I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes, and while they’re perfect for your Thanksgiving table, they’re also great any time of year for a change of pace from regular potatoes. There’s something magic about the caramelization you get from these air fryer hasselback sweet potatoes.
Hasselback potatoes are whole potatoes with slices cut widthwise into them (but not all the way through). This allows you to fill them with herbs, seasonings, cheese, or anything else you might normally put on a roasted potato or baked potato.
These air fryer sweet potatoes are perfect, as the hasselback cuts allow you to get a lot more surface area for the beautiful caramelization that happens when you roast a sweet potato. That said, they’re also delicious cut into slices or cubes instead if you prefer!
Sweet potatoes are also really versatile, meaning that you can make them sweet or savory in terms of toppings. I’m making a sweet version in this recipe, but you can check out my Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes With Cheese for a savory variation or my Microwave Hasselback Potatoes for a shorter cooking time!
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
2-3 medium sweet potatoes (or 4-5 mini ones, about 1 pound total)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp chili powder (optional)
¼ cup chopped candied pecans
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
I actually like the mini sweet potatoes (when you can find them) for this because I find them easier to slice, but the big ones work fine too as you’ll see here. You can also use purple or white sweet potatoes or yams
You can swap olive oil for melted butter or another variety of oil if you’d like
The chili powder is optional, but I like to include it for just a kiss of heat among the sweet. You could also use cayenne, chipotle powder, or similar
Feel free to add other warm seasonings if you’d like, such as ginger or nutmeg, or a touch of savory with parsley, chives, or thyme (about ½ tsp of any is fine)
How to Cook Hasselback Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F
To cut hasselback sweet potatoes, place a wooden spoon on either side of the potato. Use a sharp knife to cut the potato downwards, stopping when you hit the wooden handle. Repeat in approximately ¼” thick slices across the whole potato
Once the potatoes are cut, coat them with the olive oil and sprinkle with half the salt (try to get some in between the slices, but don’t force them or you’ll break them)
Place the sliced sweet potatoes into the preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting at 375°F for 20 minutes (or 15 minutes for mini potatoes), or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork
While the potatoes are cooking, combine the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, and remaining half the salt in a small bowl
Once potatoes are cooked, use a spoon or brush to apply the maple mixture to the top and in between the slices of the sweet potato (if you want to reserve a small amount for drizzling after, feel free!)
Air fry for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the sauce begins to caramelize
Top with chopped pecans and serve!
What to Serve With Sweet Potatoes
Chicken
Pulled pork
Pork chops
Turkey
Burgers
Sliders
Bacon
Chorizo
Glazed ham
Salmon
Eggs
Root vegetables
Butternut squash
Corn fritters
Green salad
There are lots of great things to serve with sweet potatoes. Add a protein or keep it vegetarian, and vary it based on the flavors you’re cooking your sweet potatoes with!
To cut hasselback sweet potatoes, use a sharp knife to cut the potato widthwise. Cuts should be approximately ¼” apart and end ½” before the bottom of the potato.
As an aid for cutting, place two wooden spoons or something similar on each side to not only hold the potato in place, but to keep the depth of your cuts consistent and from accidentally going through the potato.
Do You Need to Soak Sweet Potatoes Before Air Frying?
You need to soak sweet potato fries and wedges before air frying. For cubes, hasselback, and full potatoes, no soaking is needed.
Soaking simply helps to remove starch, which gives you a more crispy texture after air frying, which is what you want for a fry.
How Long Should a Sweet Potato Be in the Air Fryer?
A sweet potato should be in the air fryer anywhere from 20-40 minutes on average. A lot will depend on the size and shape of your potato, if you cut it into smaller pieces, and your air fryer.
Expect small chunks and wedges to be on the low end, hasselback style in the middle, and a full, uncut potato to take the longest.
Why Do Sweet Potatoes Turn Black in the Air Fryer?
If you’re seeing a few black spots, that is a natural reaction to iron in the potato during cooking. For larger black areas, particularly at the edges, this indicates overcooking and burning.
Sweet potatoes are, by nature, sweet, so they caramelize and burn faster than a traditional potato. The high heat of the air fryer accelerates the process faster than an oven.
Make sure to keep your sweet potato pieces as even as possible in size to avoid having burnt edges.
Recipe Pro Tips
If your sweet potatoes are very curvy, cut a thin sliver off the bottom so that it’s flat. This will help stop it rolling around while cutting and cooking
When you’re applying the maple syrup mixture, if you’re having trouble getting it between cuts, you can use a fork to gently pry the layers apart a bit so you can get the brush in between, or drizzle some in with a spoon
I recommend a flat spatula to aid in removing the potatoes from the air fryer, as they’ll be soft and can fall apart easily
My sweet potatoes were a medium size and perfectly soft after 20 minutes in a Ninja air fryer. Your exact time may vary based on the size of your potatoes and your specific air fryer
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover hasselback sweet potatoes in an airtight container or zippered bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended
Reheat your sweet potato in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through (time will vary based on the size of the potato). You may also follow the steps to Reheat a Baked Potato in the Microwave
These air fryer hasselback sweet potatoes are so easy to make, but look elegant enough for company or the Thanksgiving table!
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them all year round, though. I love them just as much alongside a burger from the grill in the summer.
Feel free to make them sweet or savory – sweet potatoes are versatile enough to handle both, no matter your mood.
For a shortcut option, make sure to check out my recipe for Trader Joe’s Hasselback Potatoes in the Air Fryer.
Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup and Pecans
These air fryer hasselback sweet potatoes are roasted to perfection in about 20 minutes. Top them with sweet maple syrup and pecans for an elegant side dish.
2-3Mediumsweet potatoes (or 4-5 mini)around 1 pound total
1Tbspolive oil
1Tbspbutter or margarinemelted
2Tbspmaple syrup
1Tbspbrown sugar
½Tspcinnamon
½Tspsalt(divided)
½Tspchili powder(optional)
¼Cupchopped candied pecans
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F
To cut hasselback sweet potatoes, place a wooden spoon on either side of the potato. Use a sharp knife to cut the potato downwards, stopping when you hit the wooden handle. Repeat in approximately ¼” thick slices across the whole potato
2-3 Medium sweet potatoes (or 4-5 mini)
Once the potatoes are cut, coat them with the olive oil and sprinkle with half the salt (try to get some in between the slices, but don’t force them or you’ll break them)
1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ Tsp salt
Place the sliced sweet potatoes into the preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 20 minutes at 375°F (or 10-15 minutes for mini potatoes), or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork (no need to flip them)
While the potatoes are cooking, combine the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, and remaining half the salt in a small bowl
1 Tbsp butter or margarine, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, ½ Tsp cinnamon, ½ Tsp chili powder
Once potatoes are cooked, use a spoon or brush to apply the maple mixture to the top and in between the slices of the sweet potato (if you want to reserve a small amount for drizzling after, feel free!)
Air fry for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the sauce begins to caramelize
Top with chopped pecans and serve!
¼ Cup chopped candied pecans
Notes
I actually like the mini sweet potatoes (when you can find them) for this because I find them easier to slice, but the big ones work fine too as you’ll see here. You can also use purple or white sweet potatoes or yams
You can swap olive oil for melted butter or another variety of oil if you’d like
The chili powder is optional, but I like to include it for just a kiss of heat among the sweet (it’s not spicy don’t worry). You could also use cayenne, chipotle powder, or similar
Feel free to add other warm seasonings if you’d like, such as ginger or nutmeg, or a touch of savory with parsley, chives, or thyme (about ½ tsp of any is fine)
I use homemade honey roasted pecans for the topping here, but any sweet or even Bourbon pecans work great
If your sweet potatoes are very curvy, cut a thin sliver off the bottom so that it’s flat. This will help stop it rolling around while cutting and cooking
When you’re applying the maple syrup mixture, if you’re having trouble getting it between cuts, you can use a fork to gently pry the layers apart a bit so you can get the brush in between, or drizzle some in with a spoon
I recommend a flat spatula to aid in removing the potatoes from the air fryer, as they’ll be soft and can fall apart easily
My sweet potatoes were a medium size and perfectly soft after 20 minutes in a Ninja air fryer. Your exact time may vary based on the size of your potatoes and your specific air fryer
Store leftover hasselback sweet potatoes in an airtight container or zippered bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended
Reheat your sweet potato in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through (time will vary based on the size of the potato)
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
