I feel like everyone is always under the impression that there is something difficult about fritters. Most fritters, including these Sweet Potato Fritters, are basic comfort though and an even beginner home cook can pull these together in 30 minutes.
I particularly like using sweet potatoes for these fritters because they bring a little extra flavor to the party than your standard russet potato (not that there’s anything wrong with a standard potato latke situation).
But let’s dive in and make these wonderfully crispy and delicious fritters.
- Want a different way to make delicious sweet potatoes? Try these Hassleback Sweet Potatoes!
Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams
The difference between sweet potatoes and yams, especially in the United States, is one of the most confusing and weird things in the grocery store. The truth is that REAL yams are almost impossible to find in most grocery stores, so you probably won’t encounter one. Real yams have a very thick skin and a starchy texture.
So, in most groceries stores what you are left with is two kinds of sweet potato and one of those is labeled yam. This is mega confusing and I have no true explanation for why this is the way it is. But you can use any kind of sweet potato for this recipe, personally I like the ones labeled yams, which are still sweet potatoes. UGH.
For more on this strange naming dilimma, check out this very thorough Kitchn breakdown.
How to make Fritter batter
Look, you can just fry raw sweet potatoes and they are pretty darn good. So, the worst thing you could do for a fritter batter here is to make the batter really thick and weigh down the vegetables.
For the batter then, I like to mix in an egg, a little big of flour, some scallion and garlic, and a little baking powder. I also like to add some sweet paprika which is the only spice I use. The smokey sweetness in the paprika works really nicely with the sweet potatoes.
Peel and grate your potatoes and then add them to the bowl. At first the mixture will appear a bit comical, like not enough binder to hold everything together. But, starting mixing the fritter batter with a spoon or your hands. Frankly, I think hands are easiest.
Eventually you will be able to coat all the sweet potato with the lightest coating of the fritter batter.
You know it’s right if you can make a small bowl out of the sweet potatoes and it holds together. If you can’t do that, you can sprinkle in some more flour to make it stickier, but it really should be enough unless you added WAY too many potatoes.
Let’s move on to cooking these fritters!
Frying Sweet Potato fritters
You don’t need to deep fry these fritters and in fact I’m not sure I would even if you already had it set up. I prefer cooking these like I would cook latkes. So get about 1/2 inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet and get it hot over medium heat.
Then add the fritters in about 1/4 cup batches. Pack the fritters so they are in thin disks but it’s good to have a few strands around the edges because those will get really crispy.
Fry these fritters for 3-4 minutes per side, flip them, cook again and then let them drain on a few paper towels. Season them with a pinch of salt right when they come out of the skillet.
What to serve with sweet potato fritters?
If you are eating these by themselves or as an appetizer, I like to serve them with a little sour cream sauce with some sriracha mixed in. Nothing difficult or fussy, but it goes really well with the crispy sweet potato fritters.
Otherwise, I think these guys work well for a brunch or breakfast. You could serve them as a twist on my latke breakfast sandwich or with the sunny side up scramble. Or, if you want them as more of a side dish you could serve them alongside something substantial like my rolled party omelet!
Making fritters in advance and reheating
Fritters are always best right out of the skillet but these actually hold up pretty well for a reheating situation. You can make them in advance and hold them in the fridge and then reheat them in the skillet with a drizzle of oil OR lay them out on a baking sheet and heat them in a hot oven (325-350˚). Ideally, you want the edges crispy and the center warmed through.
I had no problem making a little lunch out of the sweet potato fritters. Two or three of them with some sauce on the side is a great meal and a really nice twist on classic fritters!
If you are in the mood for something a little different (and still very easy with just a few ingredients), give the fritters a try!
Sweet Potato Fritters
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, 2 medium, grated
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups neutral oil, for frying
Spicy Sauce:
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat about 2 cups of neutral oil, like canola or vegetable oil, in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Oil should be 325-350˚F when frying.
- In a medium bowl mix together egg, flour, scallion, garlic, and spices. Then add in the shredded sweet potatoes and use hands to make sure the mixture is well-mixed and evenly combined. The fritter mixture should stick together if you press on it. If it doesn’t, add more flour by the tablespoon.
- When oil is the right temperature, scoop out about 1/3 cup fritter batter and shape it into thin disks with your hands. Carefully place the fritters in the cast iron skillet. It’s okay if the fritters aren’t completely covered.
- Cook fritters for 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through. When done, remove from the oil with a spatula or slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Season with a pinch of salt. Repeat until all your batter is used. You should get 8-10 fritters.
- Serve the fritters with the spicy sour cream sauce. Reheat leftover fritters in a 325˚F oven until crispy and warmed through.
Luana Ferreira Lopo
Can I do it with other types of potato? I`m in Brazil and our potatos are different than the US.
Nick
Sure! You can make fritters with any sort of potato but you might need to adjust the amount of flour and stuff depending on the potato you use. Different potatoes have different levels of water and starch, but any potato can make a good fritter!