet Potato). Use that time to whip up a fast, easy main like Pan Fried Chicken Breast.

The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.

Soaking the potatoes after they're cut draws out some of the starch which is naturally present in potatoes. This will result in a crispier fry. A thirty minute soak in cold water does the trick but you may soak them longer if you want.

Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up. I've tested soaking sweet potato fries many times, and I've found that it doesn't make them much crispier, if at all.

Generally, you soak potatoes in water if you're making fries, as it helps them turn out crispier while frying. Since this recipe is for roasted sweet potato cubes, soaking the potatoes beforehand is unnecessary.