Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges

These crispy sweet potato wedges are soft and fluffy on the inside, with a great crunch, and made with just simple ingredients. Season with salt and fresh herbs, and serve with a dip of your choice for an amazing snack or side dish! Vegan and easy to make.

I love sweet potatoes. A lot. It's no secret that I always have a lot in the fridge and come up with a sweet potato-based creation multiple times a week! It's one of those ingredient that's super versatile - you can bake, mash, turn into fries, and use for sweet and savoury recipes alike. If you haven't tried sweet potato with peanut butter yet, you're missing!

But, few things are as disappointing as soggy sweet potato fries that almost have a mashed potato consistency throughout. That's definitely not the way to go! We want wedges and fries alike to be soft on the inside, but perfectly crispy on the outside. But don't worry, that isn't hard to achieve at all! You may need a little bit more time, but definitely no extra effort. And it's 100% worth it!

Like my coconut soup with jackfruit and sweet potato, this recipe is actually from my first cookbook, Earthy Vegan Eats. If you love simple, yet creative vegan side dish and snack ideas, there's a whole chapter dedicated to them! Be sure to check out the book for yourself if you want to learn more and grab a copy!

How to make sweet potato wedges crispy

There's a few simple, but crucial tips you should recommend to avoid soggy wedges and achieve that amazing crispiness we all want! A lot of these tips also apply to my perfect crispy roast potatoes. Trust me, you won't be able to stop eating these wedges.

1. Soak the sweet potatoes. Simply submerge them in a bowl of water and set aside for an hour. I know this may seem like too much extra waiting time, but it makes the biggest difference, so don't skip this step!
2. Make the sweet potato wedges even-sized. This will make sure that you don't end up with some wedges that are overcooked, while others are still undercooked.
3. Leave the skin on. You can peel them if you want to, but leaving them unpeeled can really add to the texture. I'm also usually too lazy to peel sweet potatoes lol.
4. Don't use too much oil. A little bit is necessary, but adding too much can make them soggier.
5. Cornstarch is the key secret ingredient. Once again, definitely don't skip adding cornstarch to sweet potato wedges. You need just a small amount, and it's the key to achieving the perfect crispy texture. Tapioca flour also works.
6. Don't overcrowd the baking tray. This is crucial! Also make sure that the fries don't overlap - keep them in a single layer. The reason why you want to avoid overcrowding the tray is to make sure that the moisture has enough room to escape from the wedges.
7. Bake at a high temperature. I would recommend 220 degrees C/425 F. Keep in mind that each oven is slightly different, which may impact baking times slightly, so I would check them every 8-10 minutes.
8. Season to salt right at the end. Make sure that you don't add salt before baking - this will result in soggy fries for sure, but feel free to season them generously when you're ready to serve.

How to make sweet potato wedges

Start by soaking the potatoes in a bowl of water for an hour. You can use this time to just go about your business, or prepare a sauce/the main course you'll be serving the wedges with. Drain, rinse well and pat dry thoroughly using a paper towel.

At this stage, preheat the oven to 220 degrees C (425 F) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Transfer the wedges to a large mixing bowl, and also add olive oil maple syrup, paprika and cornstarch. Stir together well, until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated in the cornstarch.

Transfer the wedges to the baking tray. Remember - make sure not to overcrowd! You may have to prepare two batches if necessary. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the tray and use kitchen tongs to flip the wedges over. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until crispy.

Season with salt and fresh herbs, before serving with a dip of your choice, or as a side dish.

How to cut sweet potato wedges

You can change the shape/size of the wedges depending on your personal preferences. However, what I typically do to cut potato wedges is trim the ends off the sweet potato, cut it in half lengthways, and then cut the halves again, so that each potato makes 8 wedges. This is the quickest and easiest method.

Seasoning variations

Seasoning options for crispy sweet potato wedges are also versatile. Try out different spices to see which ones you like best! For instance, seasoning options such as onion granules, garam masala, cumin, garlic powder, Chipotle seasoning, and cayenne pepper work well.

You can also leave out the maple syrup if you'd like, but in my personal opinion, I think it works really well with and enhances the natural flavour of sweet potato. The addition of maple syrup also helps them caramelise.

Storing and freezing instructions for baked sweet potatoes

I would not recommend storing these in the fridge for more than around a day because the wedges will end up becoming soggy. But if you don't plan on eating the sweet potato wedges straight away, they are definitely freezer-friendly and very easy to reheat.

In order to do so, firstly place the baked sweet potato wedges on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure that they are spaced out and don't overlap. Place them in the freezer for an hour, then transfer to freezer-friendly bags, labelling the bags.

These can be kept in the freezer for 3-4 months. In order to reheat, arrange them on a baking tray, drizzle with a little bit of extra oil, and place in the oven at 220 degrees C (425 F) for 15 minutes, until crispy once again.

What do I serve sweet potato wedges with?

These are so many different options for serving homemade sweet potato wedges! They make a delicious and versatile side dish, starter or snack. For instance, you can serve them as a healthy side for any weeknight dinner of your choice. How about making them together with black bean burgers, miso-glazed tofu steaks, or pulled jackfruit sandwiches?!

If you're looking for a good dip or sauce, there are also so many options. Of course, you can use simple ketchup or BBQ sauce. I would also recommend vegan sour cream, or chunky guacamole. You can even make a cheesy butternut squash sauce and pour over the top to make loaded fries!

Other delicious sweet potato recipes

If you love sweet potatoes, you will love these ideas! Make sure to try them out next.

• My vegan sweet potato soup is rich, flavourful and creamy, as well as easy to make.
• Homemade sweet potato gnocchi is great for a weekend dinner!
• If you're a fan of salads, try out a zucchini sweet potato salad.
• For a breakfast option, try out sweet potato pancakes.

Let me know in the comments: what's your favourite way to use sweet potato? If you give these homemade crispy sweet potato wedges a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies), and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating!

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