Sweet potatoes in the air fryer are easy to make, either cubed or whole. Cubes cook at 400°F in 8-12 minutes with tender centers and lightly browned edges, while whole sweet potatoes take 30-45 minutes. Use orange, Japanese, or purple sweet potatoes for an easy side dish that goes with almost any meal.
Jump to:
- Why Use an Air Fryer for Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Settings (Bake, Air Fry, Roast)
- Ingredients
- How to Air Fry Sweet Diced Sweet Potatoes
- Whole Sweet Potatoes (Air Fryer)
- White and Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Top Tips
- Seasoning Ideas
- How to Serve Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Storage and Reheating
- Takeaway
- More Recipes You'll Love
- FAQ
- Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer (Cubes and Whole)
Why Use an Air Fryer for Sweet Potatoes
The air fryer cooks sweet potatoes faster than the oven and gives you the same results in less time.
For cubes, you're looking at about 8 to 12 minutes. They come out browned on the outside and soft in the center.
Whole sweet potatoes take longer, closer to 30 to 45 minutes, but still cook faster than a traditional oven.
You can cook them whole or cut into cubes depending on what you need. They store well too, so it's easy to keep a few on hand for quick dinners or meal prep.
Air Fryer Settings (Bake, Air Fry, Roast)
Use the air fry setting for sweet potato cubes. It cooks them faster and helps them brown on the outside.
Use roast for whole sweet potatoes or larger pieces so they cook through evenly.
Set to 400°F and cook as directed.
If your air fryer doesn't have a roast setting, use air fry instead.
Ingredients
Figure about 1 cup of diced sweet potatoes per person. That's roughly one small potato or half of a large one.
- 2 to 3 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper (optional)
How to Air Fry Sweet Diced Sweet Potatoes
Cubed or diced sweet potatoes cook fast and have lightly browned, crispy edges.
You can make roasted sweet potato cubes with orange, Japanese, or purple sweet potatoes.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
- Place the cubes in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 400°F in the air fryer for 8-9 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.
The cubes should be tender inside and lightly browned on the edges.
Whole Sweet Potatoes (Air Fryer)
You can air-fry whole sweet potatoes.
- Scrub and dry the potatoes, then prick them a few times with a fork to let steam escape.
- Air fry on the roast setting at 400°F until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes for medium potatoes.
- Larger potatoes will take up to 45 minutes.
White and Purple Sweet Potatoes
Cubed white Japanese or purple sweet potatoes cook especially well in the air fryer. Both are drier than typical orange sweet potatoes, so they brown better and come out more like roasted potatoes.
Peel and slice into even 1-inch cubes so they cook evenly. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper
Cooking time can vary by variety and cube size.
In testing, Japanese sweet potatoes cooked in about 7 minutes, while orange sweet potatoes took closer to 8 minutes at 400°F.
When making them for the first time, check after 6 minutes to see where you are rather than relying only on the clock. Every air fryer is different.
Top Tips
- Cut cubes into similar sizes so they cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the basket, or the potatoes will steam instead of roast.
- Cook in batches if needed for better browning.
- Use the cooking times as a guide. Larger or thicker sweet potatoes may need a few extra minutes.
Seasoning Ideas
Sweet potatoes taste great with just salt and pepper, but a few simple seasonings can add extra flavor.
- Savory mix-ins: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, or cumin. Toss cubes with olive oil, salt, and your favorite spice before cooking.
- Sweet toppings: butter with cinnamon, brown sugar, or honey pairs well with the natural sweetness. Add after cooking while the potatoes are still warm.
- Fresh toppings: add sliced scallions, chopped parsley, or crumbled feta before serving.
How to Serve Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Serve cubed sweet potatoes with roasted vegetables or salads.
They also pair well with pan-seared shrimp, steak, or roasted chicken.
You can also use them in bowls with rice, greens, or eggs for a quick meal.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat whole sweet potatoes, cut in half and warm in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. You can also microwave until heated through.
Reheat cubes in the air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or microwave on high for about 1 minute.
Takeaway
Air fryer sweet potatoes are an easy, versatile side dish with tender centers and lightly browned edges. Cook them cubed or whole, experiment with different seasonings, or try orange, Japanese, and purple varieties.
For more ideas, try my roasted purple sweet potatoes, oven-baked sweet potato cubes for a classic side dish, or roasted sweet potato arugula salad.
You can also browse all of my sweet potato recipes.
More Recipes You'll Love
Looking for more easy recipes? Try these simple vegetable recipes for your next meal.
FAQ
Yes. Hot, circulating air makes the centers tender while lightly browning the outside. At 400°F, whole sweet potatoes take about 30-45 minutes, while 1-inch cubes take about 8-12 minutes.
Use the air fry setting for sweet potato cubes. It cooks them quickly and helps the edges brown. Use the roast setting for whole sweet potatoes or larger pieces so they cook evenly. If your air fryer doesn't have a roast setting, use the air fry setting instead.
Plan on about 1 medium sweet potato per person when serving it as a side dish. If the meal includes several other sides, allow ½ to ¾ of a potato per person. For cubed sweet potatoes, that's approximately 1 to 1½ cups cooked per person.
No. Sweet potato skin is edible, so peeling is optional. Scrub the potatoes well before cooking; leave the skin on for added texture, especially when air-frying them whole.
Cubed sweet potatoes usually take 8-9 minutes at 400°F. Shake the basket halfway through cooking so the cubes brown evenly.
Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer (Cubes and Whole)
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Cubed Sweet Potatoes
- Peel the sweet potatoes, slice off the tips, rinse, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Pat dry.
- Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Use the air fryer setting.
- Spread in a single layer in the air fryer basket without crowding. For better browning, don't overcrowd the basket.
- Cook at 400°F for 8-12 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Whole Sweet Potatoes
- Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Use a fork to poke several holes in each potato.
- Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket.
- Use the roast setting for whole potatoes.
- Cook at 400°F for 30 to 45 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. The potatoes are done when a knife slides easily into the center.
Bradley says
Made this as a fast side dish and it was perfect. Loved how easy it was and the seasoning combination was great.