Delicious grilled sweet potato fries tossed in seasoning before fired over high heat on the grill. Beautifully seasoned, this addictive finger food is the perfect side dish for any occasion.
This grilled sweet potato fries recipe makes for perfectly crispy fries, tender on the inside and packed with tons of flavor. The combination of spices and a touch of smoke makes these fries an easy grilled side dish that’s guaranteed to be a knockout at your next BBQ dinner!
Discover the ins and outs of how to grill sweet potato fries perfectly, plus a handful of creative dipping options to try.
Sweet Potato Fries on the Grill
Sweet potato fries are always a fan favorite. The combination of sweet potato flavor and savory seasonings makes a perfect side dish that adults and kids alike will love eating. This recipe adds a touch of smoke flavor and makes for a deeply flavorful side dish.
For this grilled sweet potato recipe, we will be parboiling the sweet potatoes. This step of partially cooking the sweet potatoes saves time in the long run and makes grilling the fries a breeze.
After the sweet potatoes are parboiled, they’re tossed in a combination of olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. The combination of these ingredients works perfectly and makes savory fries that are ridiculously satisfying.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for these grilled sweet potato fries is super simple, and you likely will have most – if not all – of the ingredients in your kitchen already!
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll need to make these grilled sweet potato fries:
- Sweet Potatoes: Besides being rich in flavor, sweet potatoes are also packed with fiber, antioxidants, and potassium.
- Olive Oil: For coating out sweet potato fries before grilling. This can be swapped for another neutral oil of your choice, such as avocado or vegetable oil.
- Kosher Salt: Larger flakes and a more subtle saltiness than traditional table salt. This can be swapped for table salt, but used in smaller proportions.
- Black Pepper, Garlic Powder & Paprika: For added flavor. These spices can be adjusted to suit your preferences. Garlic powder can be swapped for two cloves of minced garlic.
- Fresh Parsley & Grated Parmesan: Optional, for garnish and added flavor.
How to Grill Sweet Potato Fries
Making grilled sweet potato fries is surprisingly easy, even if you don’t consider yourself much of a professional cook. With just 4 simple steps, you can be well on your way to enjoying these savory and satisfying sweet potato fries!
Alright, here’s the step-by-step process for making these sweet potato fries:
- Parboil: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add your peeled sweet potatoes. Bring to a simmer and parboil the potatoes until tender. Strain them from the water and allow them to cool enough so you can cut them into wedge-sized pieces.
- Prepare the Grill Pan: Heat the grill to high heat and lightly oil a grill pan (like this one on Amazon). If you don’t have a grill pan, then clean the grates thoroughly with a grill brush and cook your sweet potatoes directly on the grill. Depending on the size of your grill pan or grill grate, be sure to cut your sweet potatoes large enough that they won’t slip through the slots.
- Slice: Halve the sweet potatoes and then cut them into half-inch-thick fries
- Season: Toss the fries in olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Aim to create an even coating.
- Grill: Place the sweet potato fries on the grill pan and cook for a few minutes on both sides until nicely charred and golden brown
- Garnish & Serve: Once your sweet potato fries are done cooking, remove them from the grill and serve them with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Then, serve and enjoy!
Dipping Sauce Ideas
These sweet potato fries taste perfect on their own, they taste even better when paired with a variety of dipping sauces. Here are a couple of recommendations:
- Curry Ketchup: Combine 1 cup of ketchup with 2 teaspoons of curry powder
- Honey Mustard: Combine 1 cup of yellow mustard with 1 tablespoon of honey
- Special Sauce: Combine ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon sweet relish, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Marshmallow Sauce: Heat ¼ cup heavy cream over a saucepan and melt 10 large marshmallows, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Quick Tips
- No grill? No problem! The grill can be swapped for an oven preheated to 425°F for about 20-25 minutes.
- Store leftover sweet potato fries in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze them for up to three months.
- To reheat leftover sweet potato fries, place them in an oven preheated to 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed.
Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes peeled and cut in half
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Garnish
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the peeled sweet potatoes and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Fire up your grill to medium-high, about 400-450°F (205-230°C)
- Once ready, remove the sweet potatoes from water and drain. Leave to cool until cool enough to touch.
- Halve each potato lengthwise, before slicing into ½-inch-thick wedges
- Lightly oil a grill pan and place it on your grill’s grates
- In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato wedges in the olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika
- Place sweet potato wedges on the grill pan, and place back on grill grates
- Grill the fries for a few minutes on one side, until golden brown and slightly charred. Turn the fries with tongs and repeat for the other side. About 5-8 minutes total.
- Serve your sweet potatoes hot, with a garnish of fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan, and desired dipping sauces
