Sweet potato tots are the best healthy side dish or snack! You are going to love how simple these sweet potato tater tots are to make!
You only need 4 ingredients and about 35 minutes to make these from start to finish. These kid friendly baked sweet potato tots are naturally gluten free, vegan, paleo, Whole30 and easy to make!
Why you will love this recipe
- Fun make and eat! Making baked sweet potatoes like this makes them crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside! The perfect side dish to burgers, sandwiches, or bbq shredded chicken. You can even make these tater tots in the air fryer!
- Tots are a great way to get kids to eat foods they may not otherwise love! Dip them in ketchup or homemade ranch! You will love that these are full of healthy ingredients, a great source of fiber and are baked not fried!
- Make large batches and freeze them for later! No need to buy them from the store anymore!
- Great for parties or game day snacks, everyday snacking or a healthy weeknight meal! These tots can also get dressed up with added spices or sauces to dip them in.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes – you can use orange or white sweet potatoes (Japanese).
- Ground flax – this helps to bind the sweet potatoes. Many recipes use bread crumbs to bind the tots, but I find that ground flax does just as good of a job and it’s an easy way to keep these gluten free and Whole30 friendly.
- Almond Flour – this helps to absorb extra moisture and keep the tots crispy to ensure they can get golden brown on the outside.
- Salt – because all good savory dishes need some salt! You can add your favorite seasonings as well (see below for ideas) but salt is often all these tater tots need!
How to make sweet potato tots
Check out the step by step story on how to make sweet potato tots!
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and then down into 1/2 inch half-moons and add to a glass container.
- Microwave on high for 5 minutes (or place in a steamer basket on the stove and steam for 5 minutes). While the sweet potatoes are cooking in the microwave, preheat the oven to 425F.
- Once softened, carefully add the sweet potato rounds to the food processor (you will need to do this in batches).Pulse on high until the sweet potatoes resemble rice (takes about 30 seconds).
Remove the sweet potato rice from the food processor and add it to a large bowl. Repeat with the rest of the sweet potatoes - Add ground flax, almond meal and salt to the sweet potato rice. Mix well and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Place parchment paper down on an extra-large baking sheet (or 2 baking sheets). Spray with non-stick spray (I love avocado oil).
- Form the tots one by one by taking about 1-1 ½ tablespoons of mixture in your non-dominant hand. Use the thumb of your dominant hand to press down into the mixture while you make a claw with your non-dominant hand around the mixture. Press down firmly creating a long log. Keep the claw action going with your non-dominant hand and use your thumb and pointer finger to press the mixture down forming a tot.
- Repeat this process until you have about 32 tots.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove them and flip the tots to the other side. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
How to make sweet potato tots in the air fryer
Air fryer sweet potato tots are simple to make.
- Follow steps 1-7 above.
- Spray the air fryer with non-stick spray (be sure this is just avocado oil or olive oil spray – no other ingredients or propellants in the can or cooking spray can build up residue on your air fryer basket.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375F for 12 minutes.
Top tips
Tips for the best texture
Many of the recipes I’ve read require you to make mashed sweet potatoes. You then form the mashed sweet potatoes into tots, but I did not love that approach. Instead, this recipe first calls for you to slightly soften the sweet potatoes in the microwave (or in a steamer basket on the stove).
Once slightly softened, pulse the sweet potatoes in a food processor to a texture that resembles sweet potato rice.
By only softening the sweet potato slightly, the sweet potato mixture keeps a good texture, especially when baking!
Tips on forming the tots
Having slightly wet, clean hands is best to form the tots. If you find the mixture is sticking to your hands (especially after assembling a few), you may want to run your hands under warm water and just shake them off in the sink, don’t dry them completely.
Use pressure when forming the tots. Pressing down with your thumb and slightly rolling the tots in your non-dominant hand to get a very compact log before pressing down between your finger and your thumb.
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Other seasoning ideas
- Everything bagel: Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning
- Mexican: Add 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- BBQ: Add 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of ground mustard
- Sweet: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
- Savory: Add 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- Curry: Add 1 teaspoon of curry powder
Dipping sauce for healthy sweet potato tots
- Homemade ketchup
- Homemade dairy free ranch
- Homemade chipotle ranch dressing
- Vegan Chipotle Mayo
- Spicy Tahini Sauce
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
What to serve with sweet potato tots
- Air fryer chicken nuggets, air fryer chicken drumsticks, or air fryer spatchcock chicken
- Ranch chicken bites or Mexican chicken bites
- BBQ Chicken, Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Air fryer salmon or Salmon bites
- Black Bean Burgers or Lentil Black Bean Burgers
Love sweet potatoes? Try these other sweet potato recipes
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Sweet Potato Cubes
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Patties
- Sweet Potato Lentil Burgers
FAQs
What if you don’t have a food processor
If you do not have a food processor, you will want to hand grate the sweet potatoes after softening them in the microwave. You will notice that the outside of the potato is softer than the center, and that is ok. Once you mix everything together, you will still get a great texture.
How to store sweet potato tots
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to freeze
Yes! It’s best to cook the sweet potato tater tots, allow them to cool and then store them in the freezer. To ensure the tots don’t stick together, first freeze the tots on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen, add to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
How to reheat after freezing
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 400Fand bake for 15-17 minutes until hot.
- Airfryer: Bake at 375F for 10 minutes until hot.
Note: if already defrosted they will need even less time in the oven or air fryer.
Reheating from the fridge
- Oven: 350F for 7-10 minutes
- Microwave: about 1 minute on high
- Air fryer: 350F for 5 minutes.
Substitutions
Almond flour: You can also use ground cashew flour, ground sunflower seeds, or oat flour in place of the almond flour.
Sweet potatoes: You can try this recipe with butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes for similar results
If you love this recipe, you should try
Sweet Potato Tots
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes - about 6 cups once sliced
- 3 tbsp ground flax
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- non-stick spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and then down into 1/2 inch half-moons and add to a microwave safe container or steamer basket on the stove.
- Microwave the potatoes on high for 5 minutes or steam for 5 minutes on the stove in a covered steamer basket over simmering water.
- Add the sweet potato rounds to the food processor (about 1/2 of the sweet potatoes). Pulse on high until the sweet potatoes resemble rice (about 30 seconds)
- Remove the sweet potato rice and put it in a large bowl for mixing. Pulse the rest of the sweet potato rounds in the food processor.
- Add the ground flax, almond meal and salt to the sweet potato rice.
- Mix the sweet potatoes, ground flax, almond meal and salt together well. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to let the flax start to bind the sweet potatoes.
- Add parchment paper to a rimmed cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick spray (avocado oil or olive oil)
- Add about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture to your non-dominant hand. Press the mixture together in your hand to form a cylinder shape while pressing down on the top and the bottom with the pointer finger and thumb of your dominant hand.
- Repeat until you have about 32 tots.
- Once all the tater tots have been formed, place in oven for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, take the tots out of the oven and flip them to the other side. Bake 10 more minutes.
Notes
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 15-17 minutes until hot.
- Airfryer: Bake at 375F for 10 minutes until hot.
- Oven: 350F for 7-10 minutes
- Microwave: about 1 minute on high
- Air fryer: 350F for 5 minutes.
- Everything bagel: Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning
- Mexican: Add 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- BBQ: Add 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of ground mustard
- Sweet: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
- Savory: Add 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- Curry: Add 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- Almond flour: You can also use ground cashew flour, ground sunflower seeds, or oat flour in place of the almond flour.
- Sweet potatoes: You can try this recipe with butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes for similar results
Wendy
Thursday 10th of June 2021
Oh my, these look/sound soooo yummo! Do you think a ricer would work for the cooked sweet potato break-down instead of a food processor? Have all the ingredients and MUST try!
Samantha Rowland
Monday 11th of October 2021
I think you could use a hand grater (that you would typically grate cheese on). A ricer may work depending on how soft you can get the potatoes in the microwave.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Monday 13th of July 2015
O my goodness!!!! And they have protein!! You're the bomb ;)
Sam
Monday 13th of July 2015
xoxo you are too kind!
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai
Tuesday 23rd of June 2015
Ooh, these sound delicious! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - we love partying with you! Hope to see you next Friday. :)
~Lorelai Life With Lorelai
Tara Siudy (Little. Miss Dexterous)
Sunday 21st of June 2015
These look so good!!! I love sweet potatoes! I can't wait to try! Pinning and sharing!
Maria Magdalena
Sunday 21st of June 2015
Delicious. Thank you for linking your recipe to Creative K Kid's Tasty Tuesdays' party. I have pinned your post to the Tasty Tuesdays Pinterest board