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These oven-baked sweet potato wedges are crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and served with a roasted garlic mayo that makes them genuinely hard to stop eating. They’ve become one of the most loved side dishes on the site, and once you make them you’ll understand why.
save this recipe!After testing (and eating) countless batches, I finally cracked the code for achieving restaurant-level crispiness, without frying. The trick? A simple cornstarch coating + high-heat bake + a brief oven “cool-crisp” that lets the edges dry out and snap just right.
These aren’t your average soggy wedges. They’re next-level, science-backed, and reader-approved with dozens of five-star reviews to prove it.
- Crispy without frying: Cornstarch creates a thin, shatter-crisp coating that traps steam and keeps the interior soft.
- Roasted garlic mayo: You’ll want to put this dip on everything. It’s mellow, rich, and sooo good.
Reader rating
“So simple, so perfect. And that dipping sauce? I’d eat that by itself! These are perfect for our next burger night!” —Karly
Key ingredients
- Cornstarch: The single most important ingredient for crispy oven sweet potato wedges. It creates a thin, dry coating that crisps under high heat in a way that oil alone never achieves. Shake it onto dry wedges in a bag for the most even distribution.
- Sweet potatoes: Medium-sized potatoes cut into consistent wedge shapes cook more evenly than large ones. Larger potatoes tend to have a thicker, starchier center that takes longer to cook through.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a subtle smokiness and a deep reddish color to the crust. Regular paprika works as a substitute but produces a milder, less complex result.
- Flaky sea salt: Added after baking, not before. Salt draws moisture out of the potato during cooking, which works against crispiness. Adding it at the end means you get the flavor hit without the texture trade-off.
Why your sweet potato fries go soggy (and how to fix it)
Sweet potatoes have a higher moisture and sugar content than regular potatoes, which means they steam and caramelize instead of crisping if you don’t address both problems upfront. There are three culprits:
- Skipping the soak. Cold water draws out surface starch, which is what allows the exterior to crisp rather than steam. Even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference.
- Skipping the cornstarch. Oil alone can’t create a crispy crust on a high-moisture vegetable. Cornstarch forms a thin, dry shell that gives the oven heat something to work with. No cornstarch, no crunch.
- Crowding the pan. Overlapping wedges trap steam between them, which keeps the surfaces wet. Single layer, every time.
Pair them with
Sweet potato wedges work alongside anything you’d normally serve with fries. They’re a natural side for halloumi burgers, veggie burgers, or seitan burgers in place of regular fries. They also work alongside a simple vegetarian Caesar salad if you want to round out the plate with something fresh and green!
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Wedges (with Cornstarch)
Ingredients
Wedges
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp oil, 30 mL
- flaky sea salt
Sauce
- 1 head garlic
- 1 Tbsp oil, 15 mL
- ½ cup mayonnaise, 120 g
- 1 tsp lemon juice, 5 mL
Instructions
- Soak: Wash 3 medium sweet potatoes and cut them into wedges (cut in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces, lengthwise). Place the wedges in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Shake: Drain and pat wedges dry. Place in a large plastic baggie. Add 1 Tbsp cornstarch to the bag, seal it shut, and shake, shake, shake. The potatoes should be lightly and evenly coated in cornstarch (add more cornstarch as necessary). Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper and shake again to coat.
- Roasted Garlic: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Remove excess paper from 1 head garlic, leaving the cloves intact. Cut just the top off the garlic head to expose the tops of the cloves. Place the head of garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, then drizzle 1 Tbsp oil into the exposed cloves. Wrap the head in foil, then throw it on the racks of your preheating oven.
- Bake: Place wedges in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp oil. Bake for 15 minutes, flip each wedge over, and bake for another 15 minutes until crispy. The garlic should be roasting in the oven this whole time.
- Cool: Turn off the oven and slightly prop open the door. Allow the fries to crisp for 10 more minutes.
- Sauce: While fries crisp up, combine cloves of the roasted garlic with ½ cup mayonnaise and 1 tsp lemon juice (I usually start with half of the head then taste and adjust).
- Serve: Remove fries, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve with roasted garlic mayo.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
So simple, so perfect. And that dipping sauce? I’d eat that by itself! These are perfect for our next burger night!
Thanks, Karly!! 🙂
Great recipe!! Works well in air fryer / convection oven also
Thanks, Setu! I’ve been meaning to get an air fryer for a while. It sounds perfect for recipes like this. Thanks for letting us know! 😀
These sweet potato wedges look delicious!! I’ve pinned this. Thank you.
Thanks for the tricks. My fries have always been soggy.
Wish you would update your ideas for dinner tonight on the email. It has been the same for a long time!
What kind of oil are you using? Canola, vegetable, olive? Thank you!
Any neutral oil works well here! I typically use vegetable for high(ish) heat cooking like this.
I am a 17 year-old who is absolutely in love with the culinary arts! I have tried countless recipes for sweet potato fries, and I have never found a better recipe than this one! These were the best sweet potato fries/wedges, I have ever tasted. Thank you so much! Definitely above a five star:).
I’m so happy to hear it, Abigail! Happy cooking! 😀
I have tried many SPF recipes; this one is a winner, best ever, thank you for your trials and errors to create a masterpiece, that actually lives up to its title, I’ll keep following more from you
Love the garlic aoli! Perfectly crispy.
Is the serving size 1 wedge? Thank you.
Hi Dara! A serving here is simply 1/4th of the whole recipe 🙂
I followed the recipe EXACTLY as written but they came out more chewy than crispy. Maybe too much oil when I drizzled? Or not enough corn starch? Any ideas for things that could cause them to go chewy instead of crispy?
Hi Alex! Chewy sweet potato wedges usually mean either too much moisture or not enough space for steam to escape. Too much oil or overcrowding the pan can cause that, as can skipping the step of patting the wedges dry before coating. Next time, try drying them really well, using just a light coating of oil, tossing in enough cornstarch to give a thin, even dusting, and spreading them out so none are touching—this helps them crisp instead of steam.