Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes (Gluten-Free)

Got some leftover sweet potato mash that you want to turn into another meal? Try your hand at these sweet potato pancakes. Brought to life with fresh chilli and lime juice, simply prepare the dough mix then fry them up for a delicious dish that's dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free.

If you don't already have leftovers, simply prepare the mashed sweet potato and allow to cool down and firm up in the fridge before using here. For a slightly different recipe using regular mashed potatoes, see these vegan potato pancakes.

Can you make pancakes from sweet potato?

You sure can. They have a different texture to what you'd expect from traditional pancakes, but they're delicious and a great way to use up any leftover mash. Also, since this is a vegan and gluten-free recipe, there's no egg, milk, or wheat flour involved as standard.

The mash

This recipe is based on leftovers from my recipe for sweet potato mash. There you'll find information about how to make mash with sweet potatoes, which often retain more moisture than regular potatoes so I don't add any liquid such as plant-based milk.

If you've followed that recipe and included lime juice, you may want to skip the additional lime in this recipe or just save it for serving.

What you'll need

Vegan sweet potato pancakes are nice and simple to make. You'll need:

• Leftover sweet potato mash from the fridge
• Gluten-free flour and baking powder to create the dough mix
• Fresh chilli for a nice kick
• Fresh lime juice to bring the pancakes to life

How to make vegan sweet potato pancakes

In a bowl, use a spoon or fork to loosen up the leftover sweet potato mash (1). Mix in the flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, chopped chilli, half of the lime juice, and a pinch each of salt and pepper (2).

Stir together until everything is combined (3). The dough should be soft and fairly dry, so add in a little more flour if it seems too wet.

Note 1: Since the mix contains chilli, you'll want to avoid touching your eyes and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the mix. You could also use gloves, or simply spoon the mix into the pan and try to shape it with the spoon.

Note 2: You can either shape all of the cakes before frying, or do it in batches as you go.

Wet your hands with water, then take a small amount of dough – approx. one eighth of the mix – and shape it into a round disc approx. ½ inch thick. Repeat until you've used up all the dough (I ended up with 8 pancakes, but this can easily vary).

Heat a wide, flat-based pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of plant-based butter or oil. Once hot, place 3-4 pancakes in the pan (depending on how much space you have).

Fry for a few minutes on both sides until golden and cooked through. Repeat until you've used up all your dough, adding as much extra cooking oil or plant-based butter to the pan as necessary for each new batch.

If you want to remove any excess oil, place the cooked pancakes on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Serve warm.

Serving suggestions

These pancakes taste great with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice. You could also serve with sliced spring onions, hot sauce, plant-based sour cream or crème fraîche, or include them in a larger cooked breakfast.

Variations and tips for sweet potato cakes

• Sticky hands: When shaping the discs, it helps to run your hands under running water or have a bowl of water nearby to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
• Mashed potatoes: If the mash has been made recently, allow it to cool down before making these pancakes.
• Chilli: You could replace the fresh chilli with approx. half a teaspoon of chilli powder.
• Lime juice: If you've followed my recipe for sweet potato mash and included lime juice there, you may want to skip the additional lime in this recipe or just save it for serving.
• Other flavours: You could try adding earthy flavours such as ground cumin, coriander, or ginger.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Mashed Potato Pancakes
• Eggy Scrambled Tofu
• Ultimate Vegan Haggis
• Vegan Haggis Toastie
• Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
• Cajun-Spiced Potato Wedges
• Vegan Haggis Quesadilla
• Breakfast Black Beans

You can also check out my full list of vegan sides.