The sweet potato is a culinary allstar, and it is time we give it the recognition it deserves. Sweet potatoes are nutritious, filling, and absolutely delicious. Their natural sweetness works so well in salty, savory dishes, like these fried sweet potato balls. It's like mashed sweet potato, but a whole lot more fun!
This sweet potato balls recipe combines garlic, parsley, cheese and breadcrumbs to create a texture that is creamy, gooey and crispy. They make a tasty snack or appetizer. You can also serve them with just about any type of dinner entree.
Why You'll Love These Sweet Potato Balls
• Ready in 30 - This recipe takes just 30 minutes to come together, making it an easy side for weeknight dinners! Swap your baked sweet potato with these and surely the kiddos will find them fun to eat!
• Healthy Helping - Sweet potatoes contain so many health benefits. Serve up a dose of antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, B6, and C, and more!
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Balls
- Sweet Potatoes - You will need 2 large, sweet potatoes. Peel and cube them to prepare.
- Garlic Powder - Season your sweet potato balls with 2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Parsley - Fresh parsley gives this dish a bright pop in terms of flavor and appearance. Clean and chop ¼ cup.
- Parmesan - Parmesan works to bind these sweet potato balls, as well as lending a creamy, savory note. I used ½ cup of grated parmesan for this recipe.
- Breadcrumbs - Breadcrumbs help these sweet potato balls come together, and they also add a delightful crunch to the texture. You will need ¾ cup of your favorite breadcrumbs.
- Egg - You will need an egg to help it bind together.
- Cheese - One of the best parts of these sweet potato balls is their gooey, cheesy center. You will need 1 ½ cups cubed cheese. I recommend cheddar, though you could also use mozzarella, gouda, or pepper jack.
- Salt and Pepper - You will want to season your mixture with salt and pepper. Start with 1 tsp salt and ¾ tsp pepper.
- Oil - You will need 2 cups of oil for frying. Vegetable oil works great, but you can also substitute any oil with a high smoke point.
- Cornstarch-added as thickener
Substitutions
• You can substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs for a flourless option!
• If you want your dish to be a little zestier, you can swap your table salt for seasoned salt. If you go this route, you can reduce your garlic powder to 1 ¾ tsp.
If you'd like it sweeter adding a tad of brown sugar will give it that perfect touch, but I feel the sweet potato is sweet enough!
How to make Sweet Potato Balls
- In a pot, boil sweet potato cubes for about 15 minutes or until tender with a fork. When done, drain well and set aside to cool.
- Combine the parmesan cheese, cornstarch, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Mash your sweet potatoes and add to the spice mixture.
- Add breadcrumbs to the sweet potato mixture. Depending on the wetness of the mixture, add breadcrumbs until dough is soft and not sticky.
- Portion the dough into golf ball sized amounts and create a well for the cheese.
- Add a cheese cube to each dough portion and pinch them closed. Bring frying oil to approximately 350F. This takes about 5 minutes over medium high heat. There should be enough oil to fully submerge the sweet potato balls. Fry them for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown. While cooking, prepare a paper towel to transfer the balls to remove excess oil and enjoy warm.
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, prepare your sweet potatoes. Boil them for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine your parmesan, egg, cornstarch, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
Next, mash your sweet potatoes until mostly smooth. It is okay if a few small chunks remain. Add the sweet potatoes to the seasoning mixture and stir until evenly combined.
Add your breadcrumbs. It should take ¾ cup, but you may also need to add slowly and adjust since your moisture content in your sweet potatoes may vary a little. You want to achieve a dough that is moldable, but won’t stick to your hands. Portion the dough into balls of equal sizes. You should aim for the size of a golf ball. Make a well in the center. Next, add your cheese cubes to the center of each ball and pinch shut.
Heat your oil. The oil should reach 350F. This usually takes about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add your sweet potato balls, making sure to completely submerge them. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure they fry evenly. Once the sweet potato balls are golden brown, remove them and place on a paper towel to drain and cool.
Cook's Tips
• If you struggle to get evenly sized balls, you can use a scale or an ice cream scoop.
• Make sure your breadcrumbs are fresh. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep fresh longer.
• If you don’t have a thermometer, you can try frying one ball first to make sure the oil is the right temperature.
For a healthier take, you may try oven baked sweet potato balls, but in my experience, food baked in the oven tend to give it a less crisp texture, plus no need to wait to preheat oven!
Storage Instructions
- These sweet potato balls are best fresh, however if you choose to refrigerate them, keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer.
- You can freeze the sweet potato balls for up to 3 months. Reheat in air fryer for 5 minutes at 375F, or in the microwave in 30-second intervals.
Serving Suggestions
- These sweet potato balls make a great side for burgers, wings, chicken and rice, salads, or soup.
- This dish is delicious on its own, but it can also be great to add dips. Chipotle mayo, tzatziki, buffalo sauce, aioli, sour cream, verde sauce, and ranch all make great options!
- Garnish with extra grated parmesan and some chopped green onions for an elevated presentation.
FAQ
If your sweet potato balls are falling apart, they have too much moisture. You can add more breadcrumbs or a little cornstarch.
You do not need to soak your sweet potatoes, but it may help get your sweet potato balls crispier. You can soak them in cold water for a few minutes.
If the sweet potato balls are getting soggy, your oil may not be hot enough. Try raising the temperature and wait a few minutes before frying the next one.
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Sweet Potato Balls
Ingredients
- 2 Large Sweet Potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley chopped
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¾ tsp Pepper
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan
- ¾ cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ cup of Cheddar Cheese Cubes may also use others such as gouda, mozzarella or pepper jack
- 2 cups Vegetable Oil may sub any oil with a high smoke point for frying
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp. Corn starch
Instructions
- In a pot, boil sweet potato cubes for about 15 minutes or until tender with a fork. When done drain well and set aside to cool.
- Combine the parmesan cheese, egg, corn starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add breadcrumbs and egg to the small sweet potato mixture. Depending on the wetness of the mixture add breadcrumbs until dough is soft and not sticky.
- Portion the dough into golf ball size amounts and create a well for the cheese.
- Add cheese cube to each dough portion and pinch them closed .
- Bring frying oil to approximately 350F. This takes about 5 minutes over medium high heat. There should be enough oil to fully submerge the sweet potato ball. Fry the them for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown.
- Transfer to paper towel to remove excess oil and enjoy warm.
Notes
Can be kept in an air tight container, in the fridge, up to 2 days. Reheated is best by re frying, air frying or microwave, as they will soften when refrigerated.
May be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated by either air frier at 375F for 5 minutes or microwaved in 30 second intervals.
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