When my kids were quite young I used to make these chips in a (perhaps misguided) attempt to get them to try new vegetables. Of course they devoured them; what’s not to love about fried sweet potatoes? The seasoned salt, flavored with a hint of rosemary, dresses them up just a bit. (And when I’m in the mood for something a little different, I spice the chips with chili, as noted in the variations below the recipe.)–Domenica Marchetti
CAN I MAKE SWEET POTATO CHIPS IN ADVANCE?
These chips can be fried and salted several hours in advance and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. If they need crisping, pop them into a low oven for 10 minutes. And if you have leftovers or want to make them waaaaaay in advance, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to several days, though we seriously doubt you’ll be able to keep your hands off them long enough to utilize any of these instructions.
Sea Salt-Rosemary Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fine or flaky sea salt
- 1 teaspoon very finely minced rosemary leaves
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 large sweet potatoes with skins on, scrubbed clean
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the sea salt and rosemary. Set aside.
- Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to reach a depth of 1 inch. Set the pan over medium heat and heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels or cut open a large brown paper bag. Test the oil by dropping in a sliver of sweet potato. It should sizzle immediately.
- Using a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife, slice the potatoes crosswise into very thin rounds, about 1/16 of an inch thick. Carefully drop a small handful of potato slices into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Use a skimmer or large slotted spoon to turn the potato slices frequently as you fry them until they’re golden brown, about 2 minutes total. They’ll turn brown more quickly than regular potatoes because of the sugar in the sweet potatoes.
- Carefully but quickly move the chips from the oil to the baking sheet or a large brown paper bag to drain. Continue to fry the remaining sweet potatoes in batches. Let the chips cool to room temperature.
- Sprinkle some of the rosemary salt over the chips and place the chips in a bowl or napkin-lined basket. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Sweet Potato Chips variations
Toss the chips with about 1 teaspoon of ancho powder (or another mild pure chile powder), up to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (less if you want it to ignite fewer fires), and 1/2 teaspoon salt. A pinch of chipotle powder or smoked paprika is also nice because it gives the chips a smoky flavor. For a twist, she sometimes uses dried New Mexico green chili powder in place of the red chili powder; it’s not nearly as spicy and has a nice bitter bite to it. Equal parts of cumin and chili powder to 1/2 part salt (for example, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon pure chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I love sweet potato chips though I’d never tried seasoning with sea salt and rosemary. I really liked the idea of incorporating herbs and using flakes of sea salt was great for creating the fancy look.
Any sweet potato lover would enjoy these fried gems. The interplay between the sweetness in the potato and the rosemary salt is a perfect combination of flavors that would satisfy anyone’s palate at any time of the year.
I’ve made these many times in the past and baked them rather than fried them. I prefer that method but still really liked the flavour and crispy texture of these. A great snack. They are also great simply with lots of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
These sweet potato chips are fabulous. Then again, all salted, fried foods taste great. The thinner you can get the chips, the better. Try adding some thyme to the chips in addition to the rosemary. This is a great snack anytime. Make several batches because they do go very quickly.
What could there possibly be to not like? Deep-fried sweet potatoes and sea salt and rosemary. You could almost say these were good for you, sweet potato being a superfood and all. Whoever set the yield at 8 to 10 was totally kidding themselves and is a master of self-deception.
These chips were great. I’ve made my own potato chips before, but I’d never tried this with sweet potatoes. A mandoline makes short work of slicing the potatoes, and I liked that we were supposed to leave the skins on. The rosemary salt really played well with the sweet potato. My only complaint is that there was a little too much salt for the number of chips by the time you got to the bottom of the bowl, but that’s a minor problem in a fun snack recipe.
I love these! Usually I make baked chips, but I fried these as directed and served them with drinks before dinner. Sweet, salty, with pungent flecks of rosemary, what’s not to love?
Exactly, Krista. What’s not to love?
These were easy and delicious. Unfortunately for my husband, I ate the entire first batch while waiting for the rest to cook!
You sassy girl, Mary!
Lovely, easy recipe a classic. So delicious, they disappear quickly.
Love hearing this, thank you, Nilufer!
Can i use a air fryer to make these chips?
Gail, we’ve never tried them in an air fryer so we can’t say how they’d turn out or how long you’d need to cook them for. If you try it, do let us know how it goes.