The Best Temperature To Cook Sweet Potatoes In The Air Fryer

Sweet potatoes can be cooked in a variety of ways with an array of appliances — including in the microwave — but the trendy air fryer that's most likely on your kitchen counter gets the job done, too. The main perk of using the air fryer over the conventional oven is that it makes the process faster with the same results. The key to making a perfectly cooked sweet potato in the air fryer, however, relies on the proper temperature.

You can follow our air fryer baked sweet potatoes recipe created by Tasting Table recipe developer Miriam Hahn. This recipe turns out baked sweet potatoes that you can serve whole with toppings like butter, salt, or brown sugar. According to Hahn, the ideal temperature is 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes. But it might take a little less time or a bit more depending on the size of the potatoes you're working with.

Before cooking, pierce each tuber with a fork to help quicken the process a bit. You also shouldn't forget to coat each sweet potato in a neutral oil like avocado oil so the outside crisps, but you can skip the aluminum foil.

If you want to roast diced sweet potatoes instead of baking them whole like your recipe, perhaps to use in our roasted sweet potato and tuna salad, the best temperature is still around 400 degrees Fahrenheit according to most recipes. For small- to medium-diced sweet potatoes, the total cooking time will be much quicker. Peeled and diced sweet potatoes will be ready in as little as 20 minutes depending on how many are in the tray at once. Don't overcrowd the tray with whole or diced sweet potatoes or you'll prolong the cooking time — even if the temperature is on point. For whole-baked sweet potatoes, flip them halfway through the cooking time, according to Miriam Hahn's guidance in our recipe.

You'll know the air-fried sweet potatoes are ready when you can easily pierce the tubers with a fork or knife. Make sure to perform the poke test at the thickest piece of the sweet potato to ensure it's fully done. When it's time to serve, consider a sprinkle of brown sugar for sweetness or salt and black pepper to bring out flavor. There are also many creative toppings to put on sweet potatoes like marshmallows for a sweet touch or crumbled bacon for a savory meal or side dish.