Vegan Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with a crispy texture is a delicious way to use an ordinary sweet potato. It’s my favorite way of serving them is to top them with scallion pesto. No Oven is needed, it’s an easy simple dish to make for Thanksgiving.
No Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, or any holiday dinner is complete without sweet potatoes!
If the sweet potatoes are hasselback, they make special occasions feel even more festive!
It’s a fun twist on the traditional Hasselback potatoes. I consider it to be a very delicious side dish that everyone will love.
Baby sweet potatoes
I always see small sweet potatoes in grocery stores like Publix and box stores like Walmart. They are usually in a steam bag, but you should be able to find loose ones too. If you can’t find the small ones, use the medium sweet potatoes and cut them into thick slices.
They cook really fast which is why I love recommending this recipe as a last-minute Thanksgiving side dish. When you don’t have a lot of time, you can easily whip them up in less than 30 minutes. Don’t like sweet potatoes? You can use regular small potatoes in air fryer too.
Plus, it gives your oven a break! It has enough to do during the holiday.
🛀 Handy Tip: Make sure you wash the sweet potatoes. Even if they come in a bag that is labeled “ready to microwave”, you MUST wash them. They never clean it properly and there will always be dirt on them.
Topping ideas for these hasselbacks
👩🍳 Substitution tip: Use mini sweet potatoes because they will be easy to cook in the air fryer. For medium sweet potatoes, you will have to adjust the ingredients and cooking time.
Step by step instructions with images
- The mot important thing is that you MUST wash these baby sweet potatoes first. I can’t stress it enough. These sweet potatoes actually had dirt stuck on them when I removed them from the bag! Check out my guide to buying the best sweet potatoes.
- Once you have washed the sweet potatoes, cut a small piece of both sides of the sweet potato
- On a cutting board, place chop sticks (or metal straws) on each side of the potato. Make sure the chopsticks extend to the length of the sweet potato. If you don’t have chopsticks, use a wooden spoon or wooden skewers.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into 0.03″ thin slices or the width of the chop stick. You should be able to make about 12-15 cuts per sweet potato. Don’t worry if they are not the same size. It’s not about perfection!
- Place an air-fryer safe baking sheet at the bottom of the basket. Place potatoes with the flat sides at the bottom (cut side up). You should be able to cook about 6-8 at once, but, I cooked only 4 at a time. Be sure that they are in a single layer.
- Generously brush potatoes with melted butter (use unsalted butter). Give them a delectable butter bath by get in between the cuts of the sweet potato. My air fryer is (Affiliate Link) The COSORI Air Fryer.
- Place the basket in the air fryer and set it to 350°. Set the time to 15 minutes. Do not cook them for a long time.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the air fryer. Check to make sure that it has cooked all the way through. I like to do the knife test at the bottom of the sweet potato. If they need more time, don’t cook for more than 5 minutes. When they are golden brown and have crispy skins, they are ready to serve.
- Here is my easy recipe for the scallion pesto. In a food processor, add: scallions, basil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, water, 1 teaspoon salt (kosher salt), black pepper, and lemon juice. Optional Ingredients – Cashews and fresh parsley (or any fresh herbs.
- Blend until it is a sauce. Open, add a little more oil, mix well, and transfer to a small bowl! Leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container.
- Place the sweet potatoes on a plate and top it with the scallion pesto. They are ready to be devoured!!
So, what do you think of this fun way of making savory hasselback sweet potatoes?
⏰ Handy Tip: Since every air fryer is different, your cook time will vary. The optimal temperature is 350°F, with a cook time of 15-20 minutes.
A few more potato recipes to try
How to cook potato nibbles in the air fryer. These nibbles are a must-have at your Thanksgiving dinner table.
Candied sweet potatoes are not just on my Thanksgiving table. I make them all year round and they are perfect for cooking in the air fryer.
Making drop biscuits in the air fryer is a very zen experience! And, the drop biscuits taste so good.
I have an extensive collection of easy sweet potato recipes that you won’t be able to resist.
I have a few more air fryer Thanksgiving recipes that are so very easy to make.
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Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Scallion Pesto (Vegan)
Equipment
- COSORI Air Fryer
- Food chopper or Food Processor
- 2 Chopsticks
Ingredients
For the baby sweet potatoes
- 4 baby sweet potatoes thoroughly washed
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter or regular butter
For the scallion pesto
- 1 bunch scallions roughly chopped
- 1 cup basil loosely packed
- 1.5 tsp pine nuts lightly roasted
- 2 Tbsp cashews optional
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lime juice fresh lime juice is better
Instructions
To make the sweet potatoes in the air fryer
- Cut a small piece of both ends of the sweet potato4 baby sweet potatoes
- Place chop sticks (or metal straws) on the sides of the baby sweet potato
- Cut about 0.03″ or the width of the chop stick
- Place parchement paper at the bottom of the air fryer basket (optional) and put 4 of the cut sweet potatoes on it
- Melt and baste the butter on top of the sweet potatoes2 Tbsp vegan butter
- Place the basket in the air fryer and set it to 350°. Set the time to 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the air fryer. Remove from the basket. See Note #1
To make the scallion pesto
- While the sweet potatoes are in the air fryer, make the pesto. Put the ingredients in a food processor1 bunch scallions, 1 cup basil, 1.5 tsp pine nuts, 2 Tbsp cashews, 1 tsp nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 5 cloves garlic, 3 Tbsp water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp lime juice
- Blend the ingredients until it's a sauce consistency
- Drizzle the sauce over the baby sweet potatoes and serve immediately
Notes
- Make sure you wash the sweet potatoes. Even if they come in a bag that is labeled “ready to microwave”, you MUST wash them. They never clean it properly and there will always be dirt on them.
- Use mini sweet potatoes because they will be easy to cook in the air fryer. If you use the bigger sweet potatoes, you will have to adjust the ingredients and the air fryer cook time.
- Every air fryer is different. So, you may have to cook them longer or shorter. I think generally, the optimal temperature is 350°F and cook time will be about 15-20 minutes
- While you are cooking them in the air fryer, you need nothing but butter on it. Once you pull them out of the air fryer, then top it with the scallion pesto
- You should be able to cook about 6-8 at once. I cooked only 4 at once.
- I like to serve these hasselback sweet potatoes right out of the air fryer. I think they are at their best when served hot.
- I didn’t end up using all the scallion pesto I made. Lucky for me, it can be refrigerated and used to make more hasselback sweet potatoes in the future.
- Use chop sticks or metal straws to frame the bottom of the sweet potatoes.
These are amazing. The air fryer cooks them perfectly. And I love your list of suggested toppings. Nice recipe!
Thank you, Debi
I love the way this dish utilizes the air fryer and the fact that it’s vegan as well. Looks tasty!
Thank you, Moop Brown
I never made Hasselback sweet potatoes in an air fryer. I will give this recipe a try for sure. Looks delicious. It’s a perfect easy family dinner.
Thank you, Natailie
These hasselback sweet potatoes look so savory and delicious! Love the addition of the pesto for a little extra flavor.
Thank you, LaKita
What a delicious combination! I love pesto and I’m always interested in trying different variations, this one is a winner. I think the sweet potatoes and pesto go really well together.
Thank you, Silvia
One of the best air fryer recipes I have tasted! This makes my work so much easier, yet gives such a delicious outcome!
Thank you,
These potatoes were crazy good! Much easier than expected! Will make again for sure.
Thank you, Alex
These were really delicious! We just loved them. The sweet potato twist was a great one!
Thank you, Erin
These Hasselback sweet potatoes look scrumptious and the air-fryer looks like such a clever way to cook them! Grateful for this tip!
Thank you, Marie
Wow! I can’t wait to make this at home. I am sure my husband will love this. So delicious!
Thank you, Amy