• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • Contact
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!

Diabetic Foodie

Because a diabetes diagnosis a diabetes diagnosis still means a life full of flavor!

  • Home
  • About
    • Meet The Team
    • Food Philosophy
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Main Dishes
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Meats
      • Poultry
      • Vegetarian
    • Pasta & Grains
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Seasonal
      • Fall
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Winter
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups & Stews
  • Special Diets
    • Gluten-free
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
Home » Main Dishes » Meats » Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham

Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham

Posted by: Diabetic Foodie / Meats / March 28, 2016

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham on a bed of lettuce on a white serving platter

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!

A single sweet potato cake on a serving plate

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:

  • Baked Sweet Potato Parsnip Latkes
  • Sweet Potato Bean Dip
  • Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potato

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!

Recipe Card
Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham on a bed of lettuce on a white serving platter
4.50 from 2 votes

Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham

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.
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Author:Diabetic Foodie
Servings:8
Review Print

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
US Customary – Metric

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.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 8 servings.
If the mixture won’t hold together when you’re forming the patties, return to the bowl and add more panko bread crumbs.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Cakes with Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 patty)
Calories 248 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 512mg22%
Potassium 67mg2%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Net carbs 16g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic
Keyword: easy lunch recipes, sweet potato cakes
Did you make this recipe?Click here to leave a comment & star rating!

Related Posts

  • Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potato
    Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potato

    In our healthy eating guidelines for 2016, the CompostMaster and I decided we wanted to…

  • Sweet Potato Bean Dip in a wood bowl on a wood serving platter with carrot and celery sticks
    Sweet Potato Bean Dip

    Looking for a dip recipe that tastes delicious and isn't terrible for you? This sweet…

  • Sweet Potato Hash
    Sweet Potato Hash

    This delicious sweet potato hash is so easy to make. Cook the potatoes in the…

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. B says

    November 4, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    4 stars
    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

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

If you have diabetes, cook for someone who has diabetes or just want to eat healthy, you're in the right place. We firmly believe that a diabetes diagnosis can still mean a life full of flavor!

Read More »

Browse Around

  • Breakfast
  • Appetizers & Snacks
  • Main Dishes
  • Side Dishes
  • Salads & Dressings
  • Soups & Stews

    Footer

    Gluten Free

    Vegetarian chipotle chili in a white bowl on a wooden serving tray with a second bowl and blue checkered napkin in background

    Vegetarian Chipotle Chili (Slow Cooker)

    Two filets of baked salmon in tomato sauce on a white plate next to two lemon wedges

    Salmon in Tomato Sauce

    Low sodium no bean chili in a white bowl topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onion, as seen from above

    Low Sodium No Bean Chili

    Vegan

    Curried Black-Eyed Peas

    Curried Black-Eyed Peas

    Almond Truffles (Vegan, Gluten-free)

    Skinny Vanilla Almond Latte

    Skinny Vanilla Almond Latte (Dairy-free)

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that we are not nutrition experts or medical professionals. Nutritional information included with each recipe on this site was estimated by using an online nutrition calculator. If accurate nutritional information is critical to your health and well-being, please independently perform the calculations yourself. No information presented on this site is a substitute for the services of a trained health professional.
    Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!
    • Terms of Use Agreement
    • Disclosures
    • Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 2023 Diabetic Foodie and the Diabetic Foodie logo are registered trademarks. All rights reserved.