Global
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Crisp, lightly spiced sweet potato fries baked (not fried), naturally sweet and full of fibre and beta-carotene.
~40 mintotal~169 kcalper serving~2g protein~32g carbs~4g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 4.
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes, cut into fries
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper
Cooking Steps
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
Toss the fries with cornflour, then the olive oil and spices.
Spread in a single layer, not touching, on lined trays.
Bake 25–30 minutes, turning once, until crisp.
Season and serve straight away.
Optional Enhancements
- Add garlic powder or rosemary
- Butternut or carrot fries
- Serve with yogurt-herb dip
Plant & Growing Tips
Sweet Potatoes
- Grow sweet potatoes from 'slips' (sprouted shoots) planted in warm soil after all danger of frost has passed.
- Choose a sunny location with loose, well-draining soil and space plants about 30cm apart in mounds or rows.
- Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry periods, but avoid overwatering as harvest approaches.
Natural Pest Control
- Rotate sweet potato crops each year to disrupt the life cycle of soil-borne pests like sweet potato weevils.
- Cover young plants with floating row covers to deter deer, rabbits, and other browsing animals.
- Hand-pick any visible sweet potato beetles or their larvae from the leaves.
Harvest
Sweet Potatoes
- Harvest sweet potatoes before the first hard frost, typically 90-120 days after planting slips, when leaves begin to yellow.
- Carefully dig around the plants with a fork or spade to avoid damaging the tubers, then gently lift them from the soil.
- Cure freshly dug sweet potatoes in a warm, humid environment for 7-10 days to improve flavor and storage life.
Storing & Freezing
Best fresh; re-crisp leftovers in the oven.
