My Easy Roasted Sweet Potatoes Are Super Crispy

Sweet potatoes are a delicious veggie side, but they’re notoriously hard to get as crispy as their regular potato cousins. They contain more moisture than white, gold, or red potatoes, which converts to steam as the potatoes cook, turning them soft and creamy. This is a boon when you want a silky mash or tender twice-baked situation, but when only crispy, crackly potatoes will do, this recipe has cracked the code.

After our test kitchen tried almost every hack in the book—pan-steaming or microwaving before roasting, cutting the potatoes into a range of sizes, varying amounts of oil, a whole slew of oven temperatures—this is how to get crispy roasted sweet potatoes every time. They have a satisfying, caramelized crunch on the outside and a melty creaminess inside, all thanks to some simple tricks (and no fussy techniques!).

Tips for the Crispiest-Ever Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• Use a hot oven: After testing a range of baking temperatures, cranking the oven all the way up to 450°F ensured the crispiest results.
• Preheat a light-colored pan: Preheating a baking sheet in that hot oven jump-starts cooking to sear the outsides of the potatoes quickly. Using a light-colored pan rather than a dark pan helps to prevent the potatoes from burning. If you’re using a dark pan, consider skipping the preheating step.
• Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch pieces: If the potatoes are cut too small, they can burn quickly in the hot oven. Too big, and they can overcook on the outside before turning creamy inside. A 3/4-inch size proved to be the happy medium here, providing maximum crispy, crackly exterior to creamy, tender interior.
• Toss the potatoes in cornstarch: Coating the sweet potatoes in an oily cornstarch slurry creates a craggy, starchy coating that absorbs the potatoes’ excess moisture as they roast. Seasoning that mixture with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika offers a savory, smoky contrast to the natural sweetness of the potatoes for an irresistible crackly, crunchy, flavorful bite.

Serving Suggestions

These potatoes are delicious as a simple side on their own, but you can also serve them:

• On top of a dressed salad for some extra heartiness
• Dipped into a garlicky aioli
• As part of a hearty grain bowl 
• Piled into a rice and bean burrito for color and sweetness

Blended with other roasted root vegetables or squash for a creamy vegetable soup

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Preheat the pan:

Place a light-colored baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and let heat for 5 minutes.

Coat the potatoes:

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, paprika, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat fully.

Arrange the potatoes on the hot pan:

Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Working quickly, drizzle the pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and tilt the baking sheet to coat evenly. Pour the sweet potato mixture onto the preheated baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.

Roast:

Roast until golden brown and crispy, turning with a spatula every 10 to 15 minutes, 30 to 40 minutes total. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

For maximum crispness, these potatoes are best eaten right away. They start to soften the longer they sit after roasting. You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat in an air fryer at 350°F to get some of the crispiness back.

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