Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Two pans are essential — sweet potato fries need space to crisp. Crowding traps steam and gives you limp, soggy results.

2. Toss the sweet potato sticks with cornstarch in a large bowl until every surface is lightly coated. Then add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss again. The cornstarch goes on first (dry) so it adheres to the potato surface. The oil goes on second, sealing the starch coating in place. This thin starch shell dehydrates in the oven, creating crispness that sweet potatoes can't achieve on their own.

3. Spread in a single layer across both sheet pans with space between each fry. No overlapping, no touching. Each fry needs direct contact with the hot pan and exposure to the oven's dry heat.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each fry with a spatula. Bake 10–12 minutes more until the edges are golden and crispy. The cornstarch coating should be visibly crisped — slightly puffed and golden.

5. Mix the sriracha mayo while the fries bake: mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice. The creamy heat and bright acid pair perfectly with the sweet, caramelized fries. Serve immediately.

Equipment

• 2 rimmed sheet pans Recommended: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Half Sheet Pan
• Parchment paper Recommended: Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper Roll
• Large mixing bowl Recommended: Vollrath 13-Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: The cornstarch coating is the crispiness secret. Sweet potatoes have more sugar and moisture than russets, which makes them prone to sogginess when baked. Tossing them in cornstarch before oiling creates a thin, dry shell that crisps in the oven.
• Use two sheet pans. Crowding is the enemy of crispy baked fries — overcrowded fries steam instead of roast. Each fry needs space and contact with the hot pan surface.
• Cut the fries to uniform 1/4-inch thickness. Thin fries crisp better than thick ones, and uniform size means they all finish at the same time.
• Flip once halfway through baking. The bottom crisps from pan contact; flipping gives you crispness on both sides.
• The sriracha mayo takes 30 seconds and is dramatically better than ketchup with sweet potato fries.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Chicken wings	Chicken drumettes or boneless thighs	Drumettes are meatier. Boneless thighs for easier eating.
Tofu	Tempeh or seitan	Tempeh is nuttier and firmer. Seitan is chewier and higher protein.
Potatoes	Sweet potatoes or cauliflower	Sweet potatoes add sweetness. Cauliflower for low-carb.
Olive oil	Avocado oil or grapeseed oil	Avocado oil has higher smoke point. Grapeseed is neutral.
Lime juice	Lemon juice or rice vinegar	Lemon is slightly more tart. Rice vinegar for mild acidity.
Sugar	Coconut sugar or maple syrup	Coconut sugar is 1:1. Maple: reduce liquid slightly.

What You're Practicing

Using cornstarch as a crisping agent teaches you about surface dehydration — the same principle behind coating chicken wings in baking powder, dusting tofu in cornstarch before frying, and the velveting technique in Chinese stir-fry. A thin starch coating on any food creates a barrier that dehydrates in heat, producing crispness. Visit Techniques for more on crisping techniques.

Baking on two pans instead of one teaches you about oven capacity and crowding. Every food releases moisture as it cooks. When too much food is on one pan, the moisture can't evaporate fast enough and the food steams. Spreading food across multiple pans gives each piece the space it needs to brown and crisp.