Every now and again, you find yourself wanting to chow down on some comfort food without having to go through the usual long process of making many comfort food recipes.
Whenever we feel this way, one of our favorite comfort food recipes is this easy air fryer baked sweet potato!
When you bake sweet potatoes, they are just as delicious and versatile as regular potatoes, but they are also sweeter and are packed with nutrients such as vitamin C and A.
Sweet potatoes are also keto-friendly, as they contain lower carbs and calories.
So when you chow down on a baked sweet potato, you’re getting that same satisfying and filling sensation, minus the fat and carbs!
Can you eat sweet potato skin?
Yes, you can definitely eat the skin of a sweet potato! In fact, it’s actually healthier for you to eat the skin because it contains a high amount of nutrients such as potassium and fiber.
What’s more, cooking a sweet potato in an air fryer is similar to baking it in a conventional oven, so you’re actually retaining a lot of the nutrients in the skin.
How do you reheat a baked sweet potato?
Reheating a baked sweet potato is really quick and easy. Simply place your sweet potato in a microwave-safe dish, pop it into your microwave, and reheat it on high for about 1 minute.
If you don’t have a microwave, you can also use a toaster oven! Just cut the sweet potato in half and put it in your toaster oven for about 10 minutes at around 250⁰F.
How do you know if sweet potatoes have gone bad?
If you have raw sweet potatoes, you can tell that they’ve gone bad by checking the color and appearance of the skin. If you see any black or green parts, the sweet potato is no longer fit for consumption.
The flesh will generally be soft, and you might also notice a sour-smelling liquid leaking from the sweet potato. Even if you notice that only part of the potato has gone soft or discolored, you should throw out the whole potato.
If you have cooked sweet potatoes, you will immediately notice if they have spoiled if you smell something sour from the dish, or you see growth such as mold on top of the sweet potatoes.
Never taste anything that you’re unsure of; when it doubt, throw it out.
How long will a sweet potato last?
Raw sweet potatoes have a shelf life of around 1-2 weeks at normal room temperature, but you can extend it to around 1 month by storing the sweet potatoes in a cool, dark area such as in your cupboard.
Cooked sweet potatoes will stay good in your fridge for 3-5 days, and 10-12 months in the freezer.
How to store sweet potatoes?
If you want to store raw sweet potatoes properly, place them in a basket and cover with a clean towel to absorb moisture, but still allow air to circulate around your sweet potatoes to prevent fungal growth.
Place the basket in a dark and cool area.
For cooked sweet potatoes, place them in an airtight container before storing them in the fridge. You can place them in resealable plastic bags, but sweet potatoes are a bit fragile and can break easily if they get banged around in your fridge.
Can I freeze sweet potatoes?
If you plan to freeze your sweet potatoes to keep in the freezer, make sure to cook them first! Raw sweet potatoes don’t freeze well, and when you thaw them out, they will have a different texture and consistency compared to fresh sweet potatoes.
Can you put a sweet potato in an air fryer?
Yes! You can put a whole sweet potato in an air fryer and “bake” it. However, you need to prepare the sweet potato by poking some holes in the skin first using a fork or a knife.
The holes allow steam to escape from the sweet potato during cooking and prevents it from exploding in your air fryer.
It doesn’t happen very often, but better safe than sorry, right?
How to check if sweet potatoes are done cooking in an air fryer?
You can check the doneness of the sweet potato by taking a fork and poking the flesh.
The skin and the flesh should be soft all the way through. There’s no set rule on how long to cook sweet potatoes in an air fryer, and you might need to adjust the cooking time after checking them for doneness.
Air Fryer “Baked” Sweet Potato
This delicious recipe is a great appetizer, side, or even a filling and hearty dish on its own. By using an air fryer, you’re cutting down the cooking time from around 60 minutes in your conventional oven to only 40 minutes!
What’s more, you can experiment with different kinds of toppings, from a simple sugar and butter topping, all the way to bacon and cheese**. The sky’s the limit!
Ingredients
- 2 whole medium sweet potatoes
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T sea salt
Instructions
- Clean your sweet potatoes thoroughly. Scrub them with an old but clean toothbrush under running water until all dirt is removed from the skin. Dry the potatoes with a paper towel. Set aside.
- Prepare your sweet potatoes by poking holes all over the skin with a fork or a knife. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
- Mix olive oil and sea salt in a small bowl and brush all over sweet potatoes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 390⁰F.
- Place sweet potatoes in the air fryer and cook for 40 minutes. The actual cooking time will vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes. You can check for doneness after 40 minutes. If still undercooked, return to air fryer and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve hot!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 162Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3529mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
What Toppings Can I Add on My Sweet Potato?**
You can use a wide range of different toppings for your sweet potatoes! Our personal favorite is a mixture of brown sugar and butter.
After cooking, slice the sweet potatoes in half, brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle a light coating of brown sugar. Return to the air fryer for another 5 minutes at 350⁰F to allow the brown sugar to caramelize. It’s the flavors of fall!
You can also use other toppings, such as bacon and cheese, sour cream and chives, or butter and parsley. Play around with the flavors and see which ones you like best.
After this, air-fried baked sweet potatoes might just become one of your favorite side dishes, simply because they’re so easy to make and they taste so good!