Spicy Sweet Potato Truffle Fries Recipe

You may have heard of truffle fries, but what about sweet potato truffle fries? As the name suggests, this recipe combines the best of two worlds: hand-cut, oven-baked sweet potato fries — tossed in both truffle oil and truffle zest. To make things even more enticing, recipe developer Kara Barrett also adds chipotle to the mix, which provides a hit of spice amid the umami goodness. 

Barrett says about these fries, "They have spice, they have the richness of truffle, and they feel very indulgent but are relatively easy to make." Oven-baked, these fries are less messy than their deep-fried relatives, and they're also "a fun way to bring a new twist to hamburger night at home or your next cookout," Barrett adds. It's pretty difficult to top classic fries, but these truffle-infused sweet potato fries stand up to the test. Whether you want to give the russets a break or you bought sweet potatoes on a whim and have to use them up in a pinch, you can't go wrong with whipping this recipe up.

You'll need 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes to kick things off, and to get that truffle flavor, you'll need both truffle oil and truffle zest. You'll also need a bit of olive oil, chipotle powder, and sea salt. And for optional garnishes, have some flaky sea salt and fresh cilantro on hand.

Get your oven preheating to 500 F and place a sheet pan inside to get nice and hot. Then, wash the sweet potatoes, grab a cutting board and sharp knife, and get to slicing (no need to peel them). Try to cut them into evenly sized fries, each about ¼-inch thick.  

First, make a flavorful coating for the fries by whisking together the olive oil, truffle oil, chipotle powder, fine sea salt, and truffle zest in a medium-sized bowl. "Reduce your chipotle to ¼ teaspoon if you're worried about making the fries too spicy," Barrett advises.

Place the sweet potato fries into the bowl and give them a good toss to combine. Make sure each fry is evenly coated in the oil and seasonings.

Grab the hot sheet pan from the oven (carefully) and while you're at it, reduce the oven's temperature to 450 F. Arrange the seasoned and truffle-fied fries onto the hot baking sheet, then pop them into the oven, baking for about 20 minutes. Be sure to turn the fries over at the halfway point. If you want extra crispy fries, go ahead and broil them for 3-5 minutes after baking.

So, why start with a hot baking sheet? "I heat the sheet pan in a 500 F oven first to help get better crisping. The potatoes sizzle when they hit the pan," Barrett explains, and in case you're wondering, "it's a pretty gratifying sound." Barrett also notes that a heated cast iron skillet would work well when making fries on a smaller scale. 

Once your fries are crisped up to your liking, finish them off with optional flaky salt and perhaps some fresh chopped cilantro. "You can add more truffle zest before serving them to amp up the truffle flavor," Barrett adds. And because no fry is complete without a good sauce, Barrett opts for a quick and easy lime aioli — a simple blend of mayo, lime juice, and finely chopped cilantro. "The brightness of the aioli really balances out the heat and richness" of the fries, she says. 

If you're looking for something more substantial to round out the fries, Barrett suggests burgers or hot dogs. "They'd also go well with a great steak for a stay-at-home date night meal," she says.

Everyone knows that leftover fries just aren't as good as fresh ones, but if you do have extras, the oven is your best bet for reheating. "Warm the fries in the oven and crisp them back up with a little broiler action," Barrett advises.