These sweet potato cakes with ham are a perfect way to use leftovers! The mustard adds the right amount of zip while the dill adds just a touch of sweetness.
Growing up, I used to love when we had mashed potatoes for dinner. But it wasn’t the actual mashed potatoes I wanted… it was the potato cakes I knew my mom would make the next morning!
These days, I prefer sweet potatoes to regular potatoes. They’re loaded with beta-carotene and vitamin A, and I just love their taste.
That’s why I decided to recreate my mom’s recipe, but with a twist. Instead of potato cakes cooked in bacon fat, I made these delicious sweet potato cakes with ham!
There’s something about the combination of earthy sweet potato, smoky ham, spicy mustard, sweet dill, and the crisp texture that makes these patties so irresistible. They’re perfect alongside eggs for breakfast or with a big salad for lunch or dinner.
And when you make them, make sure to brace yourself for all of the compliments that will be heading your way. I speak from experience!
How to make sweet potato cakes with ham
Ready to see how these crispy potato cakes come together?
Step 1: In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes, then add the ham, scallions, mustard, dill, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Step 2: Add the egg and the ½ cup of panko, then mix until well-combined.
Step 3: Scoop out about a ¼ cup of the sweet potato mixture, shape it into a ball, flatten into a patty, and transfer to a baking sheet. If the mixture won’t hold together, return it to the bowl and add more panko, then try again.
Step 4: Repeat with the remaining mixture. You should end up with 8 patties.
Step 5: Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Step 6: Spread out the remaining panko on a small plate. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer, then press both sides of each patty into the panko.
Step 7: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then use a flat spatula to place 2 or 3 patties in the skillet.
Step 8: Pan-fry the patties until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
Step 9: Flip and cook until each patty is golden brown on the other side and heated through, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 10: Repeat with the remaining patties.
That’s it! You can enjoy your sweet potato and ham cakes with eggs, over a salad, or all on their own.
Are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes?
Sweet potatoes have received a lot of fanfare in recent years. They’re often considered healthier than your standard white potatoes.
In reality, each has its own nutritious advantages. Both varieties have roughly the same amount of calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, although sweet potatoes boast a higher amount of fiber per serving.
White potatoes contain more potassium, and both have the same amount of magnesium. Sweet potatoes, however, contain more vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and calcium than white potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are also a great source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can support your immune system and your vision.
Did you know that a healthy fat like olive oil helps your body absorb the beta-carotene in sweet potatoes? So these potato cakes cooked in olive oil are a great way to help your body put all that beta-carotene to good use!
Storage
Any kind of fried potato cake is going to be crispiest when fresh out of the pan. But leftovers will still be incredibly delicious later in the week!
Store extra potato cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them on a baking sheet, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I recommend reheating them in the oven or a skillet to help them re-crisp!
Other tasty sweet potato recipes
Sweet potatoes are a delicious way to get more vitamins and fiber into your diet! If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy this powerhouse ingredient, here are a few recipes I think you’ll enjoy:
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham
Ingredients
- 1½ cups sweet potatoes (cooked and cooled)
- 1 cup cooked ham (diced)
- 3 scallions (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 1¼ cups panko bread crumbs (divided)
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes, then add the ham, scallions, mustard, dill, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Add the egg and the ½ cup of panko, then mix until well-combined.
- Scoop out about a ¼ cup of the sweet potato mixture, shape it into a ball, flatten into a patty, and transfer to a baking sheet. If the mixture won’t hold together, return it to the bowl and add more panko, then try again.
- Repeat with remaining mixture. You should end up with 8 patties.
- Place the baking sheet in freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Spread out the remaining panko on a small plate. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer, then press both sides of each patty into the panko.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then use a flat spatula to place 2 or 3 patties in the skillet.
- Pan-fry the patties until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
- Flip and cook until each patty is golden brown on the other side and heated through, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat with the remaining patties.
It is absolutely delicious, but definitely not a 30 minute recipe a 45 minute recipe. It took my about 2 1/2 hours because I could NOT get them to crisp up. Ended up using both my air fryer and the oven. Do not try to pan fry them. It made them completely fall apart. They are good though