You know what’s really good? Sweet potatoes.
You know what’s really good for you, too? Also sweet potatoes. Check it out. Science has my back on this one, peeps.
Well, I guess that counts as science. A website that cites a study but doesn’t link to it. A website that seems to have been created solely for the promotion of sweet potatoes. A website whose url conveys the idea that sweet potatoes are somehow “in” with God and have the power to bless you. Interesting idea. Sweet Potato Rapture. Sweet Potato Fry Rapture sounds better to me.
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Seasonings: cayenne pepper, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Peel the potatoes if you want to. You’ll have to make your own decisions now about the best way to cut them; sweet potatoes are so varied in shape, there are no hard-and-fast rules. So, somehow you manage to cut them into about ½” slices one way. Then cut ½” slices the other way. The length is not so important, but I generally try to keep them about 2-3 inches long.
- Toss all your little fry shapes with the oil and spread them out on a cookie sheet large enough so that they are in a single layer. If they are crowded on the pan they won’t get crispy. (Also, don’t use an insulated baking sheet if you can help it. I can’t help it since that’s the only one I have. But if you can help it, your fries will be crispier and deliciouser than mine.)
- Slip those bad boys into your hot oven for 10-15 minutes, until they are browned on the bottoms. Pull them out and flip them over, rearrange so they are all in a single layer again. Put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so until they are sizzling and brown.
- Sprinkle your salt and seasonings of choice on them while they are still hot. Then eat them while they are still hot. Mmm. So healthy. You’re gonna live forever!
The LEARN TO COOK Book is Here!
By popular demand, Learn to Cook is now available in print! Over 300 pages of knowledge between two soft covers.
Learn To Cook is designed to get you cooking for yourself like a civilized human being! Drawing from a lifetime of cooking and over two years experience making instructional cooking videos, author Hilah Johnson has produced a beginners’ cookbook for today’s young adults. The casual, straightforward style will appeal to anyone with a sense of humor and the focus on fresh, simple recipes will appeal to anyone who loves to eat. The book includes chapters on menu planning, knife skills, grocery shopping and more, plus a comprehensive spice chart and over 150 recipes from breakfast to dinner to snacks in between.
I create short-form, educational, and occasionally hilarious cooking videos geared towards beginner and intermediate cooks, as well as people who are just looking for simple, low-cost recipes. Everything is made from scratch, people!
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
This morning, I was on Facebook, checking out my friends. My news feed posted a link your recipe for Sweet Potato Fries. Wow, I already have the stuff hanging around the house. Let’s see how it turns out!
Cool! I hope you post more pictures of the final!
All done. I seasoned them with ras el-hanout before I put them in the oven, because I don’t know if that would taste as good untoasted. Some fries came out a little dark, so I ate those before I too this photo. The blog post is here. Thanks for lunch, HJ!
They look perfect! Great for lunch!
Hmm looks very delicious!
Hi Hannes! Thanks for commenting. They are completely delicious! Hope you try em.
Ah! These are my favorites! I’ve never actually tried making them at home, though- I know, it’s a sin!
Hi Kathryn! You know, it took me an embarrassingly long time to try them at home, too. But, you’re here with us now and that’s what matters.
You are amazing! And these sound frickin delicious drooooooool
Aw, shucks, Brett! You really can’t go wrong with sweet potatoes!
For some reason I have trouble achieving perfectly crisp sweet potato fries at home, but yours look fantastic!
Hi Lauren! Honestly, they look crispier in the photo than they are in real life. But I do think that saving the salt for the end makes them crispier than otherwise. I hope it fits your bill!
Hilah, wow I really have to try those. Really inexpensive, really good for you, like something else I’m thinking of… No not THAT!
The other thing!
Hmmm
Love ya!!!! Love your shows, and learn a lot. Your band rocks (lots of energy!!
Uh Ohhhh… Now comes the (BuTTTTTTTTTTT)!!!!!
Hila….Your set looks great. You are always great to look at. Your doggy in the background I love. I got 2 big ol’ Labs. Always in my kitchen and smilen’.
However, could you invest in an overhead microphone (surely you could find a good one kicken around from your band. I just think you would be more comfortable with one, unless you were cookin’ in the yard, even those overheads are great).
Not trying to be critical but it was just kinda “Buggin’ Meh!!” (refer to episode How to season a Cast Iron).
Will watch regardless.
Me.
Thanks! I’m real glad you’re learning!
Sorry to be buggin’ you, bro! I think this video in particular had some unusual sound problems. Hopefully the others aren’t so buggin’. Someday, better equipment will rain down upon me. Some. Day.
XO,h
Love your cooking shows! Found you through itunes and was pleasantly surprised to find someone who is not overly hyper and fake while cooking not so impressive food. Tryin out your burger recipe and sweet potato fries tonight. Keep up the good work
Hi Amber! So happy you found me! Burgers and sweet potato fries sounds bad-ass, girl. Thanks for writing!
Just had to write a follow up and say the sweet potato fries ( And burger recipe ) were amazing. I read in an above comment about someone trying to get their fries a little crispier and have found that using parchment paper helps a bit.
Parchment paper! Great idea, Amber! Thank you.
A friend turned me on to your videos, and I just love them! You’re my kind of cook with the unprocessed foods you cook with, easy recipes without loads of dishes to wash, and lots of good veg and vegan options. I can’t wait to make my own tortillas and breakfast tacos (I’m in the North East and have never heard of such a thing!). I’ve already made the vegan chili you featured and your Spicy Party Nuts. The vegan chili was AMAZING! That’s a recipe I can see falling back on a lot. I included a couple carrots to the recipe though, and I love the flavor and color they added. Nuts were good too, but I burned ‘em :/
Hi Veronika! I’m super happy you found me! and I’m glad you appreciate the whole foods approach. I hate recipes that use “shortcuts” that are really just pre-made or pre-seasoned whatevers.
Carrots were a GREAT addition to the chili, I imagine. Good call!
Happy National Sweet Potato Month (also know as “February”)!
Thanks for the heads up!
I make sweet potato fries with cooking spray on a ceramic pizza stone. I cut the potatoes with a crinkle cutter (got mine from Pampered Chef) and try different seasonings. Nice and crispy. Dip in real maple syrup for a nice treat.
Yummy! Good alternate use for a pizza stone, since you can’t very well eat pizza every day! Thanks, Al!
You said sweet potatoes are so differently shaped. Actually sweet potatoes are more uniformly shaped. Yams are differently shaped. Are you really making yam fries?
Nope. There are a few different varieties of sweet potatoes (jewel, garnet, camote) that range in shape from almost spherical to long and thin. If you google sweet potato images, you’ll see what I mean. True yams are unusual to see in most US grocery stores, meaning those without a large international customer base.
Oh my gooodnes, it was my first time with sweet potatos…and I just love it! Thanks Hilah!
Wonderful! Thanks for writing, Marika!