Transform sweet potato into the yummiest Sweet Potato Tots for a delicious vegetarian main dish or vegetable side dish to share with the kids. They’re as yummy as what you find in the freezer-aisle version but for less!
As someone who is a fan of all sorts of tots and nuggets—including Zucchini Tots and Veggie Nuggets—I am so excited to share this Sweet Potato Tot recipe. I love it because it’s delicious, but it’s also versatile for kids with allergies and works when you have minimal ingredients on hand.
The tots are slightly crispy on the outside and tender in the middle and taste similar to the flavor of Roasted Sweet Potato or sweet potato fries. We love to dunk them into ketchup, though they also work with ranch, sour cream, guacamole, or any other dip your family prefers.
(You may also like my Sweet Potato Baby Food, Sweet Potato Teething Biscuits, and Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato. And my list of other iron-rich foods for kids.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to make this sweet potato tot recipe so you know what to have on hand or pick up from the store.
- Sweet potatoes: I’m using orange-flesh sweet potatoes here, which are sometimes called “garnet yams.” They are sweet in flavor and easy to cook. You can use frozen diced raw sweet potatoes to save some of the prep work.
- Bread crumbs: I’m using seasoned bread crumbs to add flavor and texture to the veggie tots.
- Shredded cheese: I like to add shredded cheddar cheese to my sweet potato tots to help them hold together and also have ample flavor.
- Garlic powder (or onion powder): Add a hint of flavor that pairs nicely with the natural flavor of the sweet potato.
- Egg: Adding 1 egg to the batter of the tots ensures they hold together and have the expected tot texture. To make this egg-free, simply omit the egg.
- Olive oil spray: This helps to get the crispy exterior. You can also brush the tots with olive oil to achieve a similar effect.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the steps involved in making this sweet potato tot recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and timing.
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes.
- Steam until soft. Let cool slightly.
- Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Mash to form the batter.
5. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out tots, using clean hands to make the tot shape. Brush or spray with oil.
6. Bake in the oven or cook in the air fryer.
How to Store
Let sweet potato tots cool, then store tots in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or place into a freezer bag in a single layer, remove as much air as possible, and seal.
They have the best texture if warmed in the oven or in the air fryer.
Best Tips for Success
- Bake in the oven or cook in an air fryer. They are similar with both cooking methods, though they are a little crispier in the air fryer.
- Parboiling the sweet potato makes it softer to grate and results in soft and delicious tots.
- Serve with a dip that your kids like such as ketchup, salsa, ranch, guacamole, or sour cream.
- Use as a vegetarian main dish (I would add a food or two with beneficial fats or protein to the meal, too, to ensure that it’s filling enough!) or as a vegetable side dish.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Favorite Sweet Potato Tots
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 3 small)
- ½ cup bread crumbs (I prefer seasoned)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or onion powder)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel and dice the sweet potato. Place into a steamer basket fit over a pot with 2 inches of water and cover. Steam for 10-15 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. Let cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mash together to smooth out the sweet potato and form a uniform batter. I use a potato masher here.
- Use a tablespoon measusuring spoon to portion out tots, using clean hands to make the tot shape.
- Place onto the prepared baking sheet or onto a greased tray of an air fryer. Spray or brush with olive oil.
- Bake the tots for 20-22 minutes in the oven or cook in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve warm with desired dip.
Notes
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- Let cool, then store tots in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or place into a freezer bag in a single layer, remove as much air as possible, and seal. They have the best texture if warmed in the oven or in the air fryer.
- Bake in the oven or cook in an air fryer. They are similar with both cooking methods, though they are a little crispier in the Air Fryer
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- Serve with a dip that your kids like such as ketchup, salsa, ranch, guacamole, or sour cream.
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- Use as a vegetarian main dish (though I would add some beneficial fats or protein to the meal, too!) or as a vegetable side dish.
What can use instead it egg in this recipe? We have a toddler with an egg allergy.
About how many cups of already cubed sweet potatoes would this be?
Roughly 3 cups (not packed into the cup, just loosely measured)
Thanks! What’s the texture supposed to be like inside? They came out a little wet and mushy. Baked in the oven
Would it work to add some chickpea purée to the sweet potato to add some protein?
These are so tasty. My toddler loved them and I did too 🙂
anything I could replace the cheese with?
Great recipe! They were delicious. Do you think these would work with regular potatoes like russet?
Delicious! I had sweet potato puree on hand so used about 3/4 of a can instead of making my own. Mix was pretty soft so I chilled a bit before shaping.
Glad to hear that worked!
You have so many great recipes! I tweaked this one with ingredients I had on hand, and it did not disappoint! My 1 year old twins devoured them. I swapped the sweet potato for butternut squash and also added 2tbsp of nutritional yeast for more protein. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!
Love the sound of those swaps!
Any way to make this without egg?? I think my little would love these but she has an egg allergy 😫
I would omit the egg, add 1 tbsp milk, and chill the batter if needed to help it form easily into tots. Enjoy!
I made these for my toddlers, as the name of this blog suggests, but after an initial taste test I housed 8 more of them in about 45 seconds. Needless to say, they’ll be going on the regular fall/winter rotation!
I’m so glad to hear that!