Baked Sweet Potato Wedges Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my sweet potato wedges not crispy? ›

Don't overcrowd the baking sheet!

This is an important one! If the baking sheet it too crowded, the sweet potatoes will not crisp.

Many readers ask if they really need to soak the sweet potatoes before baking to get that great crunch. I've tried it both ways and found that soaking the sweet potato fries for about 30 minutes or so in plenty of cold water does help them crisp up a bit more.

Give it space. Keep this in mind: Avoid overcrowding at all costs. I know we say that a lot in recipes, but it's especially true for any ingredient—chicken thighs, broccoli, sweet potatoes—that you're trying to brown evenly. I've found that sweet potatoes really need space for a truly roasted, crisped-edge result.

Right amount of oil.

Too much and it actually makes them soggy. Too little and the seasoning doesn't stick on the wedges and the wedges stick to the baking tray. High(ish) oven helps set that crust extra quickly!

Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up.

If you'd like, you can soak the sweet potato slices for 30 minutes up to 2 hours before frying to remove excess starch. Personally, though, going through this step didn't make a real difference for my fries. Peels on or off — it's up to you!

So what's Jeremy's secret to making crispy roasted sweet potatoes? First, it's key to par-boil the potatoes in salted water mixed with a little baking soda. The baking soda breaks down the potato's surface, creating a rough texture that enhances crispiness upon roasting.

Sweet potatoes - removing starch

Soaking time of about 5 minutes is sufficient.

Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.

If roasted potatoes lack their crunchy sheen, overcrowding is usually the culprit. Just as overcrowding bacon or mushrooms in a saucepan causes disappointingly mushy results, placing potatoes too close to each other on a baking sheet will prevent them from crisping while they roast.

Why does vinegar make potatoes crispy? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

Drain and leave to steam dry for 5 mins. Spread the wedges out on a large baking sheet or two smaller ones. Toss with the oil and 1 tsp salt (preferably sea salt) and spread out so that they aren't overlapping. Roast for 30 mins, turning halfway until golden and crisp.

Here's the secret to making ultra crispy potato wedges: Soak your raw potato wedges in hot water for 10 minutes before baking. This step releases some of the starch in the potatoes and lets them absorb moisture, which leads to crisp outsides and moist interiors.

The key to making a super crispy potato wedges is cutting them nice and thin and giving them plenty of time in the oven to crisp. Flipping them too early or over-crowding the pan will leave you with less than crispy potatoes but if you are willing to wait - you can make something every one will love.

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

Potatoes have a fair amount of starch in them which can give them a gummy texture. Soaking the potato wedges draws out the starch, making the finished product extra crispy. When you drain the water, you can visually see the potato starch that collected at the bottom of the bowl.

My guess is you aren't blanching the sweet potato fries before you are frying them. In order to get crispy fries, of any type, you need to cook them twice. You begin by either boiling them in water, or frying them at 325, until they are just cooked through, but not so much that they lose their shape.

Rough them up. The math is simple: More surface area = more opportunities for starches to mingle with fat = more contact between hot pan and your potato = crispier all over. So while you can slice potatoes cleanly or leave them whole, the potatoes that are rough around the edges produce the crispiest results.