Baked sweet potatoes are on the meal planner for tonight! But… you got stuck in traffic on the way back from work. There’s simply no time to bake potatoes. Or is there…? Whip out your favourite appliance and with this recipe for air fryer baked sweet potato, you’ll have puffy, pillow-centred pots on the table in less than 20 minutes.
And streamline Sunday lunch too with crispy air fryer potatoes. These perfect roasties are done in 20 minutes and don’t take up valuable oven space. Winning!
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Baked sweet potato in the air fryer
The number one reason for baking a sweet potato in the This is an affiliate link.air fryer is speed. To make mine in double time, I microwave them first. Let’s compare methods:
Oven only baked sweet potato = 40 to 50 mins.
Air fryer only baked sweet potato = 35 to 40 mins.
Microwave then air fryer sweet potato = 15 to 20 mins max.!
Obviously, timings will vary depending on the size of your potato, but that is a pretty compelling case!
The second reason is texture. Sweet potatoes have a higher water content than regular potatoes, so as long as your prick the skins to allow the steam to escape, you can expect a light and feathery centre.
They are also less starchy. During cooking, this starch is broken down into sugar, which is what makes them so delightfully, naturally sweet.
Easy sweet potato recipes
Their quicker cook time give sweet potatoes the edge in any busy cook’s kitchen! What’s more, who doesn’t love their nutty sweetness?
What’s more, this versatile tuber is a solid all-rounder; soups, stews, sides and mains, even sweets! A sweet potato can do it all!
Here are some of my go-to super easy sweet potato recipes:
• Roasted butternut squash and sweet potato soup
• Savoury sweet potato casserole
• Chicken and sweet potato curry
Recipe tips and notes
- I firmly believe in pre-cooking all baked potatoes in the microwave before blasting them in the oven. Not only does it guarantee the desired fluffy centre it halves the baking time.
- Baking sweet potatoes concentrates their natural sugars which is what gives them that irresistible cotton candy texture.
- Sweet potato skins though. I love a crunchy, crispy, golden baked potato skin, but cannot abide their cousins’ skins. I find them too rough, tough and chewy. So, I do not bother rubbing oil into a baked sweet potato and I just discard them when I’m done.
- It’s common to add sugar to sweet potatoes, but I think they are plenty sweet! All they need is a little salt and spice or tasty toppings.
Serving suggestions
In our house, baked whole sweet potatoes are served as a side or as a main course. Potatoes come in very varied shapes and sizes, so I tend to sort them into smaller ones and larger ones to fit the menu.
The larger ones are laden with baked potato toppings and come with a salad. If you are fan of traditional British jacket potato with baked beans, try my version of spicy baked beans and chimichurri sauce for a change.
The smaller ones sit alongside hearty fare like slow cooked pot roast with gravy, Spanish chicken in bravas sauce or chile verde. The fluffy centre is perfect for absorbing sauces, stews and gravies.
Storage and leftovers
Baked sweet potatoes cooked in the air fryer will keep, airtight, for 3-5 days in the fridge, and they have a multitude of uses!
You can add them in place of regular potatoes to casseroles or soups, and as they are pre-cooked, the cooking time is handily reduced. Or simply add them to your normal mash for a nutritious half and half.
Other air fryer recipes to try
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce
- Air Fryer Greek Fries
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2-4 sweet potatoes medium
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Wash and dry the potatoes and prick them with the tip of a sharp knife all over. Microwave for 5 minutes on high.
- Meanwhile preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F. Place the sweet potatoes in the air fryer and air fry for 10-12 minutes until soft and fluffy on the inside. To check for doneness pierce with a knife there should be no resistance. (The timing will vary depending on the size and circumference of your sweet potatoes. The thicker ones will take longer. If that is the case, simply add a couple of minutes of cooking time).
- Cut in half lengthwise and fluff the flesh with a fork, season with salt and pepper and add a touch of butter or choose from our favourite toppings. (Sweet potato skins are too tough when cooked, so I recommend discarding them).
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