These Garlic & Sage Sweet Potato Fries Will Be the Star of Your Holiday Feast

When it comes to crafting your holiday menus, do you tend to (a) stick to tradition—green bean casserole forever! Or (b) surprise and delight your guests by mixing it up with something new and unexpected? I’m a bit of both, depending on the occasion. For our Thanksgiving meal, we haul out the same comfort food dishes year after year, and I actually think my family would revolt if I tried to spin it differently. But once December hits and we’re into the holiday season? I’m ready to get crazy.

One of my favorite nights of the entire season is the annual dinner party we host for the same group of friends. I always cook a big feast, and every year it’s something different. Previous years have seen braised pork tacos, beef short ribs, and a pasta feast all grace the table (not together!) Though I haven’t yet decided my direction for this year’s menu, I’m pretty sure I’ll be serving these Crispy Sage and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries on the side, which require minimal effort and reap max reward.

Here’s the gist: we’re going to dress up a sheet pan of crispy baked Alexia Sweet Potato Fries with a garlic and parmesan topping that gets crunchy in the oven. Then you shower it all with fried sage leaves for those cozy winter flavors, and hit it with a flavor bomb of garlicky aioli for dipping. Let’s get into it.

The Secret Ingredient That Makes These Garlic Sweet Potato Fries SO Easy

Have you tried countless techniques to try to make baked sweet potatoes crispy, yet they never quite get there? Same. Which is why our first step in this recipe is to go get yourself a bag of Alexia Sweet Potato Fries from the frozen aisle of your grocery store. They’re cut from high-quality sweet potatoes and seasoned with a delicious hint of sea salt. Just as important as their consistent crispiness is the fact that they require:

• No peeling
• No chopping
• No soaking

Let’s face it: it’s really hard to get crispy fries without actually frying them, and it usually requires a multi-step process of soaking and dredging in cornstarch or flour before baking. And even then, they don’t usually crisp up to my liking. It’s the holiday season, so do yourself a favor and keep it simple.

The flavor boosters that level up these fries

Lest you think I’m going to bake up a bag of sweet potato fries and call it a day (They’re delicious, but we’re talking about a dinner party here), there are a few simple but standout ingredients I add to these to make them holiday party-worthy.

Garlic

More specifically, a 4 cloves garlic that you combine with melted butter to infuse the entire shebang with so much flavor.

Parmesan

I realized that if you add the grated parmesan for the last five minutes of baking time, it actually gets melty and crunchy. Game-changer.

Sage

Fried sage is my secret ingredient on SO many recipes this time of year. I love the earthy sweetness it adds to a recipe, and it makes the whole house smell so good.

How to make crispy garlic sweet potato fries

Bake your fries

First things first: you want to bake your Alexia Sweet Potato Fries to perfection. Which is easy, since they’re par-fried before freezing, which means they are already partially prepared and only need to be cooked before eating. Spread out your fries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then bake them for about 18 minutes in a 450 degree oven.

Add seasonings

They’ll be almost there, but not quite crispy enough yet. Which means it’s time to pull them out, toss in our garlic butter and hit them with parmesan cheese. Pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes or so.

Fry your sage

While they’re baking, you’re going to fry up your sage—and if you’ve never made fried sage, prepare to have your mind blown by how simple it is. All you have to do is cover the bottom of a skillet with olive oil, bring to a sizzle over medium-high heat, then toss in your sage leaves in a single layer. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring them around. When they get crispy, remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Put it together

By now, your sweet potato fries should be ready! Spread out on your serving board, top with fried sage and a pinch of flaky salt, and devour.

Let’s talk about the garlic aioli

You’re definitely going to want to dip your fries in this simple but addictive garlic aioli, and thankfully you’ve likely got all the ingredients on hand in your kitchen. Just combine mayo, dijon, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl, and chill until ready to eat. This also happens to be the perfect dipping sauce for vegetable crudité, steamed artichokes, and just about everything.

What to serve with these garlic sweet potato fries

Wondering what to eat with your sweet potato fries? Thought you’d never ask. Here are a few ideas:

For a snacks spread

I’m always trying to think outside the cheese board to come up with delicious appetizer ideas around the holiday season. Let these be the main event on a snacks spread if you’re hosting a casual gathering. Set them out on a buffet with other foods meant for grazing—marinated olives, a smoky eggplant dip, this white bean and raddichio salad, and yes, even a butter board with some toasted baguette slices.

As a perfect side dish to a holiday meal

Some of my favorite main course options to pair with these fries include hot honey glazed salmon, a perfect grilled steak, lemony sheet pan chicken with artichokes. And of coures, you can’t go wrong with a burger.

Scroll on for the recipe, and if you make these Crispy Sage and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries, be sure to leave a rating/comment, and tag us on Instagram so we can share!

Crispy Sage and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 6

These super crispy garlic sweet potato fries are so delicious—and couldn't be easier thanks to one genius shortcut.

By Camille Styles

Prep

20 minutes

Cook

25 minutes

Categories

Ingredients

• 1 bag Alexia Sweet Potato Fries
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• block of parmesan
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 1 small bunch fresh sage, stems discarded

for the garlic aioli:

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 teaspoons dijon
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Make the aioli by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spread out the fries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then bake them for about 18 minutes, until almost done but not totally crisp.
3. Meanwhile, melt garlic and butter together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat.
4. Pull out sweet potato fries, toss in garlic butter, then grate fresh parmesan all over the top. Pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes or so. They should be very crispy but not burnt.
5. Meanwhile, fry the sage. Pour olive oil into a skillet until it covers the bottom, them bring to a sizzle over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring them occasionally. When the sage is crispy, remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
6. Remove the fries from the oven, transfer to a serving board or platter, and top with fried sage leaves, and a pinch of flaky salt, if desired. You can also grate a little more parmesan over the top.
7. Serve with garlic aioli and ketchup. Devour!