If you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious snack, these sweet potato chips are the way to go. Packed with flavor, plus a ton of nutrition benefits like antioxidant Vitamins A & C and gut nourishing fiber, these chips are a delicious (and easy) alternative to store-bought versions. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through the process of creating crispy sweet potato chips that will satisfy you – mind, body, and soul.
Sweet potatoes have been a staple in my household for years. The dietitian in me loves that sweet potatoes are not only delicious, but packed full of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants (more on that here). Plus they’re so versatile and easy to meal prep.
I love sweet potatoes with balsamic glaze as a side dish, added to my slow cooker sweet potato and turkey chili, and they’re also delish swapped into this healthy sheet pan breakfast bake.
In this blog, I’m going to share a new way that the Pleskot household is enjoying sweet potatoes—as chips! These are super simple to make (especially if you use a mandoline) and pair deliciously with my 5-Minute French Onion Cottage Cheese Dip. Let’s jump in!
What You Need to Make These Homemade Sweet Potato Chips
Sweet potatoes: The star of this recipe is… sweet potatoes. I used orange sweet potatoes but you can use whichever variety you prefer – just make sure it’s a sweet potato and not a yam.
What’s the difference?
Externally, sweet potatoes tend to have thinner, smoother skin while yams have a rougher, scaly skin. Flavor-wise, sweet potatoes tend to be a little sweeter and have a creamier texture when cooked. While this recipe would taste great with yams, you may need to modify the cooking time slightly to get that perfect crisp!
Avocado oil: I use avocado oil when cooking at high temperatures. Avocado oil has a high smoke point and is less likely to burn than olive oil (I breakdown cooking oils and smoke points in this blog post).
Paprika and garlic salt: The paprika adds a slightly smoky, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy flavor to this recipe and complements the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes perfectly. The garlic salt adds a savory and flavorful garlicky flavor to the chips with the perfect salty touch you just need with chips.
How To Make These Chips Crispy
Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the sweet potato rounds in the oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Lay out in a single layer on the baking sheet so the chips can crisp up.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp on both sides, flipping halfway through. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn (I slightly overdid it here. Haha oops!)
Serve with a dip (I love it with my high protein cottage cheese dip) or use them to make sweet potato nachos.
Note: There are a few different ways you can oil the sweet potatoes to ensure they get that crisp. It’s important to make sure that both sides of the sweet potato are oiled to ensure they get that chip-like crunch.
- Toss the rounds in a bowl and lay out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Spray the baking sheet with avocado oil spray, lay the sweet potato on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops of the sweet potato rounds with oil and then season with pepper, garlic salt, and paprika, tossing with your hands.
- Brush both sides of the sweet potato with oil and then season and toss accordingly.
I find method number two, using an oil spray to be the easiest and least messy!
Nutritional Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes
Before we dive into the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes I want to touch on how sweet potatoes and sweet potato chips fit into intuitive eating.
Over the past decade, I have seen different diets (hello, keto) claim sweet potatoes as one of their own while they demonize other root vegetables like yams and potatoes as “unhealthy”. Diet culture also preaches that if we have to have chips, we should choose to make the “healthier” sweet potato chips.
The truth is there is room for all foods on our plate. When we make a food decision based on external factors (like I should eat this) instead of on what our body intuitively wants, we end up being unsatisfied and our craving for what we actually want can become even stronger.
So the next time you’re at the grocery store trying to decide whether to grab the bag of salt and vinegar chips or a sweet potato, ask yourself these three questions:
- What would taste good?
- What would feel good?
- What would be satisfying?
Some days it’s the convenience and flavor of those delicious salt and vinegar chips and other days it’s the process of making your own homemade sweet potato chips. When we serve our body with what it truly wants, we will find that out of control feeling, and guilt around food both lessen. Learning to understand and honor your body’s needs with confidence, whether physical or emotional, is one of the foundations in the Make Food Feel Good Group program. If you’re looking for guidance and an amazing supportive community, learn more about my group coaching program here!
Ok, now let’s dive into the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes: Not to be confused with yams, sweet potatoes are packed with nutrition. Let’s start off with fiber! 1 cup of sweet potato has approximately 7 grams of fiber. Fiber is so important for our digestive health. Not only does it help slow down digestion and keep us feeling full for longer, it also helps keep our blood sugars level so we don’t experience those dips which can impact our mood and overall energy. Fiber also plays an important role in keeping us regular and supportive gut health.
Sweet potatoes are also packed with vitamins and minerals. That same cup of sweet potato has over 200% of the daily requirement of vitamin A, over 40% of the daily requirement of immune-boosting vitamin C and 20% of the daily requirement of potassium.
Last but not least, they’re rich in beta carotene which converts into retinol (vitamin A), an antioxidant that may help improve eye health.
Recipe, Kitchen, & Time Saving Hacks
I love finding creative ways to do more with less in the kitchen so I can spend more time with my family without worrying about finding the time to make the next meal.
Here are a few time saving hacks I’ve discovered while making this recipe:
Use your kitchen tools: This recipe may seem overwhelming, especially if you’re thinking of prepping the sweet potatoes with a dull knife. I highly recommend buying a mandoline. They make slicing potatoes and veggies so much easier (just make sure you have the protective guard in place) and guarantee uniform slices.
If a mandoline is not for you, invest in sharp kitchen knives and a knife sharpener. This applies to general cooking but is really important when cutting tougher items like a sweet potato. When you use a properly sharpened knife, you’re able to make more precise and controlled cuts without applying excess force.
Batch prep and have as a week of snacks & sides: If you have the oven space, double or triple this recipe and cook the sweet potato chips on two baking sheets. Store them in an airtight container and enjoy them as snacks or sides throughout the week. My kids and I love these with my high protein french onion dip or my homemade ranch dip.
Turn ‘em into a meal: These sweet potato chips can be turned into a fun meal the whole family will love – nachos. Add some protein like beans, chicken, or ground meat or round, some veggies, and cheese and you have a delicious balanced dinner the whole family will love. Get my fave sweet potato nacho recipe here.
If you make these Homemade Sweet Potato Chips, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! Xo
PrintHow To Make Homemade Sweet Potato Chips: Step by Step
- Total Time: 25-30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
If you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious snack, these sweet potato chips are the way to go. Packed with flavor, plus a ton of nutrition benefits like antioxidant Vitamins A & C and gut nourishing fiber, these chips are a delicious (and easy) alternative to store-bought versions. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through the process of creating crispy sweet potato chips that will satisfy you – mind, body, and soul.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into thin rounds (I used the second thinnest setting on my mandolin approximately ⅛” thick)
1–2 tbsp avocado oil or avocado oil spray
Pepper
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Toss the sweet potato rounds in the oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Lay out in a single layer on the baking sheet so the chips can crisp up.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp on both sides, flipping halfway through.
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Serve with a dip (I love it with my high protein cottage cheese dip) or use them to make sweet potato nachos.
Notes
Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the sweet potato rounds. If you cut them paper thin, you will want to set a timer for 5 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. If thicker, they will need longer than the recommended time to crisp up.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
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