These air fryer sweet potato cubes are the perfect side dish with a seasoned crispy outside and tender inside! All you need are a few ingredients and they are ready in 15 minutes.
We love sweet potatoes as a side dish! Other favorites include these roasted sweet potatoes, candied yams and baked sweet potato fries.
Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potatoes
These little cubed sweet potatoes make the best addition to any fall salad or winter salad or can be the main attraction in a buddha bowl or sweet potato salad! They make a great healthy snack since they are gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and whole30 compliant, too.
These air fryer sweet potato cubes come together in under an hour, and once you cut your potatoes, the air fryer does all the work. What results is a delicious batch of roasted sweet potatoes without the oven roasting!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Taste & texture. They turn out perfectly tender and crispy every time!
- Efficient. Using the air fryer to cook these cubes means not having to turn on the oven, and there’s virtually no clean-up.
- Versatile. They can go from sweet to savory to spicy just by switching up the seasonings which makes them perfect as a side dish for all kinds of mains.
Ingredients Needed
- Sweet potatoes: Peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes. Peeling them is completely optional.
- Olive oil spray: Needed to create a nonstick environment and help get a nice browned exterior on the outside of the potato cubes.
- Seasoning: Fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chili powder.
Seasoning Variations
The seasoning options are endless! Enjoy all the flavors from sweet to spicy and make a completely different version of air fryer sweet potato cubes every time!
- Smoky. Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Spicy. For extra spice, add additional chili powder and ground cumin.
- Citrus and spice. Sprinkle on the Chili Lime Seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
- Sweet. Make them sweet by sprinkling on cinnamon sugar, and drizzle a little honey or maple syrup.
How to Cut Sweet Potato Cubes
If you’re keeping the skin on, make sure to scrub your potatoes clean and then pat them dry. Get rid of as much moisture as possible so they will crisp up nicely.
The skin does add a bit of texture plus tons of fiber and extra nutrition, however, it’s also a rustic texture that not everyone loves. Peel the potatoes if you prefer no skin.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the potato in half lengthwise.
- Lay each half, flat side down on the cutting board. Cut wedges lengthwise about 1″ apart.
- Turn the knife crosswise and slice the strips into cubes.
How to Make Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. You may notice some air fryer recipes don’t require a preheat. This one does because we want to get that initial high heat on the outside to lock in the moisture and create a nice crispy exterior.
- Add sweet potato cubes. Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray and place the cubes inside the basket in a single layer. Spray with cooking spray and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder.
- Air fry. Close the basket and set the cooking time for 13-15 minutes, until crispy around the edges. Pause and shake the basket halfway through.
- Season to taste. Then serve while hot! As they cool they will lose their crispness, so make sure to enjoy these air fryer sweet potato cubes while they are still hot!
Recipe Tips
- Work in batches if you are making a lot. Not all air fryer baskets are the same size, so you don’t want to overcrowd them. Otherwise, you’ll end up with steamed potato cubes.
- If you’re out of the cooking spray, lightly toss the cubes around in a bit of avocado oil or olive oil instead. There’s no need to grease the basket in this case.
- Test for doneness. If you’re unsure as to whether or not the insides are nice and tender, use a pair of tongs and grab the biggest cube you see. Pierce it with a sharp knife or fork. If there is no resistance, they’re ready!
Ways to Enjoy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
As I said, when I’m looking to up the nutritional value in certain recipes or switch it up just for fun, swapping regular potatoes for air fryer sweet potatoes is just the thing!
Try making the switch in these skillet breakfast potatoes, garlic butter steak and potatoes, or this breakfast egg skillet.
You can also add them to sheet pan chicken and veggies or one pan balsamic chicken and veggies.
Serve them on the side of the best turkey burgers or my favorite hamburger. Or beside a slice of easy avocado toast with egg for breakfast.
A family favorite is to enjoy them in these black bean and sweet potato taquitos. A must-try!
More roasted vegetables side dishes we love include roasted broccoli and cauliflower, balsamic roasted carrots and cast iron skillet potatoes.
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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes , peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
- Olive oil spray
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder , more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Spray with base of the air fryer with olive oil. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in an even layer inside the air fryer. Generously spray with olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder.
- Cook for 13-15 minutes, shaking the basket half way through. You want them to be crispy around the edges. Add more seasonings to taste. Serve while hot.
Notes
- Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- For extra spice, add additional chili powder and ground cumin.
- Sprinkle on the Chili Lime Seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
- Make them sweet by sprinkling on some cinnamon sugar and drizzling a little honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
FAQs
No! That’s one of the great things about using the air fryer, there is no pre-boiling of your potatoes. Sweet potatoes don’t come with as much starch as white potatoes, so there’s not even a need to soak them. So easy!
Definitely. Pop them in the oven at 425 degrees and you’re set.
You want to make sure to keep them stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll be good for up to 3 days, but they will lose crispness. Reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees until slightly crispy and warmed through.
Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, fresh rosemary, thyme, and other herbs. Cumin or curry powder could be great, as would Garam Masala!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Potatoes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Whole 30
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These sweet potatoes are a new favorite side for me. I love them just as a snack too!
This is my new favorite way to cook sweet potatoes! I made them today and added them on top of a hearty salad. Perfection.
Glad they were a success!
Wow! These air fryer sweet potato cubes were fantastic! Everyone love them so much!