Veggie-based dish? Check. Nutrient-dense? Check. Super delicious? Check!
I think you’ll love these sweet potato and corn fritters for all the above reasons.
Plus, for those of y’all with dietary restrictions, I want to call out that these are dairy-free, egg-free, wheat/gluten-free, and vegan. While I’m not vegan, I also do like to mix some plant-based meals into my routine – and this is one of those recipes that showcases how yummy a plant-based dish can be.
Note: This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in 2026. The recipe remains very similar to the original.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the fritters:
If you are gluten-free, note that cornmeal is sometimes subject to cross-contamination with other gluten-containing grains, so you may want to double check that whatever brand you choose is safe.
I like making a plant-based aquafaba aioli for this recipe, which uses these ingredients below:
A quick note on aquafaba: This is the key ingredient for the aioli, and it’s also one of my favorite little cooking secrets. Aquafaba is simply the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans. When blended with oil, it emulsifies into a creamy consistency – like a creamy dressing (but slightly thinner than mayo). Be sure to save the beans for another recipe. I highly recommend this chickpea cookie dough hummus or vegetarian buffalo dip if you’re using canned chickpeas. If you’re using the liquid from a can of white beans, save those for marry me sweet potatoes and white beans or these butter bean blondies.
That said – you can also simply skip the aquafaba aioli and use whatever similar store-bought condiment you’d like on here!
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with tips.
Start by poking a few holes in your sweet potatoes and microwaving them until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Let them cool slightly while you prep the aioli.
For the aioli, add the chickpea liquid, mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt to a tall cup or jar and blend with an immersion blender. Then (this is key!) drizzle the oil in slowly while continuing to blend with the immersion blender. This helps emulsify it into a creamy dressing-like texture. Once blended, go ahead and stir in the cilantro and pop it in the fridge while you make the fritters.
Now if you don’t have an immersion blender, that’s fine – you can use a blender cup and just mix everything together. Just note that it might not achieve the same thicker texture. It will still taste great though!
Next, scoop the sweet potato flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash it up, then add the corn, green onions, cilantro, cornmeal, almond milk, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and stir everything together until combined.
It should look like this, but you’ll have much more in the bowl because I forgot to take this picture until I was halfway through cooking the fritters – haha. 🙂
Form the mixture into eight patties, each about 3 inches wide. If the mixture seems too dry or crumbly to hold together, add another tablespoon of almond milk, stir, and then try forming the patties again.
Heat half of the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook four fritters at a time for about 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown, then put ‘em on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.
Repeat again with the second batch of oil and fritters.
Once they’re done you can top ‘em with the aioli at serving and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Storage: Leftover fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave, but note that they won’t retain any crispness on the exterior. If you want to revitalize that crispness, reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in an air fryer. Store the aioli separately in a small jar and add it when serving.
Make it spicier: The cayenne in the fritters adds just a hint of warmth – necessary for my child who has randomly decided he doesn’t like spicy food anymore. 😉 If you love spice, feel free to up the cayenne considerably.
Aioli alternatives: If you’d rather skip making the aioli from scratch, you can use a store-bought mayo (vegan if necessary) mixed with minced garlic and cilantro as a shortcut. It’s not quite the same, but it does the job. Another alternative is to mix mayo with sriracha for a little heat; so yummy. If you eat dairy ingredients, this chipotle greek yogurt sauce is another great topping.
Serving suggestions: You can serve these as a main course or as a side dish. If serving as a main (and you want to stay full plant-based), I recommend 2-3 fritters per person and serving these with a higher-protein side, like marinated beans or an edamame and avocado salad. If you’re not worried about the protein content, any roasted veggie also makes a nice side option! If you’re not plant-based, you could do these 1-2 of these fritters as a side for grilled chicken or fish.
Nutrition Benefits
As a dietitian, here’s what I love about this recipe:
- Complex carbohydrates for fuel: Sweet potatoes and corn are both excellent sources of complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy. This is key for athletes looking to fuel their workouts!
- Good source of several vitamins: This includes Vitamin A, C, E, and K.
- Flexible for many dietary limitations: If you’re having guests over that have certain dietary requirements or preferences, this recipe can knock out quite a few of those since it’s dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free. Keep in mind if you’re serving someone with celiac, it does require extra caution around kitchen sanitation, pan use, etc – so double check if the person you’re cooking for has any thoughts.
More Vegetable-Packed Recipes
If you loved these fritters, here are a few more veggie-forward recipes you might enjoy. Note that not all of these are vegan, so if that’s a concern, just skip on over those ones!
- Rainbow roasted vegetable pinwheels
- Tuna potato salad with tomatoes and spinach
- Butternut squash and quinoa chili
- Vegan veggie, lentil, and quinoa power bowl
- Strawberry beet salad
I hope you enjoy these sweet potato and corn fritters! If you get a chance to try them, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Sweet Potato and Corn Fritters
Ingredients
For the fritters:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 medium ears of fresh corn (corn removed from the cob)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons almond milk (or any milk; may need slightly more; see instructions)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne (or more if you like spice)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided (for pan frying)
For the aquafaba aioli (optional):
- ¼ cup aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans)
- 2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
Instructions
- Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork and place them on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 5-8 minutes, until tender throughout. Let cool for a few minutes.
- While sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the aquafaba aioli. Place the liquid from the canned chickpeas, mustard, vinegar, garlic, and salt in a large cup that will fit the stick of an immersion blender. Use the immersion blender to blend, then add the oil at a trickling pace while continuing to blend. When done, it should form a creamy dressing-like consistency (but thinner than mayo). Stir in cilantro and set aside in the fridge for now.
- Place the flesh of the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl, and mash well (discard the skins). Add the corn, green onions, cilantro, cornmeal, almond milk, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Stir until well combined.
- Form eight fritter patties; each should be about 3 inches wide. If the mixture seems too dry or crumbly, add another tablespoon of almond milk, stir again, and then form patties.
- Heat half of the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add four fritter patties to the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown on each side. Remove and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate (to absorb excess oil). Place remaining oil in the pan and cook the remaining fritters.
- Top the fritters with the aquafaba aioli right before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, just place the aioli ingredients in a blender cup and use a regular blender. Sometimes it doesn’t thicken up quite as well but it’ll still taste great.
- Feel free to use any milk alternative that you have on hand; I just use almond milk because it’s always in my fridge.
- As an alternative to making the aioli, you can also use a vegan mayo mixed with some garlic and cilantro, or you can alternatively use vegan mayo plus sriracha for a little heat.
- If you are gluten-free, note that cornmeal is sometimes subject to cross-contamination with other gluten-containing grains, so you may want to double check that whatever brand you choose is safe.
- The aquafaba aioli makes about a cup if properly blended and thickened (it may be more like ¾ cup if just tossed in a blender cup instead of done via the drizzling method). I typically recommend about 1 tablespoon per fritter, so you’ll have extra to use after. (It’s hard to blend a half batch, hence the amounts listed here).
Nutrition
Share with me: What’s your favorite way to use your summer corn? If you tried this recipe, what did you think?!
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This looks so good, Chrissy! I haven’t had potato fritters in such a long time. Reminds me of my childhood. 🙂 Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Sina I hope you try them out and enjoy them. It’s definitely a different texture than what I think of as traditional potato pancakes (you know, where you shred the potatoes in) but these are so yummy! If you test them out, be sure to come back and tell me how you liked them.