Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
A whole sweet potato, skin on, cooked in the air fryer until the flesh is soft and the skin has caramelized. It is the oven-baked sweet potato sped up: the same dry, even heat, just faster and with a crisper skin thanks to the constant air movement.
The method is almost all prep, no fuss. Scrub the potatoes, dry them, prick them a handful of times so steam has somewhere to go, and set them in the basket with nothing wrapped around them — foil traps steam and turns the skin soft instead of crisp. Oil and salt rubbed onto the skin beforehand are optional but worth it if you want the skin properly crisp and seasoned rather than just cooked.
Done potatoes are puffed up and yield completely when you slide a knife or fork in — no resistance at all. Split them open, fluff the flesh with a fork, and pile on whatever you like. Butter, salt and pepper, and sour cream make a simple savory version; cinnamon and brown sugar with a drizzle of maple syrup make a sweet one. Either way the potato itself, caramelized and slightly smoky from the skin, does most of the work.
Ingredients
Serves 2
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 225 g each)
- 2 tsp olive oil (or avocado oil), optional, for crispier skin
- ½ tsp fine salt (optional)
Directions
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C), about 3 minutes.
Scrub the sweet potatoes clean under running water and dry them thoroughly. Leave the skin on, and pick potatoes that are close in size so they finish cooking at the same time.
Prick each potato all over with a fork, 8 to 10 times, so steam can escape while it cooks.
If using oil, rub each potato with about 1 tsp to coat the skin, then sprinkle with the salt.
Set the potatoes in the basket in a single layer with space between them. Do not wrap them in foil.
Air fry for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through. Start checking smaller potatoes at 30 minutes; large ones can take up to 50 to 55 minutes.
The potatoes are ready when a knife or fork slides through the flesh with no resistance and the potato looks visibly puffed.
Cut a slit down the length of each potato, push it open, and fluff the flesh with a fork before adding toppings.
Notes
Larger potatoes need noticeably more time. Check early and put them back in the basket rather than risk overcooking.
Oil on the skin gives crispier results; skip it for a lighter, oil-free potato that still cooks just fine.
Good savory toppings: butter, salt and pepper, sour cream, chives, bacon, cheese, chili, black beans. Good sweet toppings: cinnamon with brown or coconut sugar, maple syrup, toasted pecans.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) or in the microwave.