Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes (Crispy and tender)

Name: Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 small sweet potatoes (washed); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon sea salt

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links.Please read our disclosure policy.

Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes come out perfectly fluffy and tender every time without much effort! Learn how easy and fast it is to make them in your Air Fryer.

Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes on a plate topped with butter and parsley.

Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer are a versatile side dish that can be made sweet or savory! Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, top them with our Instant Pot Chili and grated cheese, or sprinkle them with cinnamon and drizzle with honey or maple syrup.

Baking sweet potatoes with their skin on gives you a creamy and flavorful inside that can be easily mashed up with a fork after you cut it open and a crispy, puffed up skin that tastes delicious.

Making them in the Air Fryer has many advantages. Because the Air Fryer heats up faster than a regular oven, cooks the sweet potatoes faster, and crisps up the skin more.

If you’re looking for more Air Fryer Recipes while you’re here, try out our Air Fryer Potato Wedges, our Air Fryer Fried Okra, or our reader favorite, Air Fryer Chicken Wings.

Why our recipe

Cooking times for all sweet potato sizes so you get the perfect texture
Quick and easy recipe that cooks in small sweet potatoes to perfection in only 20 minutes
Super versatile recipe that can be dressed up with your favorite toppings

A glass bowl with raw, whole sweet potatoes, covered with olive oil.

Ingredient Notes

Sweet Potatoes: You need small or medium-sized sweet potatoes for this recipe. I prefer Garnet sweet potatoes, but Jewels work well too. Large sweet potatoes take a long time to cook and a lot of room in the basket. Make sure the sweet potatoes don’t have cracks, soft skin, or soft spots.
Oil: I prefer to use olive oil or avocado oil. Don’t use cooking spray.
Salt: A sprinkle of sea salt adds lots of flavor!
Toppings: Butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper or some honey and cinnamon make a great topping. Scroll down for more topping ideas!

Julia’s Tips and Tricks

Size: I usually use small sweet potatoes for this recipe because they cook faster. Make sure your potatoes are the same size so they cook evenly.
Pierce the skin: Poking the sweet potatoes all over with a fork adds some ventilation so that they don’t explode while baking. The risk of them exploding is low, but it makes a big mess, so better do this extra step.
Shake: Shake the Air Fryer basket a few times during the cooking time, so the sweet potatoes bake evenly and get crispy from all sides.
Don’t overcrowd: Cooking too many sweet potatoes at the same time will prevent the air from circulating. Always make sure the basket is not too full and there is enough room between the food.
Foil: Don’t wrap the sweet potatoes in aluminum foil! They will steam instead of bake. You want the crispy, puffed up skin and caramelization on the outside.

Air Fryer cooking times

Depending on the size of your sweet potatoes, the cooking time might be longer or shorter.

Small Sweet Potatoes – 1.5-2 inches in width: ~ 20–25 minutes
Medium Sweet Potatoes – 2–2.5 inches in width: ~ 30–40 minutes
Large Sweet Potatoes – 2.5–3 inches in width: ~ 45–55 minutes

Frequently asked questions

What kind of sweet potato is best for baking?

There are two types of sweet potatoes: moist and dry. Moist sweet potatoes have red or orange skin and soften and sweeten after cooking, while dry sweet potatoes have tan or purple skin (e.g., Japanese sweet potatoes) and are not as soft and sweet. For baking, moist sweet potatoes work best in my experience if you prefer your potatoes on the softer and sweeter side. Drier sweet potatoes work better for roasting and steaming.

Can you eat the skin of a baked sweet potato?

Yes, you can eat the skin of a sweet potato. Keeping the skin on helps retain the nutrients. Make sure to scrub the potatoes thoroughly before cooking. I recommend using a produce rinse and a vegetable brush to clean them.
If you don’t want to eat the skin, you can scoop out the flesh easily when the potatoes are cooked.

At what temperature should you air fry sweet potatoes?

I recommend baking sweet potatoes in the Air Fryer at 390 degrees F. You can also increase the temperature to 400 degrees F, but the skin of the potatoes will brown faster.

Baked Sweet Potato Toppings

Topping options for baked sweet potatoes are endless and depend on if you want to serve them as a side dish or a full meal. You can also dress them up savory or sweet. Here are a few ideas:

Butter, salt, black pepper, and a sprinkle of chives
Sour cream, black beans, salsa, and cheese
Butter, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon
Pecans, mini marshmallows and brown sugar (Tip: put them back in the air fryer for 1 minute after filling them)
Tzatziki sauce
Guacamole
Chili, sour cream, and cheese
Roasted vegetables

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep for 3–4 days.

Freeze cooled down sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them.

Reheat leftovers in the Air Fryer at 350 degrees F until heated through. You can also use the microwave.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Sides & Salads

Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes

Air Fryer

Air Fryer Baked Potato

Air Fryer

Air Fryer Churros

Air Fryer

Air Fryer Meatballs

Save Pin Print

4.75 from 4 votes