This air fryer sweet potato hash is one of my favorite easy side dishes. It’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor from a simple spice blend.
The air fryer does an amazing job here. You get those golden, caramelized edges on the sweet potatoes without having to stand over a hot skillet flipping everything around.
It works great as a side dish for dinner, but honestly it’s even better as a breakfast base with a fried egg or two on top.
The recipe comes together in under 25 minutes, and you only need a handful of ingredients. Nothing fancy, nothing hard to find.
If you’ve been looking for a new way to enjoy sweet potatoes, give this one a try. It might just become a regular in your rotation.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crispy Outside and Tender Inside – The air fryer gives each sweet potato cube perfectly golden crispy edges while keeping the inside soft and creamy.
Packed With Smoky Flavor – The smoked paprika and cumin blend creates a warm and savory seasoning that makes every bite seriously delicious.
Beautiful Color on the Plate – The bright orange sweet potatoes with red peppers and red onion make this dish look restaurant-worthy every single time.
Ingredients
- 2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 medium Red Onion, diced
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Chives, for garnish
How To Make
Step 1
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even 1/2-inch cubes. Consistent size is important so everything cooks at the same rate. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper to a similar size.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato cubes, diced red onion, and diced red bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss everything together until well coated.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Transfer the seasoned vegetables to the air fryer basket, spreading them out in as even a layer as possible.
Step 4
Air fry at 380 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. The hash is ready when the sweet potatoes are tender inside with crispy golden edges and the onion and pepper are lightly caramelized.
Step 5
Transfer the hash to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives. Serve as a side dish or as a base for fried eggs for a complete breakfast.
Tips
Don’t Overcrowd the Basket
This is the single biggest factor in getting crispy hash instead of steamed, soggy cubes. If you pile everything on top of each other, the moisture has nowhere to go and nothing gets that golden crispiness you want.
Spread the vegetables out in a single layer as much as possible. If your air fryer is on the smaller side, it’s better to cook this in two batches than to cram it all in at once.
You’ll notice a huge difference in how crispy and caramelized the edges get when the pieces have space around them.
Dry the Sweet Potatoes Before Tossing
After you peel and cube the sweet potatoes, pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the bowl with the oil and spices. Sweet potatoes hold a lot of moisture on the surface, and that extra water works against you in the air fryer.
Dry cubes will crisp up faster and get those caramelized edges that make this hash so good. Wet cubes tend to steam and stay soft on the outside.
Add the Bell Pepper a Little Later
Bell pepper pieces are thinner and have more moisture than sweet potato cubes, so they cook faster. If you put everything in at the same time, the peppers can get too soft and almost mushy by the time the sweet potatoes are done.
Try adding the bell pepper after the first 8-10 minutes of cooking. This way the sweet potatoes get a head start, and the peppers finish at the same time with a nice light char instead of being overdone.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Air Fryer Crispy Breakfast Potatoes with Peppers
- Air Fryer Sausage & Pepper Breakfast Hash
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to peel the sweet potatoes, or can I leave the skin on?
You can absolutely leave the skin on if you prefer. The skin is totally edible and adds a little extra texture and fiber to the hash.
Just make sure to give the sweet potatoes a good scrub under running water before cutting them. Keep in mind that peeled cubes tend to get crispier edges in the air fryer, so it really comes down to your personal preference.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Hash
- 2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 medium Red Onion, diced
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Chives, for garnish
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even 1/2-inch cubes. Consistent size is important so everything cooks at the same rate. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper to a similar size.
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato cubes, diced red onion, and diced red bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss everything together until well coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Transfer the seasoned vegetables to the air fryer basket, spreading them out in as even a layer as possible.
- Air fry at 380 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. The hash is ready when the sweet potatoes are tender inside with crispy golden edges and the onion and pepper are lightly caramelized.
- Transfer the hash to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives. Serve as a side dish or as a base for fried eggs for a complete breakfast.