Egg And Sweet Potato Tots
Shredded sweet potato bound with egg and almond flour, seasoned with paprika and salt, and baked in olive oil into crisp golden tots with a tender center.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Press each tot together harder than feels necessary. Shredded sweet potato has no gluten and no starch paste to glue it, so the only things holding a tot in one piece are the egg and the pressure of your hands, and a loosely shaped one falls into a heap of shreds on the tray. Squeeze, roll, and squeeze again. They freeze well once baked, which is the argument for making a double tray on a Sunday and reheating them straight from frozen later in the week.
Wring the sweet potato out before it goes in. Raw shreds carry a surprising amount of water, and if you skip the wringing step the batter steams in the oven and the tots turn soft. Squeezed dry and pressed into firm compact shapes, they crisp at the edges while the egg sets around the shreds to hold everything together. The paprika deepens the color and adds a gentle smoky warmth, and baking in olive oil on a hot sheet gives the outside a real crunch without a fryer.
They satisfy because they hit the textures a good snack needs: a crisp shell, a tender sweet interior, and enough body to feel like food rather than a nibble. The sweet potato brings fiber that helps the snack sit steady rather than spike, the eggs add protein that makes it more filling, and almond flour contributes richness and a bit of healthy fat. Dipped in something tangy, they turn a simple vegetable into a snack you actually look forward to.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded sweet potato
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush a baking sheet generously with the olive oil, since that thin film is what crisps the undersides and lets the tots release cleanly rather than tearing.
- Shred and dry the sweet potato: Peel the sweet potato and shred it on the large holes of a box grater or with a food processor. Pile the shreds into the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and wring firmly over the sink to squeeze out as much moisture as you can. This step is what lets the tots crisp instead of steam.
- Mix the batter: In a bowl, combine the drained shredded sweet potato, the eggs, the almond flour, the paprika, and the salt. Stir until the shreds are evenly coated and the mixture holds together when pressed. If it feels loose, give it 5 minutes, because the almond flour keeps taking up moisture as it sits.
- Shape the tots: Take small handfuls of the mixture and press each firmly into a compact cylinder about the size of your thumb, squeezing so it stays bound. Set them on the oiled sheet with a little space between each one.
- Bake until golden: Bake for 12 minutes, then carefully flip each tot with a thin spatula and bake for about 12 minutes more, until the outsides are deep golden brown and crisp at the edges.
- Rest before serving: Let the tots rest on the pan for 5 minutes, since they firm up as they cool and this short wait is what keeps them from falling apart when you lift them.
Variations
- Smoky and spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder along with the paprika for tots with a slow, warming heat that plays well with a cooling dip.
- Herb and garlic: Work minced garlic and chopped fresh chives or parsley into the batter for a savory, aromatic version that leans more dinner-side than snack.
- Cheesy tots: Fold grated hard cheese into the mixture for extra browning and a richer bite; this adds dairy.
- Everything-spice crust: Press the shaped tots into a plate of sesame seeds and dried onion and garlic before baking for a seedy, crunchy exterior.
- Warm-spice sweet: Swap the paprika for cinnamon and a little grated nutmeg to lean into the sweet potato's natural sweetness for a gentler, breakfast-leaning tot.
Storage & Leftovers
Store cooled tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Let them cool completely before sealing so trapped steam does not soften the crust.
To reheat and bring back the crisp, spread them on a baking sheet in a 375°F (190°C) oven or a toaster oven for about eight to ten minutes, turning once. Skip the microwave if you can, since it leaves them limp; use it only when you need speed and do not mind a softer texture.
To get ahead, you can shred and wring the sweet potato and mix the batter a day in advance, keeping it covered in the fridge, then shape and bake when you want them fresh. Baked tots also freeze well: freeze them in a single layer, transfer to a bag, and reheat straight from frozen in a hot oven until crisp and heated through.
Notes & Tips
- Wring harder than you think: The single biggest factor in crispness is how much water you squeeze out of the shreds. Wring the towel until almost nothing more comes out, and press it twice if the first pass leaves it damp.
- Pick firm, deep-orange potatoes: Choose heavy, firm sweet potatoes with smooth skin; the deeper orange ones shred cleanly and hold together better than pale, fibrous ones.
- Almond flour, not almond meal: Fine blanched almond flour binds more smoothly than coarse almond meal. If yours is coarse, pulse it a few seconds in a grinder so it disappears into the batter.
- Pack them tight: Loosely formed tots fall apart on the flip. Press each one firmly between your palms until it feels dense and stays put before it goes on the pan.
- Give them room to brown: Crowding traps steam. Leave a little space around each tot so hot air can reach every side and the edges can crisp.
- Match a bright dip: The sweetness of these tots is balanced nicely by something tangy or savory alongside, such as a lemony yogurt-free dip, a mustard blend, or a smoky tomato salsa for dunking.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- Sweet potato, egg and almond flour are the whole structure of a tot. The potato brings the sweetness and the soft center, the egg sets around it in the oven's heat and holds everything together, and the almond flour gives the outside something to crisp against.
- Sweet potato shredded raw and squeezed dry keeps all of its color, and that deep orange is beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. Baking rather than boiling concentrates the flavor, so the tots taste of the potato itself.
- The egg is doing quiet work. It binds the mash so the tots hold their shape, it browns the outsides in the oven, and it brings complete protein into a snack that is otherwise all soft starch.
- Almond flour is pale, fine and faintly sweet, and it toasts in the oven into the delicate crust these depend on, carrying vitamin E and unsaturated fat into every bite.
- Paprika turns the outsides a shade darker and adds a low, dusty warmth that keeps the sweetness in check, and a brush of olive oil on the hot pan is what makes the bottoms crackle. Salt on the way out of the oven makes them taste finished.
- As you eat, listen for the crack of the shell before the soft center arrives, and put a few on a plate rather than eating from the sheet pan so you can notice when you are satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my tots turn out soggy instead of crisp?
Almost always it is leftover moisture. Raw sweet potato holds a lot of water, so wring the shreds hard in a towel before mixing, keep the tots small and packed tight, and give them space on the pan so steam can escape rather than pool around them.
Can I make these without almond flour?
Yes. The almond flour helps bind and adds richness, but you can swap in another fine flour or a spoonful of ground flaxseed. Add just enough that the mixture holds together when pressed, since too much will make the tots dense.
Do I have to peel the sweet potato?
You do not have to. Well-scrubbed thin sweet potato skin is edible and shreds along with the flesh, adding a little extra fiber. Peel it if you prefer a smoother, more uniform texture.
Can I fry these instead of baking them?
You can pan-fry the shaped tots in a shallow layer of hot olive oil, turning to brown all sides, for a faster and even crisper result. Drain them briefly on a towel before serving; they will be a bit richer than the baked version.