• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Thai
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegetarian

Inquiring Chef

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Easy Dinners
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Side Dishes

    Parmesan-Thyme Sweet Potato Fries

    Published: Mar 11, 2015 · Modified: Apr 19, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 5 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    a sweet potato fry in yogurt dipping sauce
    Parmesan-Thyme Baked Sweet Potato Fries

    sweet potato fries in a basket

    Parmesan-Thyme Baked Sweet Potato Fries are baked in the oven with a crispy coating of parmesan and thyme.

    Crispy baked sweet potato fries are one of those holy grail foods for me. When they're good, they're really good, but for having only one real ingredient, those little fries are so darn finicky. Just when I think I've found a way to make those healthy-yet-snackable potatoes hold their fry-like shape, I make them again and something goes wrong.

    The fact is, there are a lot of sweet potato-specific factors at play. They have naturally varying amounts of sugars and starch which, for scienc-y reasons I don't totally understand means they make for unpredictable baking. Despite all this, I'm throwing my sweet potato fry hat in the ring and sharing the method that works best for me.

    I tested a bunch of methods and ate a lot of test-fries. I soaked some in water since I read that removes some starch and gave some an egg wash and cut some thin and some thick and baked them at all sorts of temperatures and came to one conclusion - nothing's guaranteed when it comes to baked sweet potato fries except that a little cheating goes a long way.

    cutting sweet potatoes for fries

    And by cheating I mean that to guarantee a bit of crunch on those fries, I had to put it there myself - in the form of parmesan and panko.

    3 things help to make these crispy and undeniably fry-like:
    1) Slicing them thin and even
    2) Baking on a cooling rack so air can circulate underneath
    3) Tossing them with panko and parmesan so a nice crisp crust forms while baking

    It also helps to make a spiced yogurt dipping sauce to serve on the side. Because no potato can call itself a fry without something tasty for dipping.

    a fry dipped in yogurt dipping sauce

    More Sweet Potato Recipes

    • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
    • Sweet Potato Soup with Miso
    • Skillet Chicken Pasta with Sweet Potato and Crispy Sage
    • Sweet Potato Fry Nachos with Chorizo
    • Sesame Peanut Noodles with Zucchini and Sweet Potato
    • Sweet Potato Tacos with Avocado Crema and Goat Cheese
    • Slow Cooker Turkey, Quinoa, and Sweet Potato Chili
    • Creamy Sweet Potato Pasta Bake
    • Sweet Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash
    • Oven Barbecue Shrimp with Sweet Potato Polenta
    • Sweet Potato and Kale Gratin

    Favorite Tools

    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Parchment Paper Sheets
    • 6-inch Global Knife 
    • Cutting Board
    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Oven-Safe Wire Rack 

     

    Sweet Potato Fries in a parchment lined basket
    Print Recipe
    No ratings yet

    Parmesan-Thyme Baked Sweet Potato Fries

    These sweet potato fries are baked in the oven with a crispy coating of parmesan and thyme.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Keyword: easy side dish, family friendly, fries, sweet potato recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 216kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $4.00

    Equipment

    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Parchment Paper
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Oven-Safe Wire Rack

    Ingredients

    • 2 large Sweet Potatoes (rinsed and thoroughly dried)
    • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 2 tablespoon Panko Japanese Style Breadcrumbs
    • 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme Leaves
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

    Spicy Yogurt Dipping Sauce:

    • ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot sauce, more or less to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and top with a cooling rack.
    • Peel sweet potatoes if you prefer - I like to leave the peel on mine. Slice sweet potato lengthwise into thin (½-inch square or smaller) fries. In a small bowl combine parmesan, panko, thyme leaves, salt and pepper.
    • In a plastic bag or large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with oil. Add parmesan mixture and toss until fries are evenly coated (don't worry if not all of the parmesan mixture sticks; just discard any leftover).
    • Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared cooling rack. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning with a spatula halfway through, about 20 minutes.
    • Whisk together all ingredients for Spicy Yogurt Dipping Sauce. Serve on the side.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 852mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 24506IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 2mg

    I've got a post on our weekend trip to Chiang Mai coming.  There were some highs and some lows.  And a lot of sitting on the floor of temples for the sake of a picture.

    jess molly clara chiang mai

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Related

    « Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon
    Marinated Beef and Broccoli Noodles »

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz

      March 11, 2015 at 10:14 pm

      Thank you Jessie. The girls are cuter than ever. Love your picture with them.

      Reply
    2. kristine

      March 12, 2015 at 2:10 am

      Remember when someone told you that sweet potatoes weren't real? LOL! Looks like a yummy recipe.

      Reply
    3. Katie (The Muffin Myth)

      March 17, 2015 at 2:25 pm

      You had me at parmesan and panko! Such a yummy combination! And yes, WHY are sweet potato fries so dang fussy? Well, I'll have to give this version a try and see how it stands up. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Lyndsey F.

      April 14, 2015 at 7:18 am

      I made this last week and they were perfect! Such great tips! Can't wait to see the four of you soon!

      Reply
      • Jess

        April 14, 2015 at 7:40 am

        YAY! So glad Lynds - and we can't wait to see you too!!!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Welcome! We're Jess and Frank. Since 2010, we have been serving up easy, original recipes here on Inquiring Chef.

    More about us →

    Latest Recipes

    • Shrimp and Chive Dumplings
    • Dumpling and Potsticker Dipping Sauce
    • Crispy Chickpeas {Stovetop, Oven, or Air Fryer}
    • Fourth of July Cookie Bars

    Trending Recipes

    • Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
    • Mason Jar Overnight Oats
    • Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir-Fry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest

    Contact

    • Email Us

    Copyright © 2022 Inquiring Chef

    • Pin
    • Share
    • Yum
    • Tweet
    • Email