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Sweet Potato Fritters with Smoky Pinto Beans

These easy sweet potato fritters have a crispy crust and a tender middle. The beans are flavored with smoked paprika, but sweet or hot would work well too. To give it a Mexican-inspired twist, use chili powder as the spice instead of the paprika.

Sweet Potato Fritters with Smoky Pinto Beans

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By: EatingWell Test Kitchen
Servings
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound)
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large poblano peppers or small green bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (see Note), divided
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ¾ cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

Here are your instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

  2. Prick sweet potato in several places with a fork. Microwave on High until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.) Set aside to cool.

  3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside ½ cup of the mixture. Add beans, ½ teaspoon paprika and ¼ teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Cover and set aside.

  4. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, the remaining ¾ teaspoon paprika and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Peel the sweet potato and mash in a large bowl with a fork. Stir in the reserved onion-pepper mixture, egg and water. Add the cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.

  5. Form the sweet potato mixture into eight 3-inch oval fritters, using a generous ¼ cup for each. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 4 fritters until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fritters and oil.

  6. Bake the fritters until puffed and firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve the fritters with the reserved bean mixture and lime wedges, if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Note: Look for smoked paprika in large supermarkets with other spices and at tienda.com.
  • Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.

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Nutrition information

  • Serving size: 2 fritters & ½ cup beans
  • Per serving: 380 calories; 14.0 g fat(2.0 g sat); 10.0 g fiber; 56.0 g carbohydrates; 10.0 g protein; 98.0 mcg folate; 46 mg cholesterol; 8.0 g sugars; 0.0 g added sugars; 13950.0 IU vitamin A; 64.0 mg vitamin C; 103.0 mg calcium; 3.0 mg iron; 746 mg sodium; 774.0 mg potassium
  • Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (279% daily value), Vitamin C (107% dv), Folate (24% dv)
  • Carbohydrate Servings:
  • Exchanges: 3½ starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 2 fat