2015 Update! I shot a video for this recipe (for a private event), if you’d like to take a peek and see the steps in action!
Sweet potatoes and kale–they go together like peanut butter and jelly. At least you’d think so given the proliferation of recipes that use them together. Quesadillas and that sweet potato and greens (okay, it was chard, but still a sturdy green) gratin I made for Thanksgiving are just the start, continuing with salads, breakfast hash, and a multitude of one pot mish-mashes. They’re all delicious, bringing together sweet, starchy, and earthy flavors which only require a bit of basic seasoning to become a hearty, healthy meal. These cakes leverage that concept, combining a simple batter (with an easy gluten free option) with shreds of sweet potato, finely chopped green kale, and some onion and garlic for a warm, crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside pancake perfect for an appetizer, snack, brunch, lunch, or a breakfast for dinner spread. Serve them alone, with a side of thick cut bacon and fresh fruit for a morning meal, or with pulled pork, biscuits, and pickled red onions for a fun weekend dinner. And whatever you do, make sure you add a side of your favorite condiment: sriracha, sour cream, a quick creamy buffalo sauce, or tangy avocado dip or guac. The options are endless.
I first made a zucchini and russet potato version of these for a small crowd on St. Patrick’s Day, as we were about to head out at 11 AM for a day of celebrating my, um, non-Irish heritage. Seeing as this was back in the day (two years ago), when myself and most people I knew could tolerate more than three beers, or even a shot of whiskey before noon, we needed a solid breakfast to get us going. Accompanied by a side of stewed, spiced apples and, I think, some breakfast meat, these were the perfect satisfying thing to keep rolling off the griddle as friends all chowed down.
Even more exciting than these cakes, though, is my current location–I’m in Oklahoma! Shout out to you if you’re nearby. I’m in the OKC area, visiting for my sister’s bridal shower and, with the help of my parents who came down from Minneapolis, her move with her fiance into their first house! I have to say, I’m pretty jealous of the food photography potential with a couple of gigantic north-facing windows. It’s a little chaotic and a lot of fun, though, and we’ve pretty much been moving since I hit the ground yesterday around 3 PM. We’re about to head out for some tourist fun now, and tonight I’m likely going to make dinner. There have been some upset tummies around here, so I’m thinking I’ll keep it neutral but filling. I have Tori’s (coincidentally, also my sister’s name) quinoa and avocado tabbouleh on the brain, perhaps with roasted cauliflower and shrimp, plus a chickpea and cucumber salad. All things that don’t require a ton of dishes and utensils, seeing as we may not be able to locate every kitchen gadget in the mass of boxes sitting in the garage.
One final note on the cakes: when mixed and ready to fry, the batter will not look like it’s going to form cohesive cakes. Rather, you’ll expect it to break into its component kale and sweet potato chunks the minute it hits the pan, more stir fry than pancake. Don’t give up hope, though, you’ve got it right. Just keep the batter in a mound as it hits the pan, and it will begin to form a single, unified pancake. After a minute or two on the first side, press down with a spatula, and it will be ready to flip before you know it. I’ll add some process photos to help next time I make them.
Sweet Potato & Kale Veggie Cakes
- Yield: 4 entree servings 1x
Ingredients
- ¼ C panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free okay)
- ¼ C almond meal (preferably blanched)
- 2 T brown rice flour
- ½ T ground flaxseed
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t Kosher salt
- ¼ t ground black pepper
- 3 eggs
- ¾ C chopped onion (small chop; ½ medium onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 ½ C shredded sweet potato (1 small)
- 2 ½ C finely chopped green kale, stems discarded (about 1/3 of a bunch)
- 2 to 4 T canola oil
Instructions
- Whisk panko, almond meal, rice flour, flax, baking soda, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Add eggs and whisk until well combined. Stir in onion and garlic, then use hands or a wooden spoon to toss with sweet potato and kale, mixing very thoroughly. Each piece of kale and potato should be coated in “batter”, but the mixture may look loose, like it won’t form cakes (it will, don’t worry!)
- Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium and add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Use a muffin/ice cream scoop or measuring cup to scoop ¼ packed cup of the mixture and gently release it into the hot oil. After a minute, press cakes down with a spatula so they start to bind. A 10” skillet should hold 3 cakes at a time. After 4 minutes, when cakes are golden brown on one side and starting to hold together (the exposed side will still be a little loose), gently scoop and flip each cake with a spatula. Press down again and cook another 4 minutes, until golden to brown on the second side. Drain finished cakes on paper towels. To keep warm while cooking remaining cakes, place on a warm baking tray in a 175 degree oven.
- Category: Appetizer, Snack, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
- Cuisine: Meatless, Vegetarian, Gluten free option
Hi. What can I use in place of almond meal (nut allergies)?
Thanks!
You can actually sub an equal amount of additional panko, either gluten-free or regular. That will also make the recipe even more simple. Enjoy!
just use besan or besan and potato starch, or almond meal.
Do these freeze well?
Amy, they don’t freeze GREAT, but I have frozen them before and they were fine. Freeze fully cooked between wax paper in an airtight container. They’ll do best heated on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet in around a 300-325 degree oven. Low enough so as not to overcook the egg, high enough to re-crisp the outside a bit. I frequently store them a couple days in the fridge, and they are pretty good that way, too.
Just made these this morning and they are amazing! I have been trying to give up sugar and breakfast has been the hardest thing to find yummy easy substitutes for. I will definitely try freezing them so I can heat them up when I need a quick, healthy breakfast.
Awesome, so glad you liked them! I LOVE a savory breakfast. If you’re a fan of beans, my black bean soup recipe is great in the morning with some avocado or an egg on it, and it keeps really well in the fridge for the week. Just finished up a morning bowl of leftover chili over here :)
Are these good if you prepare the batter the night before and cook in the morning? Mornings are hard.
Mornings ARE hard. I’d actually recommend just preparing them in full the night before, then warming the already cooked cakes in the oven (or microwave, which won’t be as crispy). The batter tends to get watery as it sits and the veggies release liquid. However, if I remember correctly, I think I might have done that once and it still worked. Long story short, it’s worth a shot if necessary.
If the pictures didn’t work–and they totally got my salivary glands hopping–the recipe surely would. Looking forward to trying this. I especially want to see the “component chunks” coalesce into the fritter. I love when food surprises me!
Sharing as Recipe of the Day on Twitter and on my Facebook foodie page, Cooking with Whole Grains & Real Whole Foods.
Thanks for the share Kathryn! As much as I hate science-y things, I love seeing food things work in science-y sort of ways. These cakes definitely surprise.
Do you know the nutritional info for these?
Sorry Amy, I don’t. You may see nutrition labels on the blog coming soon, but if you’re on a specific program they may have a calculator of some sort you could use to figure it out. It depends on what your goals are, but since these are made up primarily of produce, I tend to enjoy a generous portion size.
Thanks!
How many does this recipe make?? I would love to make them but it is a crowd. Thanks.
Hi Susan–it makes about 12 “burger” sized cakes. I consider one entree portion to be 3 of the cakes. They’re also good as an appetizer made a little smaller. Hope that helps!
These are very good! I knew I liked the recipe and had a lot of fresh garden kale to use, so I doubled it. (also subbed ground cashews for the almond meal.) To avoid pan-cooking so many, I decided to put 1/4 cup scoops, slightly flattened, onto a baking sheet covered in parchment. Baked about 20 min. at 375 and that worked fine! It made a total of 28 cakes.
That’s awesome! Pan frying can be tedious for large batches–I’m definitely going to give your baking method a try when I make these next, and I may note it in the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.
Tessa, This looks delicious and I really want to try them. Is the sweet potato cooked or uncooked before you shred it? Since it doesn’t say I am assuming uncooked but just want to double check. Thanks!
It’s uncooked–because they’re shredded the pieces cook really quickly as you fry the cakes. Hope you like them!
Is it okay to substitute wheat flour for brown rice flour?
Hi Anna Marie–I’m not sure if the quantity will be the same, but I think generally it would work. You can probably find the conversion ratio online. Would love to hear how it works if you try it!
I just used panko and coconut flour as the ‘grain,’ and they were AMAZING. Thank you!
Thanks Claire–did you use the same quantities? Would love to try your substitution!
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Just made these! I tripled the recipe then didn’t have enough eggs, oops. So I subbed in extra flax flour and some broth. Then because I wanted to reduce the calories, I baked them pin parchment paper for 40 minutes at 425F.
They turned out pretty sturdy and flavorful. Whipped up a chipotle lime yogurt dip to go with them.