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sweet potato nuggets served on a plate, with one nugget held up close to the camera showing a bite taken out of the soft orange center.

Sweet Potato Nuggets

Author: Anna Hart
Crispy on the outside, soft and savory in the middle, and made with simple wholesome ingredients.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 10 nuggets

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup (210 g) sweet potato *about 1 large sweet potato
  • ⅔ cup (140 g) canned brown lentils *or sub chickpeas or white beans
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped *optional
  • ½ cup (70 g) breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon salt (optional) *see notes
  • ½-1 cup oats *depending on preferred cooking method, see instructions
You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.

Instructions

  • Give the sweet potato a good wash, then cut lengthwise in half. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45-60 minutes or until very soft. Let cool completely.
  • Scoop out the sweet potato flesh and measure out 1 cup (or 220g). In a small food processor, blend oats into a coarse flour (for baked nuggets I recommend using ½ cup oats, for pan-fried nuggets I recommend ¾ - 1 cup for a firmer texture).
  • Add the measured sweet potato, lentils, garlic powder and fresh herbs to the oats and blend until combined. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
  • Shape into nuggets or tots, roll in breadcrumbs, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray with olive oil if desired.
  • Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 22-24 minutes until golden, or pan-fry in olive oil over medium-high heat until crispy. Let cool for a bit and serve warm on their own or dipped into Greek yogurt.

Equipment

  • 1 cutting board + knife
  • 1 baking tray + parchment paper
  • 1 food processor or stick blender

Notes

  • Salt: This recipe is intentionally unsalted for little ones. If serving adults only, you can add about ½ teaspoon salt to the mixture. If sharing with toddlers and adults, keep the nuggets unsalted and brush the adult portions with salted olive oil before baking.
  • Breadcrumbs: I made my own breadcrumbs using only bread, but if buying them, I highly recommend choosing whole wheat breadcrumbs with a short, simple ingredient list and no unnecessary additives or preservatives (which can honestly be harder to find than you'd think). A simple option like 365 Whole Foods Market Original Breadcrumbs is the kind I'd look for.
  • Picky eaters tip: If your child isn't a fan of herbs, simply leave them out. I finely chop them before blending so they're barely noticeable, but the nuggets are still delicious without them.
  • Storage: Store leftover sweet potato nuggets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1nugget. | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1888IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
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