Say goodbye to dry or shriveled candy batches of air fryer candy potatoes! This recipe affords a way of par-cooking your candy potatoes earlier than chopping them into cubes and air frying them. The ensuing candy potatoes are completely tender and moist, but crispy and gently browning on the edges.
For a very long time, I mentioned that I owned an air fryer for 2 functions: reheating pizza and making candy potatoes.
This was a joke, and I’ve expanded my air fryer repertoire significantly since then. However air fryer candy potatoes are nonetheless a mainstay in my house. (As is leftover pizza.)
I serve my air fryer candy potato cubes with tofu scramble for breakfast. I pile them onto vegan bowls. They’re a straightforward facet dish at dinnertime. And I like including them to tacos, too—particularly my candy potato tacos with black bean unfold.
Making candy potato cubes within the air fryer may sound like a self-explanatory course of. For me, nevertheless, it was not.
It took me some time to get my air fryer candy potatoes good. This put up is concerning the easy par-cooking step that gave me nice outcomes.
Air fryer trial and error
Previously, I roasted candy potato within the air fryer equally to how I roasted it within the oven. I cubed uncooked candy potatoes, seasoned them with oil, salt, and pepper, then let the air fryer go to work.
Typically, this labored out simply wonderful. However a number of the time I ended up with candy potato cubes that had been dry and shriveled. Typically, they’d a pale, starchy look, even when their edges had been closely browned.
The feel of those potatoes was, for lack of a greater description, excessively air fried.
A part of what I like about candy potatoes is their wealthy, candy flesh and satisfying texture. These cubes had been too ethereal; it was as in the event that they’d misplaced their substance.
I stored coating the potatoes in additional oil in an effort to fight this impact. I solely ended up with candy potatoes that had been each dry and greasy—not a terrific combo.
I may have simply given up on making candy potatoes in my air fryer, however I didn’t need to. I eat a number of candy potatoes and maintain my air fryer on the countertop typically; I wished to make this recipe work!
I stored tinkering with time and temperature, with no luck.
Lastly, I added a step that seems completely cooked candy potato cubes each time: par-cooking.
Par-cooked potatoes = good outcomes
Par-cooking is any course of during which you prepare dinner a meals incompletely earlier than ending cooking in one other method, or at one other time.
You possibly can par-boil noodles earlier than making lasagna or blanch greens earlier than including them to a casserole. Typically it’s useful to simmer fruit earlier than baking it in a pie shell.
Right here, you’ll prick your uncooked candy potatoes and microwave them for about 4 or 5 minutes earlier than you dice and air fry them.
Technically, you would use the air fryer itself for the par-cooking step, however the microwave does the job sooner.
I first began utilizing the microwave to par-cook candy potatoes after I was writing The Vegan Week. That e book is all about meal prep, which signifies that it’s additionally about tight schedules and effectivity.
I wished to current a way of oven-baking candy potatoes with deep taste and tenderness. But “low and gradual” isn’t all the time an possibility for the hurried house prepare dinner.
Par-cooking candy potatoes within the microwave earlier than transferring them to the oven for baking does the trick: tender, candy-like potatoes in much less time.
Equally, the microwave helps to offer the candy potatoes a head begin on this recipe. It’s additionally a cooking technique that preserves their moisture. As soon as microwaved, the candy potatoes will change into crispy within the air fryer with out getting dry.
I do know it could appear somewhat nuts to prepare dinner a vegetable in two methods, particularly if comfort is a precedence. However 5 minutes of microwaving goes by shortly, and it ensures nice candy taters each time.
Adapting the recipe to your air fryer
This technique works for my air fryer and my oven, so it should be tailored efficiently for many varieties of air fryers.
That mentioned, air fryers can differ of their warmth, effectivity, and timing, so you could have to experiment somewhat with the tactic.
I’ve a Philips air fryer that’s now discontinued (this one is analogous), but it surely’s the kind with a basket, slightly than one that appears like a toaster oven. It has a few 4L capability, and this recipe is developed accordingly.
You possibly can half or double the recipe if you happen to’re working with a distinct sized machine.
How you can make good cubed air fryer candy potatoes—each time
Step 1: Decide your candy potato
I often make this recipe with one giant candy potato. It’s wonderful to organize it with two smaller potatoes, however if you happen to try this, you could want to regulate microwave time (4 minutes for a single, smaller potato, or about seven minutes for 2 smaller potatoes directly).
Step 2: Par-cook within the microwave
Prick the candy potato throughout with a fork. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave the potato for five minutes.
At this level, the potato can be tender, but it surely gained’t be totally cooked. In the event you’re working with a medium or small potato, slightly than a big one, 4 minutes of microwaving will do the trick.
No microwave? No downside. I embody directions for par-cooking within the air fryer itself within the recipe card.
Step 3: Dice the potato
Permit the potato to chill for 5 minutes, then reduce it into 1-inch / 2.5cm cubes. Cautious as you do that—it’ll be scorching!
Step 4: Season the potatoes
I typically use avocado oil spray after I’m making something in my air fryer; it’s handy and simple. So, you’ll be able to switch the cubes to your air fryer basket, give them a twig of oil, then season them with salt and pepper.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to toss them with a small quantity of standard avocado oil in a bowl, season them with salt and pepper, and switch them to the air fryer basket.
Step 5: Air fry
Air fry the potatoes at 400°F / 200°C for 8-10 minutes, or till the potatoes are tender and browning alongside the sides.
Cease as soon as midway by means of air frying to shake the basket properly; this helps the potatoes to crisp up evenly.
Step 6: Serve
You possibly can serve the candy potatoes simply the way in which they’re, or you’ll be able to sprinkle them with toasted chopped nuts or seeds.
You too can drizzle the potatoes with some sort of dressing. I’m actually keen on my cashew queso, however vegan honey mustard (I sweeten mine with dates), beet ketchup, and yum sauce are good concepts, too.
Meal prep & storage
A young batch of cooked candy potatoes is one among my favourite issues to meal prep over the weekend. This recipe finds its method into my very own meal planning on a regular basis.
The potatoes will be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
In the event you’re like me, and your first query about any meals or recipe is “can I freeze this?” the reply is sure! You are able to do so for as much as eight weeks.
Defrost the potatoes within the fridge in a single day. Take pleasure in them chilly, in salads or bowls, or reheat them within the air fryer at 350° for about 5 minutes.
The Finest Cubed Air Fryer Candy Potatoes
Creator –
Yields: 2 servings
- 1 giant candy potato, scrubbed and cleaned
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil (or avocado oil spray)
- Salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
-
Prick the candy potato throughout with a fork. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave* the potato for five minutes (4 minutes for a medium or small potato). The potato can be tender, but not totally cooked. Permit the potato to chill for 5 minutes, then reduce it into 1-inch / 2.5cm cubes.
-
In a mixing bowl, toss the cubes with the avocado oil after which switch them to your air fryer basket. Alternatively, you’ll be able to switch them to the basket and spray them with avocado oil spray. Season the potatoes with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
-
Air fry the potatoes at 400°F / 200°C for 8-10 minutes, or till the potatoes are tender and browning alongside the sides, stopping as soon as midway by means of air frying to shake the basket properly (this helps the potatoes to brown and prepare dinner evenly). Take pleasure in.
The candy potatoes will be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days or frozen for as much as eight weeks. To reheat, air fry the potatoes at 350°F / 175°C for five minutes.
It’s humorous to dedicate as a lot trial and error as I’ve to a easy facet dish. However we love what we love, and I like candy potatoes.
I’ll let you know all about my go-to air fryer mushrooms quickly!
For now, I hope you discover this technique helpful.
xo
![Wholesome Vegan Skillet Brownie [high protein + gluten-free] • Wholesome Helper](https://everydayofwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VeganBrownieSkilletFEATURED-120x86.png)
Discussion about this post