Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Fry Sauce

Delicious on their own, these smoky, slightly sweet fries are downright dangerous when dipped into a zesty spin on fry sauce, a ketchup-and-mayonnaise-based condiment popular in Utah, Idaho, and the Pacific Northwest.

• Cooking spray
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 1 large) 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika 
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 
• Kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs. ketchup  
• 1 tsp. lemon juice 
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce 
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 drops hot sauce, such as Sriracha 

Tip:

Tossing sweet potatoes with egg whites before baking ensures that they come out with a nicely browned coating. They won’t get fully crisp, as a regular potato would, but they’ll have a satisfying texture.

Position racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.

Peel and cut the potatoes into approximately 2-inch lengths, and then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide slices. Lay the slices flat and cut them into 1/4-inch strips, so you have 1/4 x 1/4 x 2-inch sticks.

Whisk the egg whites with the smoked paprika, cumin, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Toss the potatoes in the mixture to thoroughly coat. Spread them on the baking sheets in a single layer so that they’re not touching.

Roast the sweet potatoes until sizzling and starting to brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. With a spatula, carefully loosen the fries and shake the baking sheet to flip them. Rotate the placement of the baking sheets in the oven and continue to bake until the fries are lightly browned, sizzling vigorously, and tender all the way through, another 8 to 9 minutes. Sprinkle to taste with more salt.

Meanwhile, make the fry sauce. In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Adjust the seasonings until the sauce tastes zesty but balanced.

Serve the oven fries immediately with the fry sauce.