Easy Sweet Potato Cakes

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Sweet Potato Cakes are not only super easy to make but taste out-of-this-world good! Simply mix mashed sweet potatoes with a few simple pantry ingredients and pan fry. Sweet potato patties are great to serve at breakfast topped with eggs or serve as a side dish for dinner.

Plate of sweet potato patties topped with pea puree and a fried egg.

Sweet potato cakes are a delicious healthy comfort food.

They're SO easy to make and are endlessly adaptable.

If you like them spicy, add more chilli. If you have loads of herbs, throw them in. You could even spice them with a bit of paprika or cumin.

Whether you call them patties or cakes, they make a filling lunch or a tasty dinner alongside a salad, and you could top them with a poached egg for brunch.

If you’re looking for the perfect recipe for meal prep, you must make these simple sweet potato patties. Whip up a batch and stash them in the fridge for the week.

They can be eaten for any meal or even as a snack.

For breakfast, top them with a fried egg or some pea puree, or serve them along with your favorite proteins for dinner.

They’ll last 4 days in the fridge and can be frozen to use for meals at a later time.

This post was first published May 17, 2016, and republished with new images, text, and video on June 23, 2021.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Kids love them! The naturally sweet flavor in these potatoes is perfect for serving kids a healthy potato cake that they will eat again and again.

It’s budget-friendly. Along with sweet potatoes, all you’ll need is a few simple ingredients for them to come together.

They have a great texture. These sweet potato patties have a tender and soft texture on the inside while being deliciously crunchy on the outside.

Make a double batch. You can increase the recipe to make a double or triple batch to freeze for later saving you time in the kitchen.

Ingredients

Mashed Sweet Potatoes - You can boil, bake, steam or pressure cook sweet potatoes to mash for this recipe.
Scallions & Garlic - Infuse garlic and mild onion flavor throughout.
Chopped Parsley - Adds a fresh garden taste and specs of green color.
Red Chili - Gives them a kick of spice. This can be completely omitted.
Breadcrumbs & Flour - Add bulk to the potato cakes and help them stay together. Go for gluten-free versions if required.
Olive Oil - Used to pan-fry the potato cakes on each side.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper - Gently flavor the sweet potato cakes.

Step By Step Tutorial

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Collage: roasted sweet potato, mashed in a bowl.

Cook the sweet potato. Bake, boil, steam, or pressure cook. the sweet potatoes until soft, then mash to a puree. You can use a manual masher, fork, immersion blender, or food processor. It purees quickly and easily.

Mix the sweet potato cakes. Place the mashed sweet potato into a large bowl and mix well with the spring onions, garlic, parsley, and minced chili. Add enough breadcrumbs to make the sweet potato less sticky. The amount will depend on the moisture of your mash.

Collage: mashed sweet potato in a bowl, rolling into balls.

Form the sweet potato cakes. Roll the sweet potato “dough” into large balls then pat down into cake shapes and dust each one with flour.

Collage: rolling potato cakes, frying them.

Cook the sweet potato cakes. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil starts to get shiny, add sweet potato cakes cook for a few minutes until golden on one side, flip gently and fry until the other side is golden brown.

Each side will take 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the patty. Once fully cooked, serve immediately or cool and store.

Tips

When forming your sweet potato cakes, form them all the same size and thickness so they cook evenly.

When pan-frying, make sure you do not overcrowd the pan to prevent them from steaming. You may have to cook them in batches, adding more oil each time.

The amount of flour and breadcrumbs needed depends on how much moisture is in your mashed sweet potatoes. You want the patty dough to be thick but not watery.

Serving Suggestions

Top with a spread of Pea Puree and a pan-fried egg.

Pairs perfect for breakfast with a Thai Omelet or Spanish Omelet.

Tastes great with a dollop of Alabama White Sauce, Zax Sauce or Sririach Aioli on top. Homemade Ketchup is great, too!

Makes a great side dish for dinner along with these hearty Portobello Mushroom Steaks.

Variations

BAKE: Don’t want to pan fry the sweet potato cakes? Spray them with oil, then bake them on a baking sheet at 400F/200C for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.

Give the patties a sweet twist by replacing the savory seasonings with cinnamon and brown sugar.

Make curry sweet potato patties by mixing in your favorite dried curry seasoning. Or go for a Middle Eastern twist with a Baharat spice blend.

Add some of your favorite shredded cheese for a cheesy sweet potato cake.

Close up of a bite taken out of a sweet potato patty.

Special diets

To Make Gluten-Free: To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs. Be sure to check all other ingredients, just in case.

To Make It Vegan: This recipe does not contain any non-vegan ingredients in the sweet potato cakes making it suitable for a vegan lifestyle.

Storage

Storing: If not serving immediately, store cooled sweet potato cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on a skillet over medium-low heat or pop them in your air fryer.

Freezing: To freeze, wrap cooked and cooled sweet potato cakes in plastic wrap then transfer to a sealed airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.

FAQs

Can I use only breadcrumbs?

Yes! You can absolutely experiment with omitting the flour for more breadcrumbs for a slightly different texture.

Does this recipe work with regular potatoes?

Absolutely. Feel free to use your favorite potato along with the methods in this recipe.

Is boiling or baking better for sweet potatoes?

When it comes to nutritional value, some say that boiling sweet potatoes help keep their moisture better however, it does not affect the integrity of the sweet potato patties either way.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

I hope that you love these sweet potato cakes as much as we do! Be sure to try these other recipes too. Sweet potato recipes.

Plate of patties topped with an egg and pea puree.

Veggie Desserts Cookbook by Kate Hackworthy

Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon

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Plate with sweet potato patties topped with a fried egg.

Sweet Potato Cakes

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

Sweet Potato Cakes are easy and delicious! Simply mix mashed sweet potatoes with a few simple pantry ingredients and fry into patties.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 219 kcal

Ingredients

For the sweet potato cakes

2 cups (550g) mashed sweet potatoes or 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes peeled, steamed and mashed
2 spring onions chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped red chilli or to taste
1 cup (100g) breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (plain flour0
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying

To serve (optional)

egg
Pea puree

Instructions

Bake, steam, boil, microwave or pressure cook the sweet potatoes until soft, then mash or puree.
Place the mashed sweet potato into a large bowl and mix well with the spring onions, garlic, parsley and chilli.
Add enough breadcrumbs to make the sweet potato less sticky. The amount will depend on the moisture of your mash.
Roll into 4 large balls then pat down into cake shapes and dust each one with flour. Store in the fridge until ready to cook (can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated).
To cook the sweet potato cakes, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden, flip gently and fry until the other side is golden.
If desired, top with a fried egg and some pea puree.

Notes

When forming your sweet potato cakes, form them all the same size and thickness so they cook evenly.
When pan-frying, make sure you do not overcrowd the pan to prevent them from steaming. You may have to cook them in batches, adding more oil each time.
The amount of flour and breadcrumbs needed depends on how much moisture is in your mashed sweet potatoes. You want the patty dough to be thick but not watery.
Don’t want to pan fry the sweet potato cakes? Spray them with oil, then bake them on a baking sheet at 400F/200C for 20-25 minutes flipping halfway.
Give them a sweet twist by replacing the savory seasonings with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Make curry sweet potato cakes by mixing in your favorite dried curry seasoning.
Add some of your favorite shredded cheese for a cheesy sweet potato cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 236mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 9496IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

Easy Sweet Potato Cakes

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Ingredients

Step By Step Tutorial

Tips

Serving Suggestions

Variations

Special diets

Storage

FAQs

More Sweet Potato Recipes

📖 Recipe