These sweet potato cakes are soft on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. They’re easy to make, and they’re ready in an hour!
The trick to making genuinely crispy sweet potato cakes is to coat them in panko. Panko has more air pockets than breadcrumbs, and these become crispy when fried.
Here’s a recipe for a savory-sweet side dish or appetizer everyone will love. These sweet potato patties are sweet, crunchy, and full of flavor. I like serving them as a light lunch, but they also work well as a dinner.
I’ve included a recipe for lemon cilantro sauce, which I think is a refreshing contrast to the sweet potato cakes. But you can serve them with your favorite dip!
Key ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: The sweet taste of yams make up the base of these patties. Just make sure not to overcook them or they will be too mushy to form into patties.
- Almond flour: I like using almond flour as provides a light texture and makes the patties more filling.
- Panko: I love panko in place of traditional breadcrumbs because it never fails at giving everything it touches a perfectly crunchy texture.
- A simple lemon sauce made with yogurt, lemon, and cilantro.
How to make sweet potato cakes
1. Start by baking your sweet potatoes.Why ⇢Roasting them removes much of the water content, so your sweet potato cakes don’t turn mushy.
2. Make the dipping sauce while the sweet potatoes are in the oven.Why ⇢The flavors in the sauce develop after it has time to rest for a while, so this is the perfect time to whip it up.
3. Scoop the sweet potato out of the skin and mix it with the other ingredients.
4. Form them into balls and coat them in panko.
Tip ⇢ To keep your hands clean, put the balls into a bowl of panko and sprinkle some panko on top. This way, you’re not touching the sticky sweet potatoes.
5. Fry the sweet potato cakes in butter until they are nice and crispy.
Tip ⇢ Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. If there are lots of bits in the pan after the first batch, wipe them out with a paper towel so they don’t burn when you cook the second batch.
Storage tips
- Store: Although these patties are best enjoyed right away, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: I find it best to reheat these in the oven so they stay crispy. If you use a microwave, the crispy panko coating will turn soft.
- Freezing: These freeze well! Once they’re cooked, freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. When they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag for up to three months. You can reheat them in the oven from frozen.
What to serve with sweet potato cakes
Enjoy these savory-sweet patties warm or cold, with the tangy lemon sauce in this recipe, or topped with greek yogurt, sour cream, creamy avocado sauce , or hummus .
They’re also the perfect side dish to almost any main like my salmon with lemon dill sauce or herbs de provençe chicken .
Once fried, let them cool on a paper towel for a few minutes. This will remove any oil, so you’ll get crispy, but not greasy, sweet potato patties.
To save time, I’ll often make a double batch and save some (uncooked) in the fridge for a quick lunch later in the week.
Crispy Sweet Potato Cakes Recipe
- Pin
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes
- ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 cup almond flour
- ▢ 2 tablespoons minced chives (can sub green onions)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ▢ ½ cup panko (more as needed)
- ▢ 4 tablespoons butter (for frying)
Lemon Sauce
- ▢ ½ cup thick, plain yogurt
- ▢ ½ lemon (zest and juice)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
- ▢ 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and rub the oil all over them. Place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven – don’t wait for it to preheat. Bake the potatoes for 35-45 minutes, or until they are soft. 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper, ½ cup thick, plain yogurt
- Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins then place the flesh in a large bowl. Add the almond flour, chives, salt, pepper, and garlic and mix until combined. 1 cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons minced chives
- Place the panko in a shallow bowl. Working in batches using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the sweet potatoes and drop them into the panko. Carefully coat them in the panko – they will be very soft. ½ cup panko
- Melt the butter in a medium frying pan. Working in batches, cook the cakes on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the crusts are brown and crispy. Add more butter between batches, as needed. Place the cooked cakes on paper towels while you cook the rest. Serve them with the sauce on the side. 4 tablespoons butter
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
Did you make this?
We love to see what you made! Tag @theendlessmeal or hashtag #theendlessmeal !
I like to make a light lunch out of these with a simple side salad.
More sweet potato recipes
Baked Sweet Potato Latkes
Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecans
Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter
Sweet Potato Wedges
Crispy Sweet Potato Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons minced chives , can sub green onions
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
- ½ cup panko , more as needed
- 4 tablespoons butter , for frying
Lemon Sauce
- ½ cup thick, plain yogurt
- ½ lemon , zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
- 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and rub the oil all over them. Place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven - don’t wait for it to preheat. Bake the potatoes for 35-45 minutes, or until they are soft. 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper, ½ cup thick, plain yogurt
- Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins then place the flesh in a large bowl. Add the almond flour, chives, salt, pepper, and garlic and mix until combined. 1 cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons minced chives
- Place the panko in a shallow bowl. Working in batches using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the sweet potatoes and drop them into the panko. Carefully coat them in the panko - they will be very soft. ½ cup panko
- Melt the butter in a medium frying pan. Working in batches, cook the cakes on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the crusts are brown and crispy. Add more butter between batches, as needed. Place the cooked cakes on paper towels while you cook the rest. Serve them with the sauce on the side. 4 tablespoons butter
