Ingredients
6 large sweet potatoes, sliced into fries
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 425°. Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak at least 30 minutes, then drain and dry well with paper towels. Step 2On two large baking sheets, toss sweet potatoes with oil, cornstarch, and garlic powder and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake until crispy, 40 to 45 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Soak ’em It sounds a little strange to soak potatoes when you want to ensure they get crispy, but it helps! Soaking your cut potatoes in cold water for just 30 minutes will get rid of excess starch (that’s what makes them creamy) and help them crisp up in the oven. Just be sure to drain and pat dry extremely well before roasting. Coat ’em Cornstarch is our true secret weapon here. A little cornstarch will coat the fries and soak up any last moisture, creating a slight crust on the outside that frying would normally give. It’s a miracle ingredient. Make sure when coating that you toss well and make sure all the fries are evenly coated. Use high heat A high oven temp will help sear that outside and give you a perfectly crispy outer edge with a creamy soft inside, the ideal fry. Make sure to toss halfway through baking so that more edges get in direct contact with the hot pan! Never overcrowd The biggest mistake people make when making fries (or roasting anything, really) is overcrowding. The fries will steam instead of crisp and no one wants a limp fry. Be sure to spread your fries between 2 pans, giving the potatoes plenty of room to cook. It’s the best thing you can do for your fries and the most helpful trick to remember when cooking.
