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    Home » Appetizers » Sweet Potato Croquettes

    Sweet Potato Croquettes

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    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and an assortment of seasoning. They have the perfect crisp on the outside, and soft and tender inside. The best bite-sized comfort food ever.

    The best part? Sweet potato balls are easy to make ahead, freeze well, and can be cooked from frozen. Plus, you can deep fry them on the stove, bake in the oven, or cook in the air fryer.

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    Why You'll Love these Sweet Potato Croquettes

    • Bite-sized comfort food. Think Mashed Potato Balls but with sweet potatoes. These appetizers are creamy, cheesy, and full of carbs, which makes them a total comfort food appy. Perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But just as perfect for a cozy lunch or a game day snack.
    • The best texture. These sweet potato croquettes have a perfect crispy, golden, outer layer with a soft and creamy inside. It’s the best of both worlds.
    • Easy to make. Croquettes may seem complicated to make, but they are surprisingly very easy, All you need to do is combine the ingredients, roll into balls and cook. It's a perfect recipe for beginners to try, but seasoned home cooks will love it too!
    • You can fry, bake, air fry them. I personally love making these sweet potato croquettes in the air fryer because it cooks fast, requires no preheating, and the results are delicious. But luckily, even if you don't have an air fryer, you can easily cook these bites in the oven or deep fry them in a cooking pot.
    • Great for meal prep. These croquettes are easy to make ahead. You can make them and store in the fridge for hours or days before cooking, or freeze them for up to 3 months for a stress-free appy or snack to make on demand from frozen.
    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    Ingredient Notes

    To make these delicious Sweet Potato Croquettes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

    • mashed sweet potatoes - you can also use leftover Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Candied Yams from a holiday dinner. Using this will change the taste of these sweet potato balls, so I would recommend adding then ingredients up to and before the egg. Give it a taste and adjust the amount if seasonings to add, as needed.
    • milk
    • cheese - Most hard cheese will work. I recommend using cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese for a complementary flavor.
    • meat - add in some ham or bacon or leave it out completely to keep the recipe vegetarian. We used deli ham but this is a good recipe for using a baked ham from your Christmas leftovers too.
    • green onions
    • seasoning - we use garlic powder, paprika (or chili powder for a spicier kick), salt, and pepper.
    • panko breadcrumbs - adds a crispy coating to these sweet potato balls. We like the texture of panko breadcrumbs, but regular breadcrumbs will work well too.

    You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a cooking pot, sheet pan, or air fryer (depending on the cooking method that you choose).

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    How to Make the Best Sweet Potato Croquettes

    1. Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, milk, cheese, ham, green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
    • Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com
    • Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    Mashed Sweet Potatoes

    If you are preparing mashed sweet potatoes from scratch, add peeled sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted boiling water and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well and mash with a potato masher.

    1. Shape balls. Take 2 tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture at a time and use your hands to shape into balls like meatballs. Alternatively, you can use an ice cream scoop to shape into even balls.
    2. Coat. Add breadcrumbs to a large bowl or shallow plate. Dip the mashed potato balls in the breadcrumbs and gently press the crumbs to coat.
    3. Freeze. Arrange the mashed potato balls evenly in a parchment lined half sheet baking pan and transfer into the freezer. Freeze for 15-20 minutes to firm up (and help the croquettes hold their shape while cooking).
    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com
    1. Cook. You can cook the croquettes on the stove, in the oven, or in the air fryer.

    Three Ways to Cook Croquettes

    Deep Fry

    1. Add oil to a cooking pot to cover at least 2-inches high. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the oil is shimmering and sizzling hot.
    2. Deep fry the croquettes in batches (about 4-5 pieces each time) until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the balls occasionally to get an even golden crust on all sides.
    3. Transfer the croquettes to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

    Bake in the Oven

    1. Preheat oven to 375F.
    2. Place the croquettes evenly on a parchment paper lined half sheet baking pan. Spray with cooking oil spray to coat.
    3. Bake for 20 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.

    Air Fry

    1. Place the croquettes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray evenly with cooking oil spray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do this in batches.
    2. Air fry at 350F for 13-15 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.
    • Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com
    • Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    How to Serve

    Serve mashed sweet potato balls as a hot appetizer on its own or with a side of mayo or your favorite dipping sauce. Try it with:

    • Tzatziki Sauce
    • Whipped Ricotta Dip
    • Queso Mexican Cheese Dip
    • Tahini Sauce
    • Whipped Feta

    You can also serve these air fryer sweet potato balls over salads too that need a little extra to make them more filling.

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Experiment with different flavors. Play around with different seasoning, cheeses, garnishes, and dipping sauce to create different flavored croquettes.
    • Serve as an appy, side, or snack. These sweet potato balls are meant to be serve as an appetizer, but don’t let that stop you. You can serve them as a side dish or snack too. There’s never a bad time!
    • Best way to use leftover sweet potatoes. Got leftover sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Use it to make these baked sweet potato croquettes. For more inspo, check out our 25 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes.

    Storing and Freezing Instructions

    Make Ahead Instructions

    For easy party prep, you can prepare a whole batch of these sweet potato bites and store in the refrigerator or freezer for hours, days, or months ahead of time.

    Cook when you are ready to host your guests for fresh appys on call. Quickly fry them up or pop into the oven or air fryer. You could also cook them in advance, refrigerate, and reheat.

    How to Store

    Allow the sweet potato croquettes cool to room temperature first (otherwise you’ll end up with soggy croquettes). Then, transfer the balls to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

    How to Reheat

    Reheat leftover cooked mashed sweet potato balls in a single layer in a 375F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 350F for 5-10 minutes until warm and crisp on the outside.

    How to Freeze

    Freeze sweet potato croquettes before you cook them. Prepare them up to the point of cooking, then arrange the balls in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan. Freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can cook directly from frozen.

    To cook from frozen, just cook in the same way that you would when following the recipe. Add a few extra minutes to the cook time as it will take slightly longer to cook until crisp and golden brown.

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    More Appetizer Recipes

    • 50 Best Finger Foods
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    • Zucchini Bites
    • Pigs in a Blanket
    • Baked Mozzarella Sticks

    Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

    Sweet Potato Croquettes


    ★★★

    3 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 20 croquettes (4-6 servings)
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and an assortment of seasoning. They have the perfect crisp on the outside, and soft and tender inside. The best bite-sized comfort food ever.


    Ingredients

    • 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes, chilled or at room temperature
    • ¼ cup milk
    • ½ cup cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese, shredded
    • ¼ cup cooked ham or bacon, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon paprika (or chili powder)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs

    Instructions

    1. In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, milk, cheese, ham, green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
      • To prepare mashed sweet potatoes from scratch, add peeled sweet potatoes in a large pot of boiling water, simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well and mash with a potato masher.
    2. Take 2 tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture at a time and use your hands to shape into balls like meatballs. Alternatively, you can use an ice cream scoop to shape into even balls.
    3. Add breadcrumbs to a large bowl or shallow plate. Dip the mashed potato balls in the breadcrumbs and gently press the crumbs to coat.
    4. Arrange the mashed potato balls evenly in a parchment lined half sheet baking pan and transfer into the freezer. Freeze for 15-20 minutes to firm up (and help the croquettes hold their shape while cooking).
    5. You can cook the croquettes on the stove, in the oven, or in the air fryer.
    6. Serve warm with mayonnaise or your favorite dipping sauce.

    To deep fry the croquettes:

    1. Add oil to a cooking pot to cover at least 2-inches high. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the oil is shimmering and sizzling hot.
    2. Deep fry the croquettes in batches (about 4-5 pieces each time) until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the balls occasionally to get an even golden crust on all sides.
    3. Transfer the croquettes to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

    To bake the croquettes:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F.
    2. Place the croquettes evenly on a parchment paper lined half sheet baking pan. Spray with cooking oil spray to coat.
    3. Bake for 20 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.

    To air fry the croquettes:

    1. Place the croquettes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray evenly with cooking oil spray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do this in batches.
    2. Air fry at 350F for 13-15 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.

    Notes

    Make ahead instructions: For easy party prep, you can prepare a whole batch of these sweet potato bites and store in the refrigerator or freezer for hours, days, or months ahead of time. Cook when you are ready to host your guests for fresh appys on call. Quickly fry them up or pop into the oven or air fryer. You could also cook them in advance, refrigerate, and reheat.

    How to store: Allow the sweet potato croquettes cool to room temperature first (otherwise you’ll end up with soggy croquettes). Then, transfer the balls to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

    How to reheat: Reheat leftover cooked mashed sweet potato balls in a single layer in a 375F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 350F for 5-10 minutes until warm and crisp on the outside.

    How to freeze: Freeze sweet potato croquettes before you cook them. Prepare them up to the point of cooking, then arrange the balls in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan. Freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can cook directly from frozen.

    How to cook from frozen: Just cook in the same way that you would when following the recipe. Add a few extra minutes to the cook time as it will take slightly longer to cook until crisp and golden brown.

    • Prep Time: 25 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Appetizer
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: sweet potato croquettes, sweet potato balls, mashed sweet potato balls, sweet potato bites

    Did you make this recipe?

    I'd love to see! Tag me @aheadofthyme on Instagram.

    Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com
    Sweet Potato Croquettes
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    Comments

    1. Sid Dunn says

      November 26, 2022 at 6:01 am

      We tried this. At best it was just OK. There was very little sweet potatoe taste or any taste for that matter. I might try adding some sugar to make it a sweet dish vs. A savory dish IF we try it again.

      ★★★

      Reply

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