Sweet potato and garden herb fritters

Jun 19, 2025

On those days when you’re struggling to come up with ideas on what to make because it’s mid-week and you’re in between shopping, or end of week and trying to clear out "old" food before bringing in the fresh stuff…there’s something about cooking with what’s already in your kitchen or garden. Ransacking the kitchen and finding a combination of ingredients that can make a whole meal is the best feeling, since for some reason, it almost feels like shopping for free even though you know you grew it or paid for it. Maybe it’s because deep down we all know it might go to waste if we don’t get creative with it.

So of course, you always start with what you have… maybe a few sweet potatoes under the sink that need using, or in our case, dug up earlier that morning. A handful of fresh herbs that survived the goats. Some onions tucked in a basket near the kitchen door. And just from these few simple ingredients, you already have the beginnings of a really nice meal. With that, it’s just a little peeling, some chopping, a bit of mixing and some frying until you have something warm, crispy and good.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 1 egg

• 3 tablespoons flour (any kind you have)

• A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

• A small handful of chives or spring onion tops

• A pinch of salt

• Optional: a little chopped red chilli for heat

• Oil for frying

Method:

Grate the sweet potatoes and squeeze out any excess liquid using a clean cloth or paper towel. In a large bowl, mix the grated sweet potato with onion, garlic, egg, flour, herbs, salt and chilli if using. Stir until well combined (the mixture should hold together loosely).

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Scoop small handfuls of the mixture and flatten them gently into fritter shapes. Fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, (about 3–4 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

That’s it. Nothing complicated. Just what you might make on a quiet afternoon using what your cupboards and the garden offer you that day. And if you’re anything like most people, you’ll end up eating the first few straight from the pan before anyone else knows they’re ready.

Let us know if you try them. Or better yet, share your own version with whatever herbs or vegetables you have available to you. That’s the fun of recipes like this one. They leave room to play.