Cheesy Sweet Potatoes

These Cheesy Sweet Potatoes come together as irresistibly crisp cheesy sweet potato cakes that are golden on the outside and gloriously cheesy on the inside. Made with mashed sweet potatoes and plenty of melted cheese, they hit that sweet spot between comfort food and easy everyday cooking.

This recipe is a perfected take on an early favorite from our food blog days, upgraded with LOTS more cheese because a good sweet potato with cheese only gets better that way. Serve them with poached eggs, crispy bacon, or enjoy them straight from the pan. These sweet potato and cheese recipes are endlessly versatile and always a hit with the whole family.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

These Cheesy Sweet Potatoes work because the natural sweetness of the potato balances perfectly with rich, melty cheese, creating soft centers and crisp edges without needing complicated steps. Using mashed sweet potatoes also means the mixture holds together beautifully, making these cheesy sweet potato cakes easy to shape, pan-fry, and flip without falling apart.

What sets this apart from other sweet potato and cheese recipes is how versatile it is. This sweet potato with cheese can be served as a snack, side, or even breakfast, and it reheats well without losing that golden crust, which makes it ideal for busy days and family-friendly meals.

What Goes Into Cheesy Sweet Potatoes

These Cheesy Sweet Potatoes come together with simple, everyday ingredients that each play a clear role in texture and flavor.

• Sweet Potatoes: Mashed until smooth, they form the naturally sweet, sturdy base that holds the cakes together while keeping the centers soft.
• Mozzarella Cheese: This is where the magic happens. Mozzarella melts beautifully, giving that irresistible cheesy pull inside every bite.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan adds sharpness and depth, balancing the sweetness of the potatoes and boosting overall flavor.
• Bread Crumbs: Used both in the mixture and for coating, bread crumbs help bind everything while creating that golden, crispy exterior.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

1. Prep the Sweet Potatoes: Wash, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into quarters or six pieces, depending on size, so they cook evenly.

1. Cook Until Tender: Bake covered on a lined tray at 200C | 400F for 30 to 45 minutes until fork-tender, or boil in salted water until easily pierced, then drain well.

1. Mash Smooth: Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash until smooth with a potato masher while still warm.

1. Mix Filling: Add cheese, green onions, garlic, parsley, egg, and 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs to the sweet potatoes, then season.

1. Combine Thoroughly: Mash everything together until fully combined and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape.

1. Shape: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture and form patties about 1/2 inch thick, then coat evenly in remaining breadcrumbs.

1. Heat the Pan: Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan over low to medium heat until hot but not smoking.

1. Cook: Fry the patties for about 6 minutes per side, flipping carefully, until golden and crispy, adding more oil between batches.

These Cheesy Sweet Potatoes are especially good alongside something warm and comforting like Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup. The smooth, tangy soup balances the richness of the cheese and turns the sweet potato cakes into a cozy, satisfying meal without feeling too heavy.

If you want a lighter plate, pair them with Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan for a fresh, savory contrast.

Kitchen tip

• Make sure your sweet potatoes are well drained and mashed while still warm. We have rushed this step before and ended up with a mixture that was too soft, so taking a minute here saves frustration later when shaping the cakes.
• If the mixture feels sticky or hard to handle, pop it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. This is our go-to trick when things feel messy. Chilling firms everything up and makes forming the cheesy sweet potato cakes much easier.
• Keep the heat on the lower side when frying. We know it is tempting to turn it up to speed things along, but gentle heat gives the cheese time to melt while the outside turns golden and crisp instead of burning.
• Use a thin spatula and flip slowly. These cakes are meant to be soft in the middle, so a little patience goes a long way in keeping them intact.

Recipe FAQ's

This usually means there is too much moisture in the mashed sweet potatoes. Make sure they are well drained after cooking and mashed while warm. If the mixture still feels loose, chilling it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes helps it firm up before frying.

You can, but the texture will be different. Baking gives a softer exterior, while pan-frying creates the crisp crust these sweet potato and cheese recipes are known for. If baking, brush both sides lightly with oil and bake until golden, flipping halfway through.

The outside should be golden and crisp, and the cakes should feel set when gently pressed. Since everything inside is already cooked, you are mainly looking for melted cheese and a well-browned exterior.

What you need

• 4 cups sweet potatoes mashed, we used 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated
• 1/2 cup green onions scallions or green shallots, chopped
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs divided
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly parsley chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste

Method

1. OVEN BAKED: Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into quarters or 6 pieces, depending on how large they are (we do ours in 6 pieces). Arrange onto baking sheet; drizzle with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover baking sheet with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. (Baking time will depend on how large they have been cut.) Transfer cooked sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash well with a potato masher.
2. STOVE TOP: Fill a large 5 Quart (or 5 litre) pot with water and add about 1 tablespoon of salt. Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into quarters or 6 pieces, depending on size, and add them to the pot. Cook until easily pierced with a fork. Drain; transfer to a mixing bowl and mash well with a potato masher.
3. To the mashed sweet potatoes in the bowl, add the mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper, and mash all ingredients together well with a potato masher to combine.
4. Place remaining 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs onto a plate. Scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture into the palm of your hands and form into round patties about 1/2-inch thick. Dredge patties in the bread crumbs, evenly covering both sides, and set aside until ready to cook.
5. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized nonstick pan over low-medium heat. When oil is hot, add the patties in batches of 4 or 5, and cook for about 6 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy, using a small spatula to flip them carefully. Add more oil in between batches if needed.