This easy recipe for Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes is seasoned to perfection, simple to make, and perfect for serving with a variety of dishes. Tender sweet potato chunks are roasted in less than 20 minutes, with a crisp outside and a fluffy inside. You'll never want to make them in the oven again!
I've had my air fryer for several years now, and I have to say one of my favorite things about it is how easy it makes preparing healthy meals. Not only is it much quicker (and energy-saving) when compared to using the oven, it also is way crispier, even when using far less oil.
These air fryer sweet potato cubes are no exception. Made with just a tablespoon of healthy avocado oil, they are seasoned to perfection and ideal for dipping into your favorite sauce (curry mayo for me, please).
Best of all? They are ready in just 20 minutes with very little hands-on time - freeing you up so you can prepare a delicious main dish like my creamy roasted red pepper chicken (with some Instant Pot white rice on the side).
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a healthy side dish that goes well with a variety of flavors and protein options.
- Ready in less than 20 minutes, making it ideal for weeknight dinners.
- Air fryer sweet potato cubes are perfect for meal prep. They are a great source of carbs and taste great even when served cold.
- They work for a variety of dietary needs since the recipe is naturally vegan - pair them with your favorite protein source and enjoy.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: You'll need about 1 large sweet potato (or 2 smaller ones), which should work out to about 1 pound. You can double or triple the recipe, but you will need to work in batches to make sure they crisp up nicely.
- Avocado oil: I like to use avocado oil in my kitchen because of its high smoke point and mostly neutral flavor, but you can use whatever oil you like to keep on hand.
- Seasonings: Salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin add the perfect complementary flavor to comforting sweet potatoes. You can also add cinnamon if you prefer!
Equipment
- Air Fryer: You will also need an air fryer to make these, but the good news is you can use whatever style you have! I recommend the Ninja XL for a basket model and the Instant Pot Vortex for an oven-style model.
How to Cut Sweet Potatoes Into Cubes
Before you prepare the actual recipe, you need to prep the sweet potatoes. For this recipe, they need to be cut into ½-1" cubes. Here's how to do it:
- Peel each sweet potato, and then slice it into ½-1" thick rounds.
- Cut each round into ½-1" thick strips lengthwise, and then widthwise.
- You now have ½-1" sweet potato cubes, perfect for air frying.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cubes in the Air Fryer
Once your sweet potatoes are cut into ½-1" cubes, you're ready to get started! First, preheat your air fryer to 400ºF for a minimum of 3 minutes, or whatever the manual for your model instructs for preheating.
Then add the avocado oil (or oil of your choice) to a medium-sized bowl, followed by the seasonings (salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin).
Stir the seasonings and oil together until they form a thin paste. Then add in your cubed sweet potatoes and stir to coat them in the seasoned oil.
Air Frying Sweet Potato Cubes
- Add the seasoned sweet potato chunks to the preheated air fryer basket, spreading them into an even layer.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and tender (easily pierced with a fork), remove them from the air fryer basket and cool for 2-5 minutes before serving.
- Serve and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Best Dipping Sauces for Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Curry mayonnaise
- Chipotle mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Ranch dip
- Garlic aioli
- Honey mustard
- Guacamole
Expert Tips
- To make sure the sweet potato cubes stay crisp and cooked through, make sure to work in batches if you make a larger amount. I find about 1 large (or 2 medium) sweet potato is the perfect amount per batch.
- If you would like your air fryer sweet potato cubes to cook more quickly, use ½" cubes. If you don't mind a longer cooking time, opt for 1" cubes.
- If you use an oven-style air fryer increase the cooking time by about 1-3 minutes. As always, check for doneness by piercing with a fork.
- If preparing for meal prep, allow the roasted sweet potatoes to cool completely before portioning them into containers. Warm sweet potatoes will create condensation which makes for a soggy texture. Instead, wait until they are completely cooled to room temperature and then pack them into containers.
Variations and Substitutions
With cinnamon: If you like a warm and comforting flavor you can either add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the original blend of seasonings OR you can substitute everything but the salt for about 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon. I would also recommend swapping the avocado oil for melted butter.
No oil: If you would like to make these without oil, you will still need to use a light coating of cooking spray to coat the sweet potato cubes, but it will be significantly less oil. Lay the cubes in an even layer and spray them lightly with oil. Then toss them in a bowl with the seasonings and cook as directed. They may blacken in the air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not need to soak your sweet potatoes in water before air frying - unless the recipe calls for it! Most often you can add dry, peeled sweet potatoes (or whole - skin on) right to the basket without any issues.
The easiest way to cube sweet potatoes is to peel each potato, and then slice it into ½-1u0022 thick rounds. Cut each round into ½-1u0022 thick strips lengthwise, and then widthwise. You now have ½-1u0022 sweet potato cubes!
The most important thing to remember if you want to avoid soggy sweet potato cubes is not to overcrowd them in the air fryer basket. Sweet potatoes put off a lot of steam, and a large number of sweet potatoes will become soggy because of the lack of airflow. Instead, work in single batches, using about 1 pound of cubes per batch. This will allow your cubes to become crispy and evenly cooked.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potato peeled and cut into ½ - 1" cubes (1 large or 2 small)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon cumin optional
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF for at least 3 minutes, or according to your manufactures instructions.
- Add the avocado oil to a medium-sized bowl, and then add in all of the seasonings. Whisk to combine,
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the bowl, and toss to coat with the seasoning and oil.
- Transfer the coated sweet potato cubes into the preheated air fryer and cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and tender, remove them from the air fryer and serve them with your choice of dipping sauce or ketchup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Steve says
This recipe was so easy to make, and I'm definitely going to make it again. The blend of flavors was really delicious.
Kris says
Easy and delicious!
Dolly {Dash for Dinner} says
Thanks Kris!
Andrea says
Does the paprika and chili powder make them have a spiciness to them?
Dolly {Dash for Dinner} says
The paprika doesn't, but chili powder has a little bit of spiciness. So if you don't like any heat at all, you could try a little extra paprika and/or cumin instead.
Lisa says
Thank you, we definitely enjoyed it with all the seasonings! 🙂
Dolly {Dash for Dinner} says
So glad you loved it Lisa!
Michelle says
Delicious and easy!!!
Ana says
So easy & delish! 3rd time making!
Dolly {Dash for Dinner} says
So glad you're loving it Ana!