Easy Sweet Potato Latkes

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This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Anolon. There are also affiliate links which help support the cost of running this blog. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make Sweet Potato Latkes.  Latkes are synonymous with Hanukkah, but I say this year – you should make Sweet Potato Latkes.  Hanukkah often coincides with Christmas, but this year it begins at sundown December 2 and ends at sundown December 10. For those of you who aren't completely clued in, Hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedication”. Specifically, this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian-Greek army. Lighting the Temple lamp was an important part of the re-dedication, so the search was on to find oil for the lamp. Unfortunately only enough oil was found to light the Temple lamp for one day. The miracle of Hanukkah is that the lamp stayed lit for 8 days. One of the traditional foods made at Hanukkah is potato latkes cooked in oil, and there are as many variations as there are families who make them. However, I'll be the first to admit that my Sweet Potato Latkes might horrify traditionalists. But change can be good, while still respecting ancient ways. Please don't judge.

Pictured: Accolade 8″ skillet, Accolade 12″ covered deep skillet, Allure 11×17 Cookie sheet, Tear drop teak cutting board, and Teak spoon.

I wanted to use a nonstick skillet for cooking these Sweet Potato Latkes. The natural sugars in sweet potatoes + the egg can cause sticking problems. As you can guess, this sticking can cause them to break in pieces when flipping. And as luck would have it, the folks from Anolon® Accolade Cookware recently sent me a box packed with fabulous loot (pictured above) to test drive. And test drive I did. I made scrambled eggs, cooked chicken for my dog, Paprika, burgers for my husband, Carnivorous Maximus, and an Apple Tarte Tatin with caramel for us all. Ok, maybe not for Paprika. Oh and these latkes, which were amazing. More about them in a minute.

Anolon Accolade Features!

Some of the features of the Anolon Accolade skillets that I particularly liked were around the flexibility of these skillets. I'm hard on things, to be honest. I'm hard on my clothes, my shoes in particular, and hard on my pots and pans. I know I should use non-metal utensils with my nonstick surfaces, but I never want to take the time to find them in the drawer. I want to be able to reach for something quick. So they never seem to last long. These skillets from Anolon, however, totally rocked it. Let me tell you how:

• They're super-durable, thanks to their hard-anodized aluminum construction (using patented Precision Forge™ technology).
• They work on all stove tops, including induction (!!)
• The nonstick surfaces, get this, are metal utensil safe, thanks to sapphire-reinforced, triple-layer nonstick surfaces. They might even be durable enough for me. I hate to think about my old non-stick pans in a trash pile somewhere.
• They clean up in a flash, and although I can't imagine needing to do this – because they're that easy to clean up – they're dishwasher safe. This feature made these skillets a clear winner for my husband. Part of what makes them so easy to clean, besides the nonstick surfaces, is that the handles are flush with the skillet rim (which you can see below), and the rivets are flush with the skillet side. No nooks and crannies for food and cooked oil to accumulate.

• Further, Anolon claims that their thick bases (seen below), slimmer walls, and uber-tough rims (seen above) provide the best in class for fast and even-heating without warping or twisting. Luckily the skillets are safe up to 500˚F in the oven. And yes, I tested that too. The Apple Tarte Tatin, with its caramelizing action, is not shy with heat on the stove where it begins the caramel process, nor the hot oven where it finishes.

Let's Make Latkes!

And now for these amazing Sweet Potato Latkes. By the way, anyone coming to my house for dinner over the holidays will be getting these beauties as an appetizer! They can be made ahead too, and just reheated before adding the toppings. For some quick visuals, I form the latke mixture into little haystacks. Each haystack is a little more than 2 tablespoons. I heat up the oil until it shimmers, and arrange the haystacks in the skillet. They sizzle just a bit, but not splatter, when they hit the oil. By the way, this is a perfect size for an appetizer, but feel free to double the size for an entrée or side dish. Gently flatten the haystacks using a fork to about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cook them for 3 minutes, and turn them over using that same fork. Before flipping, make sure you can see the edges starting to crisp. Once they're flipped, immediately add just a few gratings of a sharp cheddar, and cook another 3 minutes. You might need to cover them the final 30 seconds to let the cheese melt. A dollop of Lime Sour Cream and a shower of chopped chives finishes them up.   For more information on Anolon, visit their website. To keep up-to-date on their cookware, and get recipe ideas, follow them on Instagram!  

If you want to move to a more vegetarian diet, but not sure the best steps to take, join the Monthly Vegetarian Meals Challenge. Each month I'll post some tips – great plant protein sources, must-haves for the vegetarian pantry, ways to build flavor, and more. Additionally, we tackle 1 – 3 seasonal recipes tied to the theme that month. Subscribe to Monthly Vegetarian Meals Challenge.

Print Recipe

4 from 8 votes

Easy Sweet Potato Latkes

Not just for Hanukkah, these easy sweet potato latkes can be made year round. They are made of sweet potatoes, jalapeño peppers, scallions, and Ancho powder. Topped with sour cream and a dusting of chives, they're the perfect appetizer, side, or main dish.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time6 mins

Total Time26 mins

Course: Appetizer or Main, Vegetarian Main Dish, Vegetarian Side

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: Hanukkah, holiday food, Jewish food, sweet potatoes

Servings: 8 latkes

Calories: 65kcal

Equipment

potato peeler

grater

medium-sized bowl

tablespoons

12-inch non-stick skillet

cooling rack

small bowl

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound sweet potatoes 1 small
• 2 scallions white and green stalks finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 jalapeño pepper seeded, finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1/4 teaspoon Ancho chili pepper powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 1 - 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other high heat cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese coarsely grated
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Instructions

• Peel the sweet potato and coarsely grate, using the largest holes on a hand-held grater. Add the grated potatoes to a bowl, and squeeze with a couple of paper towels until fairly dry. Add the scallions, jalapeño, flour, salt, Ancho chili pepper powder, and black pepper. Lightly toss using your hands to coat the grated sweet potato.
• Add the egg and thoroughly mix, using a fork. Form 8 latke haystacks, each a little more than 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup), and place on a plate or wooden board next to the stove. Feel free to double the size for a side dish of latkes, or an entrée.
• Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet, such as the Analon Accolade, over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Carefully arrange the latke haystacks around the skillet. They should sizzle a bit when they hit the oil, but not splatter. Gently flatten them using a fork to about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  Cook until golden, about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on each side. Look for the edges to start to crisp. Gently turn over using the fork. They shouldn't break apart at all. If they do, they need to get a little crisper. Immediately drop a little grated cheddar on top, and cook for another 3 minutes. You may need to cover them for the final 30 seconds to melt the cheese. 
• Place a cooling rack over paper towels. Transfer latkes with a spatula or fork to to cooling rack to drain. Although this recipe uses very little oil, draining them directly on paper towels can make them a little greasy unless you immediately remove them. I prefer to use a cooling rack.
• In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and lime juice.
• While still warm (but not hot), place a dollop of sour cream on each latke, and finish with a shower of chives. These are best eaten warm. For an appetizer, they shouldn't more than 2 bites, and 1 bite is even better. 
• An alternate topping is applesauce. 

Notes

Cook Time is per batch. I was able to fit all 8 in my skillet, but not all skillets will accommodate that many.

Calories were calculated using VeryWell Fit nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1latke | Calories: 65kcal

Sweet potatoes have a lot of nutritious benefit, so here are some other ideas for sweet potatoes for you! Besides baking some up and adding butter and dusting of brown sugar, make Sweet Potato Skins with Caramelized Onions, or these super-easy Cuban Black Bean + Sweet Potato Soft Tacos. These slightly spicy taco also include shredded cabbage and cheese, and are topped with a Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce. As a bonus, this post includes a recipe for candied plantains. And if you want to do something entirely new, try this Spiralized Sweet Potatoes recipe. Simply spiralize some sweet potatoes, and sauté them with apples and dates for this amazing side dish. Don't have a spiralizer? No problem, just coarsely grate them. If you're interested in purchasing a spiralizer, here's the one I currently recommend. Click on the below photo for more information and to purchase it. If you're looking for more ideas for cooking with sweet potatoes, check out my Pinterest board: Favorite Sweet Potato Dishes. https://www.pinterest.com/wimpyvegetarian/favorite-sweet-potato-dishes/

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