Air Fryer Yams

These air fryer yams turn out perfect every time, with a sweet and tender middle and ultra crispy skin. You need just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, so making these roasted sweet potatoes for dinner couldn't be easier!

We love our sweet potatoes topped with butter, sea salt and herbs for a tasty side dish, but you can also stuff them with your favorite fillings for a main meal. If you like to make stuffed sweet potatoes, try them with this beef chili with bacon or this Mexican pork carnitas.

The skin of these easy air fryer sweet potatoes is so delicious and salty and the interior of the potato comes out so creamy and delicious, like with these air fryer baked potatoes.

And not having to turn your oven on and heat up your house is a huge bonus during the warmer months.

And during the cooler, holiday months, you can cook sweet potatoes (AND this air fryer acorn squash) separate while your ham or turkey roasts in the oven!

Why this air fryer sweet potato recipe works

• Sweet potatoes in the air fryer have the most amazing crispy skin and light and fluffy interiors.
• Air fryer roasted sweet potatoes take less time than baking them in the oven. These yams are perfect for quick and easy weeknights meals. You can easily make this recipe in advance for meal planning too.
• You don’t need to heat up your oven for a few potatoes and it frees up valuable oven space for other dishes you’re cooking. Just preheat the air fryer for a few minutes (if required by your model) and you're good to go.

Ingredients

You need just three basic ingredients for this easy recipe.

Sweet potatoes - Make sure your potatoes are roughly the same size so they air fry evenly. I usually go for sweet potatoes that are slightly long and not too large or round as they take longer to cook. Any of he varieties of sweet potatoes works here.

Salt - Course sea salt works best and don’t be afraid to be generous with it! It adds texture, flavor and pairs well with the crispy potato skin.

Oil - A little oil helps the skin get super crispy. I normally use avocado oil in an oil spray bottle, but you can also use vegetable or canola oil if that’s your preference. I don't recommend olive oil as it can burn in the air fryer giving the potatoes a bitter taste.

Topping ideas

The topping options are endless, especially when you can go sweet or savory! Here are some suggestions:

• Plenty of butter and sea salt is always a great choice.
• Chopped fresh herbs like chives or parsley add a pop of flavor and color.
• Add some Mexican tomato salsa and mix in some black beans and corn.
• Sprinkle on some brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Try this leftover turkey chili.
• Pour on a little maple syrup with some toasted chopped pecans.

Step by step instructions to make sweet potatoes in the air fryer

1. Scrub the sweet potatoes clean, pat them dry and use a fork to poke several holes into each one.

2. Lightly coat each potato with oil, either by brushing it on or using your hands to rub it on. Sprinkle on the sea salt, making sure the potatoes are well covered.

3. Place the sweet potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry on 350°F degrees for a cooking time of 30-40 minutes. Cook in batches if needed.

4. After 15-20 minutes, flip the potatoes to ensure they cook evenly.

Carefully remove the potatoes from the air fryer, slice in half lengthwise and serve with butter, chopped fresh herbs and more sea salt.

Recipe tips

1. To enjoy the skin, make sure it is scrubbed clean and doesn’t have any dry or rotting spots on it.
2. The size of the sweet potato is key to even cooking. If you're cooking more than one, make sure they’re the same size so they air fry evenly. Sweet potatoes that are short and round will take much longer to cook through.
3. For evenly air fried yams, don’t overcrowd the air fryer. I usually air fry two yams at a time. 
4. If you’re using a larger capacity or toaster oven-style air fryer, you may be able to fit more yams in the basket.
5. No need to spray the air fryer basket as the yams are oiled so they won’t stick.
6. If your air fryer has a preheating function, be sure to preheat it before adding the sweet potatoes.
7. Piercing holes into the skin of the sweet potato helps steam escape as it air fries.
8. Each air fryer cooks a little differently, so start checking the yams at about 30 minutes.
9. You’ll know they’re done when a knife easily goes through the flesh.

Make it a meal

Enjoy air fryer baked sweet potatoes as a side dish with one of these entrees

• Air fryer chicken bites
• Sous vide boneless pork chops
• Instant pot lemon chicken
• Air fryer frozen meatballs
• Air fryer salmon

Frequently asked questions

More air fryer recipes

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