Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - Best Alternative to French Fries (2024)

FAQs

Are baked sweet potato fries better than regular fries? ›

Sweet potatoes contain about 15 grams more carbohydrates per serving, but that's no reason to pass on these tubers; they can also make super-tasty and healthy baked fries. The same 3-ounce serving of frozen sweet potato fries contains 140 calories, 5 grams of fat and typically less sodium than the regular fries.

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.

There are many advantages of baked fries over fried fries. Baked fries are lower in calories and fat, and they're also much easier to make at home. When you fry potatoes, a lot of the potato's natural nutrients are lost in the process. But when you bake potatoes, they retain more of their vitamins and minerals.

There is a simple solution to your problem: exercise! Harvard researchers have recently linked exercise to reduced cravings for savory foods including cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and yes, French fries. And the relationship seems to be linear; the more you exercise, the less you'll want high calorie, high fat fare.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy. The other secret is the corn starch.

Conclusion: Integrating Sweet Potato Fries into a Healthy Diet. So, if you're wondering if sweet potato fries are healthy, the answer is a resounding yes. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, fibre, and minerals, making them an excellent addition to your dinner.

Cooking sweet potato fries air fryer style is much healthier than deep frying them. You still end up with a crispy texture, but with a lot less oil. Compared to regular homemade fries in the air fryer, they have about the same calorie count, but sweet potatoes have more fiber and Vitamin A.

If you've made sweet potato fries a few times yet, they never turn out as good as when you have them at a restaurant, you're skipping one secret ingredient: starch. Often cornstarch is the missing element to the best fries ever. It's what makes them deliciously crispy on the outside and tender on the inside every time.

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Is it better to eat a baked potato or french fries? ›

Baked potatoes offer more nutritional value than fries because they still have skin. Potato skins are the most nutrient-dense part of a baked potato. Another benefit of heart-healthy baked potatoes is that they are not deep-fried in oil and grease like french fries.

Sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but in reality, both types can be highly nutritious. While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A.

Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs but also more nutrient dense than French fries. The greatest nutrient difference is that French fries have no vitamin A, while sweet potato fries are high in this nutrient. Vitamin A is important for your vision and immune system ( 2 ).

Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) Burger King has long experimented with fry alternatives. It has offered onion rings -- the french fries' less popular and equally unhealthy cousin -- and in recent years it has also added mozzarella sticks as a side option.

A cup of butternut squash has only 16 grams of carbohydrates. Mash cauliflower (only 5 grams of carbohydrates per cup) makes for a delicious substitute to your traditional mashed potatoes side dish. Use a whole grain such as quinoa, bulgur, couscous or brown rice in place of your potato.

Plus, they're delicious, easy to make and a much healthier alternative to those greasy french fries. One thing I love about this recipe is that the zucchini spears are baked not fried. Not only does that keep your kitchen cleaner, it also keeps those extra calories away.