Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Garlic

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Garlic


This was originally posted on election day four years ago, but I’m updating and bringing it forward because I have the same message for you today and these oven-baked sweet potato fries with rosemary and garlic are just as appealing to me now as they were back then.  These delicious baked sweet potato fries have so much flavor, you’ll never miss that they aren’t deep-fried.
First of all, if you’re reading this post and you haven’t voted yet, I’d prefer that you bookmark this recipe, go find your local polling place, then come back and read this later.  Really. Go vote!
I’ve made several versions of these over the years but this batch is by far the best.  As usual, it’s the simplest combination of ingredients that makes me the happiest.  If you’ve never eaten oven-baked sweet potato fries, you need to know that they won’t be as crispy as the deep-fried restaurant version.  But I think the flavor of these can’t be beat and I don’t even miss the crunch.
For those of us who aren’t huge fans of sweet potato dishes that are overly sweet, this is the perfect way to reap the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes and still enjoy a savory snack.
And what kind of food blogger would I be if I didn’t include a quick recipe for a Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce?  You’ll find it at the very end of this post.  You’re welcome.

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small clove of garlic, peeled
2 T. olive oil
2  medium sweet potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Using a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, salt, and rosemary to form a paste.  If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, put ingredients into a small bowl and mash the garlic, rosemary and salt against the side of the bowl with a fork.  It takes a bit more effort, but you’ll be able to work it into a paste.
3. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and garlic paste; set aside.
4. Scrub sweet potatoes and cut off any blemishes that you wouldn’t want to eat.  Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/2 inch pieces.  Stacking two pieces together, cut potatoes into 1/2 inch strips.  Do the same with remaining potato.
5. Put potato strips into a large bowl; Add oil mixture and toss well until all potatoes are well coated.
6. Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (the parchment is optional, but makes for easier clean up!). If you don’t use parchment, make sure to grease the baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or some extra olive oil.
7. Roast potatoes for 30-35 minutes, checking every ten minutes and rotating the pan for even browning. Every once in a while check to see if the potatoes are browning too much on the bottom.  If that’s the case, turn them over.  I didn’t have that problem, but you never know! Keep a careful watch towards the end and remove as soon as the smallest pieces just barely start to blacken on the ends.
yield: two servings
Recipe notes: Two medium sweet potatoes will serve 2-3 people as an appetizer.  I think you could toss in one more potato without needing any more garlic paste or oil.  But if you are cooking for a crowd, double all the ingredients and plan on using two baking sheets. Remember to keep the potatoes in one layer and don’t crowd them too much or they won’t brown evenly.  These fries are best served right out of the oven!

Combine finely chopped rosemary leaves, kosher salt, and one garlic clove then pound and grind them together to form a paste.

In a small bowl, mix the rosemary garlic paste with the olive oil.

Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices.

Stacking two slices together, cut potatoes into 1/2 inch strips.

Put the cut sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add the rosemary garlic oil mixture.

Now toss the potatoes until they are evenly coated with the oil mixture.

Spread the potatoes out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Roast the sweet potato fries in a 425 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Check them every ten minutes, and stir or turn them if they appear to be getting dark on the bottom. Watch carefully towards the end because they can burn quickly!

Although these fries are great on their own, who doesn’t enjoy a special dipping sauce every now and again?  Ranch would work well, but I really enjoyed the buttermilk blue cheese dressing that’s served with sweet potato fries at one of my favorite local restaurants,
Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
2 oz. dry blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
dash of onion powder
freshly ground black pepper to taste
yield: approx. 2/3 cup of dressing