Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (2024)

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Listen, I love sweet potato fries. SO much. And while of course, there's going to be a recipe for those here, this is actually an ode to another thing I love: dipping sauce for sweet potato fries. The most common is definitely the tried and true (and delicious) smoky chipotle dipping sauce. It's amazing, but there are many, many other combinations of interesting flavour to experiment with. So we're going to walk through (with video) how to create

your basic (base) sauce, and then talk about the flavor combinations you can use to build each different sauce. I'm so excited.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (1)
Jump to:
  • Make the Aioli for your Sweet Potato Fries
  • How to Make Aioli for Your Dipping Sauce
  • Best Dipping Sauce Combos:
  • How to Make Multiple Sauces from One Aioli Recipe
  • The Hack for any Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce
  • Can the Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce be Made Ahead?
  • How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
  • What to Serve
  • 📖 Recipe

Make the Aioli for your Sweet Potato Fries

The aioli is going to serve as your base for *most* of these dipping sauces. And by the way, it's totally delicious and easy to make - you may never go back to mayo again.

What is Aioli?

Aioli can mean different things to different people, but I'm hear to tell you: it's the fancy gourmet word mayonnaise. For me, aioli is always a homemade version of mayo, but it doesn't necessarily have to be (see the shortcut versions below for making quick aioli). The other thing that has to be happening for me in aioli is different flavors - even if it's just garlic. Let's make it a little fancier than your traditional mayo no? Otherwise, what's the point?

Aioli is made by emulsifying egg, oil, and a little Dijon to help with that emulsification process. Basically, the trickiest part about making your own is making sure you add the oil incredibly slowly so the mixture thickens, rather than having all the ingredients sit on top of each other separately. It's the same idea of what happens with salad dressing.

We're using a neutral flavored oil here, but you can definitely use olive oil. Just keep in mind it will leave a distinct flavor behind, so make sure whatever you're combining it with is going to work. Also - aioli almost always contains raw garlic as flavoring. Again, we're not doing that here so we can have a blank slate for whatever other flavors we want. If you're looking for another great flavor idea, check out this recipe for curry mayo.

What makes it the Best Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries?

Two things: the incredibly delicious base flavor, and versatility. This aioli is going to create the best base for your sweet potato dipping sauce, and I've provided lots of suggestions below. BUT you're going to then know how to create any kind of dip that your heart desires. If you can dream up the flavor combo, then you can do it here!

How to Make Aioli for Your Dipping Sauce

Let's do this together. I'm going to use my immersion blender. It literally takes 3.5 seconds to make your homemade aioli this way. You could also work with stand mixer, or hand beaters (although I haven't tried this yet). I do know you can whisk it by hand - it works, but it takes an incredibly long time (and arm strength, which lolz in my case).

If you're using a whisk in any fashion you absolutely have to add the oil super slowly. Almost a couple of drops at a time. If you add it too quickly, there's no going back. It won't all of a sudden thicken up for you. STAY STRONG.

Best Dipping Sauce Combos:

Here we go - these are some of my favourite combinations. They all start with the basic aioli we just made, and then we build from there. I've separated them into three categories: gourmet (this is The Gourmet Bon Vivant, after all), sweet and spicy. In my ideal world, if we were having sweet potato fries as an appetizer, at least three of these sides would be an option for variety. If it's serving as a side dish, one would be totally fine.

Gourmet Sauces

  • Roasted Garlic & Parmesan: 1 cup of basic aioli + 1 bulb roasted garlic + ½ C grated parmesan
  • Truffle & Black Pepper: 1 cup basic aioli + 2 teaspoon truffle oil + 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • Lemon and Dill: 1 cup basic aioli + juice of half a lemon + zest of one lemon + ¼ cup fresh dill
  • Rosemary: 1 cup basic aioli + 3 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary + 1 teaspoon black pepper

Sweet Sauces

  • Cranberry: 1 cup basic aioli + ½ cup burst cranberries (or ¼ cup cranberry sauce)
  • Toasted Marshmallow: The only one that doesn't start with aioli! ¼ cup heavy whipping cream + 10 toasted marshmallows + a blow torch for the top at the end (note, this one MUST be eaten warm. The marshmallows start to firm up as they cool. *I'm going to put the recipe for this in the actual recipe card, along with the aioli.*
  • Maple Cinnamon: 1 cup basic aioli + 3 tbsp. maple syrup + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Spicy Sauces

  • Smoky Chipotle: 1 cup basic aioli + 1 chili pepper in adobo sauce (finely chopped), + 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder + juice of half a lime
  • Wasabi: 1 cup basic aioli + 1 tablespoon wasabi paste + 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

And that's it! Other than the toasted marshmallow sauce, all you need to do is mix these ingredients together, and best dipping sauces ever are made!

FYI - in all of these sauces, feel free to experiment with the ratios. If you like a sweeter dip, then add more maple syrup. Craving spice? Throw another chipotle in there. These are really just guidelines to serve as inspiration to get you started.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (2)

How to Make Multiple Sauces from One Aioli Recipe

Ok, this may seem obvious, but I'm going to put it in here anyway. For the amount of aioli this basic recipe makes, I'm going to recommend you not try and split into more than three different sauces. That should leave about ⅓ cup for each of them. After that, you just need to roughly divide the other ingredients by three and you should be good to go.

The Hack for any Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce

The shortcut version (again, everything except the toasted marshmallow) is to replace the cup of aioli with a cup of your favourite mayo - and keep everything else the same. That's it! You're done!

Can the Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce be Made Ahead?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, the longer the flavors hang out together, the better it will be. You can definitely also make the aioli ahead of time, just make sure you store it in the fridge. It'll keep for about a week.

How to Make Sweet Potato Fries

Ok, now you have all these fabulous sweet potato fry dipping sauces, let's move on to the fries themselves. Baking sweet potato fries luckily isn't too difficult, but there's a couple things you can do to up your chances of crispy, crunchy exteriors with soft and creamy interiors. Looking for an air fryer recipe? Try these air fryer sweet potato fries!

Cutting the Sweet Potatoes

This is really important. We're going to cut the sweet potato fries as thin and skinny as we possibly can. This is going to allow us to cook them quickly and at a high heat - which is exactly what we need to get them crispy. No low and slow here.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (3)
Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (4)

Soaking

This is a really important part of any fry making process, sweet potato or not. Soaking the raw potatoes in cold water for at least an hour before they go in the oven draws out the starch, which is what causes them to go soggy in the middle and on the edges. Soaking helps the fries stay light and creamy on the inside, and crispy crunchy on the outsides. Don't skip this step, even if you're tempted (I am always temped to cut corners. And I am always burned for it).

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (5)

Important: Once the fries are done soaking they also need to be as dry as humanly possible. I would suggest getting most of the excess water out with a dish towel, spreading them in an even layer on a cooling rack, and letting them air dry for at least 30 minutes (but the longer, the better).

Coating

If you've done the above steps right, we don't need much in terms of coating. We're going to use olive oil for the fat content, and cornstarch to give them a little bit of a crust. Oh, and salt, obviously. And that's it, we're not going to do anything else.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (6)

Baking

Like I mentioned before, we're going for high heat and a fast cooking time. 450F for 15 minutes should be perfect. If you've cut your fries to thick, this is not going to work. The insides will be raw and the outsides burnt.

Spread the fries evenly in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Use two if you have to. If we crowd the fries to much, they will start to steam, and they will never be crispy.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (7)

What to Serve

Sweet potato fries can be a great side to so many foods, or an awesome appetizer all on their own. Here's what I love pairing them with:

Bison Short Ribs

Simple and Flavorful Cilantro Chicken Soup with Lime

Classic Fish Sandwiches with Tartar Sauce

Chicken Bacon Ranch Burgers

Cast Iron Rib-Eye Steak with Blistered Grapes

Ok are we ready? Let's do this.

📖 Recipe

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (8)

Dipping Sauces for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe)

Cara Campbell

Here, we're going to go over the instructions for making a basic aioli that can serve as a foundation for all the other flavor combinations of dipping sauce. We'll also go through how to make a toasted marshmallow sauce since it's the only one that doesn't use aioli. And of course, how to make sweet potato fries. If you're looking for the flavor combos - scroll back up! They're here, I promise.

5 from 26 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Soaking & Drying TIme 2 hours hrs

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 234 kcal

Equipment

  • Immersion Blender

Ingredients

For the Fries

  • 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into thin fries
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon kosher salt
  • ¼ C cornstarch

For the Aioli

  • 1+1 egg +egg yolk room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 C neutral flavored oil such as canola or vegetable
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Toasted Marshmallow Dip

  • 10 marshmallows
  • ¼ C heavy cream

Instructions

Make the Sweet Potato Fries

  • Place your potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Allow to soak for at least an hour.

  • Drain the potatoes and dry them using clean tea towels. Spread them on a cooling rack for another hour until fully dry.

  • Preheat your oven to 450°F.

  • In a large bowl, combine potatoes, olive oil, salt and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with your hands, making sure each fry is coated in cornstarch and oil.

  • Spread the fries evenly on a large baking sheet, making sure to not overcrowd them.

  • Bake for 15 minutes, toss, and then back for another 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn brown.

For the Aioli

  • Add all the ingredients, starting with the eggs at the bottom, to a high sided, deep bowl, glass, or measuring cup (tall and skinny is best).

  • Submerge the immersion blender, and turn on, slowly moving it up and down through the ingredients for about 20 seconds.

  • Cover, and keep in the refrigerator until ready to make your dipping sauces.

For the Toasted Marshmallow Dip

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  • Place marshmallows in a shallow baking dish lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven until swollen and golden brown. Keep a close eye on these, they go from perfect to on fire very quickly.

    Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (9)

  • Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat.

  • Once the marshmallows are done, carefully add them to the cream in the saucepan. Stir until dissolved.

    Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (10)

  • Serve in a heatproof bowl. Add a half a marshmallow to the top and torch it for garnish if desired.

Video

Notes

The toasted marshmallow dip has to be served hot or pretty warm. It starts to get stiffer as it cools. You can pop it in the microwave though if it starts getting cold - good as new!

The aioli can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.

Nutrition

Serving: 250gCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 18gFat: 77gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 44gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 471mgSodium: 1750mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 16906IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 3mg

Keyword dip for sweet potato fries, dipping sauce sweet potato fries, sauce for sweet potato fries, sweet potato fries dipping sauce

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jump to:
  • Make the Aioli for your Sweet Potato Fries
  • How to Make Aioli for Your Dipping Sauce
  • Best Dipping Sauce Combos:
  • How to Make Multiple Sauces from One Aioli Recipe
  • The Hack for any Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce
  • Can the Sweet Potato Dipping Sauce be Made Ahead?
  • How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
  • What to Serve
  • 📖 Recipe

Cara

Website | + posts

Hi, I'm Cara! I'm a food writer, journalist, and recipe developer. I'm obsessed good food, good wine, good co*cktails and entertaining. I've picked up a few tips over the years, and love sharing them with others.

Dipping Sauce for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What sauce to eat sweet potato fries with? ›

Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard for a spicy kick will work. Honey - Also used in the hot honey mustard. Swap this with agave or date nectar to make the sauce vegan. Maple syrup - Pure maple syrup is best.

Do you eat sweet potato fries with ketchup? ›

Serving Suggestions. Sweet potato fries are a great snack to have on their own with spicy ketchup or ranch.

What goes well on top of sweet potato? ›

Favorite Sweet Potato Toppings:

Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Butter – ok, I'm a big fan of savory but this combo is also a favorite! ghee is an excellent (and delicious!) substitute for butter if you need it. Brown Butter, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, and Cinnamon – another sweet variation that never disappoints.

What condiments are good on sweet potato? ›

Top whatever favorite taco toppings you have on hand: Raw or pickled onions, cilantro, scallions, radishes, sour cream, avocado, and definitely hot sauce. Or make these sweet potatoes with guac, black beans, and queso fresco.

What's the most popular dipping sauce? ›

Ketchup, the all-American favorite condiment, reigns supreme as the most popular sauce in the United States, followed closely by barbecue sauce and hot sauce.

What do French people dip their fries in? ›

Mayonnaise

This creamy condiment is a classic for a reason – its mellow flavor helps bring out the salty crunch of fries. Mayo is the go-to fry dip in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands where they call the sauce fritessaus (fries sauce); it's a little sweeter and less fatty than your typical Canadian mayo.

What can I use instead of ketchup for dipping sauce? ›

There are actually quite a few alternatives that can work well.
  • Tomato Paste or Sauce. ...
  • BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Salsa. ...
  • Tomato Chutney. ...
  • Mixture of Mustard and Vinegar. ...
  • Homemade Tomato-Based Sauce. ...
  • Dipping Sauce. ...
  • Burgers and Hot Dogs.
Dec 17, 2023

What makes sweet potato fries better? ›

Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs but also more nutrient dense than French fries. The greatest nutrient difference is that French fries have no vitamin A, while sweet potato fries are high in this nutrient. Vitamin A is important for your vision and immune system ( 2 ).

Why are sweet potato fries soggy? ›

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

What can I put on fries if I don't have ketchup? ›

The Best Dipping Sauces For French Fries That Aren't Ketchup
  1. Garlic Aioli. “I love using a black garlic aioli for dipping fries,” said Brian Landry, chef and owner of Jack Rose and Bayou Bar in New Orleans and Marsh House and L.A. Jackson in Nashville. ...
  2. Comeback Sauce. ...
  3. Mayonnaise. ...
  4. Chipotle Aioli. ...
  5. Chimichurri. ...
  6. Chili Sauce.
Jun 9, 2022

What condiment is good with fries? ›

The Best Dipping Sauces For French Fries That Aren't Ketchup
  • Garlic Aioli. “I love using a black garlic aioli for dipping fries,” said Brian Landry, chef and owner of Jack Rose and Bayou Bar in New Orleans and Marsh House and L.A. Jackson in Nashville. ...
  • Comeback Sauce. ...
  • Mayonnaise. ...
  • Chipotle Aioli. ...
  • Chimichurri. ...
  • Chili Sauce.
Jun 9, 2022

Is Chick-fil-A sauce good on sweet potato fries? ›

The best dipping sauces for sweet potato fries.

Honey mustard is a great choice, but our copycat Chick-fil-A sauce is truly unbeatable.

What compliments sweet potatoes? ›

Vegetables – Just about any veggie on the planet accompanies sweet potatoes perfectly. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, zucchini, collard greens, carrots, cauliflower, green beans and bell peppers are great choices. Salad – A fresh, leafy green salad tastes great after a bite of sweet potatoes.

What is sweet potato eaten with? ›

Sweet potatoes make sweet salad toppings. Combine diced sweet potatoes, pineapple tidbits, apples, celery, and cashews. Serve over salad greens.

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