Spiced Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Chipotle-Garlic Dipping Sauce

November 6, 2012 // By : amybites // Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite side dishes for hamburgers, sandwiches, chicken strips, and other finger foods. Fries just complete a handheld meal like nothing else can. Sadly, regular french fries aren’t the most wholesome way to round out a plate. Oven-baked sweet potato fries, on the other hand, are not only a wonderfully healthful alternative—they’re also crazy delicious. My favorite way to make them (and the best, in my opinion) is to coat with a light drizzle of olive oil, then toss in layer upon layer of spices until they’re seasoned to perfection. This method creates a deep, rich flavor that’s simply irresistible.

Then, I bake them. Starting at a lower temperature and then increasing it for the last 15 minutes of baking allows the potato to cook through before it starts to crisp up and brown, which ensures that the outside doesn’t burn before the center is done. It also results in an incredibly tender, fluffy interior and a delicately crisp, blistered exterior. Though they’d be tasty with salt alone, the spices here are what makes these fries so special. We’re using rosemary, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. This spicy, savory, fragrant seasoning mixture is the perfect companion to the sweetness of the potato.

These gorgeous fries deserve more than mere ketchup. I created the perfect condiment for the occasion: a spicy, smoky, tangy, and just slightly sweet chipotle-garlic dipping sauce. This sauce is made from a combination of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and a bit of mayonnaise, and it’s flavored with chipotle chiles in adobo, garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, and a drizzle of agave to help balance the spiciness. These fries and this sauce are a perfect marriage of flavors. Both are so simple to make, but sure to impress.

Spiced Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Chipotle-Garlic Dipping Sauce

The Fries

Serves 4

  • 1.5 to 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, partially or totally peeled
  • 1½ Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1½ Tablespoons dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper. Cut sweet potatoes into ½” shoestring strips and place in a large bowl.
  2. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes. Toss vigorously to coat. Add rosemary and toss until evenly distributed. Add paprika, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon, and toss again until evenly distributed. Sprinkle salt and red pepper flakes over potatoes and toss once again until all potatoes are coated.
  3. Spread potatoes out on prepared baking sheets so the pieces aren’t touching. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
  4. Increase the oven temperature to 425º. Using a spatula, toss or turn over the fries on the baking sheet, and bake for 15 more minutes or until the potato exterior is lightly browned and blistered. Remove from oven, season with additional salt to taste, and serve.

The Sauce

Serves 6

  • ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tablespoons light sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil mayonnaise or reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Serve with fries.

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

Chipotle-Garlic Dipping Sauce