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How Do I Choose the Best Sweet Potato Fries Dipping Sauce?

T. Carrier
T. Carrier

Sweet potato fries consist of fried or baked strips of sweet potato. Since this food can have both salty and sweet components, many options for sweet potato fries dipping sauce exist. Individual tastes will largely dictate which type of sauce you choose, as components like yogurt and fruit are good for a sweet homemade dipping sauce while mayonnaise and onions can provide a bit more tang and spice. The consistency of the sauce might also play a hand in your decision, as can health considerations. If you desire a sweet potato fries dipping sauce with minimal fuss, you might choose a regular condiment like ketchup.

You may prefer sweet potato fries with sweet additives like brown sugar. As such, you might want a sweet potato fries dipping sauce that is sweet itself. Yogurt is a major fixture of such sauces due to its sometimes flavored sweetness and its compatibility with many sweet substances like honey and fruit.

A bowl of sour cream, which can be used to make a sweet potato fries dipping sauce.
A bowl of sour cream, which can be used to make a sweet potato fries dipping sauce.

If you favor a sweet potato fries dipping sauce with a bit more salt or spice, however, you might consider varieties with a mayonnaise or sour cream. These substances mesh well with more intense ingredients like onions, blue cheese, and spices. In addition, you might encounter sauces with unconventional spicy and sweet combinations like fruit and jalapenos.

Blue cheese, which can be used to make a sauce for sweet potato fries.
Blue cheese, which can be used to make a sauce for sweet potato fries.

Further, you may prefer different levels of thickness for your sweet potato fries dipping sauce. Some types are basically a liquid, and the sauce absorbs into the fries. Other varieties resemble a dip, with a thick texture that requires scooping the fries into the mixture. A large percentage have an in-between texture that mimics condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise. These latter varieties are perhaps the most convenient and least messy sauce varieties.

For healthier dipping sauce recipe options, plain yogurt is a suitable substance. Any added oils or sauces should not contain large amounts of fat or sugar; soy sauce and olive oil are some good additives. Lemon and lime juices are also popular in many recipes.

Some side dishes may function as both an accompaniment to the meal and a good dipping sauce. Creamed vegetables, for example, are popular accompaniments to sandwiches. If sweet potato fries are also part of this meal, they could be combined with and dipped in a vegetable substance like creamed spinach. This approach offers a convenient, affordable, and healthy sweet potato fries dipping sauce option. Other common condiments like ketchup and salad dressing are popular with regular fries, and therefore may work with sweet potato fries as well.

Discussion Comments

bluedolphin

@SarahGen, @ZipLine-- When I make french fries with sweet potatoes, I like a dip that's slightly sweet and sour. A sour cream, horseradish and mayonnaise dip is really good. I also add a little bit of honey to make it sweet.

Another great dip is cheddar cheese dip. I melt cheddar, add some milk to make it less thick and add some garlic or onion powder to it. It's so good! A little on the unhealthy side perhaps, but it's not something that's eaten every day.

ZipLine

@SarahGen-- That does sound really good. I love mayonnaise too. Have you ever tried mayonnaise with jalapenos in it? If you like spicy, you will like this too.

Lately, I'm on a diet and trying to avoid unhealthy, fatty foods. I had a terrible craving for sweet potato fries a couple of weeks ago. So I ended up baking the fries in the oven, only drizzled with some olive oil. For sauce, I made a dip from nonfat plain yogurt, garlic and salt. It was pretty good!

It's not the same as mayonnaise, but a great healthy alternative. I think garlic and plain yogurt go really good together anyway. Next time though, I'm also going to add chili flakes and oregano in it to give it more flavor.

SarahGen

I usually like to keep things simple and have my sweet potato fries with ketchup and mayonnaise. Sometimes though, I do like other variations of these two. For example, I might have them with spicy ketchup or hot sauce instead of regular ketchup.

And if I want a slightly fancier dip, I make aioli sauce. It's basically homemade mayonnaise with lemon juice and garlic. It's really delicious. I also like that it's thick and savory. It turns fresh, hot sweet potato fries into heaven.

I'm craving some right now!

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    • A bowl of sour cream, which can be used to make a sweet potato fries dipping sauce.
      A bowl of sour cream, which can be used to make a sweet potato fries dipping sauce.
    • Blue cheese, which can be used to make a sauce for sweet potato fries.
      Blue cheese, which can be used to make a sauce for sweet potato fries.