Baked sweet potatoes are a simple dish to make in an air fryer. The skin turns beautifully crisp while the inside becomes soft and fluffy, all without turning the oven on.
They’re perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, and you can load them up with your favourite toppings, from a little butter and salt to a full-on meal with beans, cheese, or a meat topping like leftover bolognese or chilli.
What You Need To Make Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
For exact measurements, check the recipe card at the bottom of the page. Here’s what you’ll need and why.
Sweet Potatoes
Choose medium-sized ones so they cook evenly. If they’re very large, they’ll take longer, or you can cut them in half lengthways to speed things up.
Olive Oil
A light coating helps the skin crisp up nicely in the air fryer.
Salt
Sprinkle a little over the skin before cooking, it adds flavour and helps with crispness.
Cooking Them
Start by scrubbing your sweet potatoes well to remove any dirt, then pat them dry with kitchen paper. Pierce each one a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape as they cook.
Rub them lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them in the air fryer basket, making sure there’s a little space around each one so the air can circulate.
I tested two methods, one whole and one cut in half, and both worked perfectly. The whole sweet potato had wonderfully crisp skin, while the halved one cooked faster and had slightly more caramelised edges. If your sweet potatoes are large (around 450–500g each), cooking them whole will take about 50–60 minutes at 200°C (390°F), turning halfway through. Cutting them in half lengthways reduces the cook time to around 25–30 minutes.
You’ll know they’re ready when a knife slides easily through the centre. If they’re not quite soft enough, pop them back in for another few minutes.
Once cooked, slice them open and fluff the inside with a fork. Add a knob of butter, a pinch of salt, and your favourite toppings.
Serving Ideas
Air fryer baked sweet potatoes are really versatile and work well with all sorts of toppings. Keep it simple with the classic combination of butter, salt, and black pepper, or go for something savoury like cottage cheese with spring onions and a little cracked pepper. They’re also a great way to use up leftovers, try spooning over some shredded chicken from a roast or a little leftover bolognese for a hearty and comforting meal.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover sweet potatoes can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for about 5 minutes, or in the microwave if you’re short on time.
Serving Ideas
Air fryer baked sweet potatoes work well with all sorts of toppings. Keep it simple with the classic combination of butter, salt, and black pepper, baked beans, or grated cheese. Or go for something like cottage cheese with spring onions and a little cracked pepper. They’re also a great way to use up leftovers, try spooning over some shredded chicken from a roast or a little leftover bolognese for a hearty and comforting meal.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover sweet potatoes can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for about 5 minutes, or in the microwave if you’re short on time.
More Air Fryer Sweet Potato Recipes
If you are looking for more ways to cook sweet potatoes in your air fryer check out the following for inspiration:
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
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Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt, then pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- Pierce each one a few times with a fork to let steam escape as they cook.
- Rub the skins lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place them in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them for the air to circulate.
- For whole sweet potatoes, air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 50–60 minutes, turning halfway through. For halved sweet potatoes, air fry for 25–30 minutes cut-side up.
- Check for doneness by inserting a knife, it should slide in easily. If not, cook for another few minutes.
- Slice open, fluff the inside with a fork, and add your favourite toppings.
Notes
- I tested both whole and halved sweet potatoes, both work well. Whole ones have crispier skin, while halved ones cook faster and develop slightly caramelised edges.
- Serving ideas: Try butter and black pepper for a simple option, or top with cottage cheese, roast chicken, or leftover bolognese for a satisfying meal.
- To store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for about 5 minutes, or microwave until hot.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.