I’m definitely a member of the “fries for dinner” fan club, but I’ll admit that your typical deep fried spud is not the most nutritious option on the menu. But these oven roasted sweet potato fries? They are full of vitamin A, and fiber, and lower in fat, and just as satisfying. They are also way easier to make than fried fries: no spitting hot oil and no burnt fries or fingers. And need I even mention that they are an absolute kid favorite?

There are two secrets to a successful oven fry. The first is seasoning, especially on a sweet potato fry, because the seasoning helps to draw out the moisture and to develop that signature crisp fry crust. In this recipe, I love garlic powder, paprika, salt, and some thyme for a little extra texture and an earthy undertone.

The second secret is space on your baking sheet. I don’t know about you, but I prefer for my fries to stand and salute me when I hold them up. If you’re like me, then you’ll want to practice a little social distancing with your fries, and spread them out over two separate baking sheets. This will allow the heat from the oven to circulate more evenly around all sides of all of your fries, giving you nice, sturdy sweet potato soldiers.

For a cute presentation, I like to roll a rectangle of parchment paper into a cone and serve the fries in a glass along side all the condiments. But honestly, these go so fast, I wouldn’t blame you for skipping even a plate and eating them straight off the baking sheet.

Equipment:

• 2 baking sheets

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, about 1.5 lbs

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

• 1/2 tsp. thyme

• 1/2 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 TBS. olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line the baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Slice the sweet potatoes into fries. The exact thickness is up to you, but try to be consistent for even baking.

3. Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure the seasoning and oil is evenly distributed over all the fries. Pour the sweet potatoes onto the two baking sheets and spread them out evenly.

4. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, shaking and flipping half way through. When done, the fries should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Adjust the seasoning as desired and serve with your favorite condiments.