24 Sweet Potato Recipes That Make Breakfast Way More Interesting

Whether they're mashed with butter, tossed into a stew, or transformed into crispy fries, sweet potatoes are a hearty and nutritious addition to any homecooked meal. These vibrant veggies are packed with natural sweetness and earthy flavor, which makes them an excellent accompaniment to an array of other sweet and savory ingredients. And, while they're a dinnertime staple for many, sweet potatoes often get overlooked at the breakfast table.

From crispy fritters and comforting casseroles to fluffy quick breads, there are plenty of delicious breakfast recipes that give sweet potato the spotlight. As well as adding sustenance and texture to these dishes, sweet potatoes also bring a welcomed dose of fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals, so they make for an incredibly wholesome start to the day. If your morning routine is in need of a flavorful shake-up, you're in the right place, because these sweet-potato-powered breakfasts beat plain old toast or oatmeal any day.

This hearty, veggie-packed casserole is the perfect meal prep breakfast. It's full of protein and nutrients to help you start your day off right. The peeled and sliced sweet potato is roasted along with Brussels sprouts, before the vegetables are layered in a baking dish with sweet, caramelized onions. With goat cheese dotted on top, the casserole is sealed with a milk-egg mixture. After it's baked, you'll get a golden colored top that creates a frittata-like finish.

Recipe: Sweet Potato And Brussels Sprouts Breakfast Casserole

Turn leftover brisket into a show-stopping breakfast with this vibrant hash recipe. It starts with diced sweet potatoes and russet potatoes that are sauteed in flavorful duck fat, along with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and a medley of fragrant herbs and spices. The whole dish is elevated with tangy diced tomatoes and completed with tender brisket meat, which makes the veggie base even more satisfying. For a striking finish, eggs are nestled and cooked in the hash. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot sauce if you like some heat.

Recipe: Sweet Potato And Brisket Hash

For a breakfast with a fiery Mexican-inspired kick, try pairing cubed sweet potatoes with spicy pan-seared steak. In this flavor-packed recipe, we blitz up softened guajillo chiles with garlic, lime juice, and cilantro to create a punchy and smoky marinade for the sliced steak. This hearty hash is assembled with marinated meat, fried potatoes, onion, and corn, and it's perfect for pairing with creamy avocado and sunny side up eggs. Feel free to use less expensive steak for this recipe.

Recipe: Guajillo Steak And Sweet Potato Hash

Waffles might be a staple on your weekend brunch menu, but have you ever tried making them with sweet potato? Mixing mashed sweet potato into your waffle batter is a fantastic way to add color, flavor, and nutrients, bringing a subtly sweet, earthy taste that isn't too overpowering. This approach yields a batch of waffles that are versatile enough to pair with a variety of sweet and savory toppings, from fresh fruits and whipped cream to eggs, bacon, and avocado.

Recipe: Sweet And Savory Sweet Potato Waffles

Sweet potato is totally underrated as a smoothie add-in, and this recipe sees it blitzed up with a medley of sweet, creamy, and spicy ingredients. Greek yogurt provides plenty of creaminess, Medjool dates add a wonderfully caramelized flavor, and cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves give the mixture an irresistible warmth. The resulting smoothie is the perfect autumnal breakfast or snack that feels a little pumpkin spice-esque. We use frozen sweet potato cubes here, but you could absolutely sub in leftover cooked potatoes if preferred.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Smoothie

A classic way to prepare sweet potatoes is baking them until crisp on the outside and gloriously fluffy in the middle. And, baked sweet potatoes aren't just for dinnertime. They also serve as a delicious foundation for a satisfying breakfast. Once poked with a fork, rubbed with oil, salt, and pepper, and air-fried until tender, the potatoes can be halved and topped with some complementary extras of your choice. Think eggs, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, or avocado. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes

While this colorful breakfast hash calls for regular potatoes, sweet potatoes would make a fantastic substitution, being a fitting match for the sweet poblano peppers and warming spices. Whipped up in one pan, the dish packs comforting textures and bold, Mexican-inspired flavors. Diced jalapeños bring just the right amount of heat, and black beans amp up the protein content. A quick homemade pico de gallo also serves as the perfect fresh, tangy topping.

Recipe: Poblano Potato Breakfast Hash

Sweet potatoes make an incredible addition to a frittata, especially when combined with aromatic leeks and leafy greens. This one-skillet creation has a delightfully rustic feel, and it's vegetarian-friendly too. Once the veggies have been sauteed, you'll pour over a rosemary-infused mixture of beaten eggs and crumbled feta cheese, before baking everything in the oven until the edges are browned. This one is amazing served warm with some salad or fresh fruit on the side.

Recipe: Sweet Potato, Leeks, And Greens Frittata

To jazz up a basic cornbread recipe, consider throwing in some sweet potato. Not only does this give the bread a gorgeous orange hue, but it also adds an extra hint of sweetness, making it feel a little more breakfast appropriate. Step one is boiling and mashing the potatoes, before mixing them up with eggs, sour cream, cornmeal, and cinnamon. The batter is baked until fluffy, risen, and golden on top. Enjoy while it's still warm with a generous swipe of butter and mug of hot coffee.

Recipe: Honey Sweet Potato Cornbread

They might seem like an unlikely addition to banana bread, but leftover mashed potatoes are sure to enhance a homemade loaf. The signature earthiness of sweet potatoes fits in alongside the sweet banana beautifully, making everything feel a touch more elegant. This recipe includes sour cream for added moisture, and the combination of maple syrup and chopped pecans complements potatoes especially well. Try spreading a slice with cream cheese and drizzling over some honey for an irresistible morning treat.

Recipe: Fluffy Sweet Potato Banana Bread

This quick bread makes sweet potato the star, and it's super easy to customize with extra mix-ins like dried fruits and nuts. Brimming with sweet, cozy flavors like molasses, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg, it has an undeniably festive feel to it. There's no need to boil and mash the potatoes beforehand. Just peel and grate them before tossing them into the batter. A sprinkling of turbinado sugar is the perfect finishing touch pre-baking, giving each slice a gorgeous crunchy top.

Recipe: Spiced Sweet Potato Bread

This fluffy savory loaf is jam-packed with all of your Thanksgiving favorites. Each slice is studded with colorful morsels of roasted sweet potato, green beans, dried cranberries, and turkey sausage, giving it plenty of visual appeal. The batter is also enhanced with the rich, nutty taste of Gruyère cheese, plus the aromatic depth of thyme, sage, and sauteed onions. This makes the bread a well-rounded standalone breakfast option, but it's equally great served with eggs or fruit.

Recipe: Thanksgiving-In-A-Loaf Bread

It's always tempting to lean into the convenience of store-bought tater tots, but this homemade, sweet potato version of these beloved crispy bites is a must-try. It's a simple case of blitzing up cooked sweet potato with egg, cornstarch, and seasonings, and shaping the mixture into cylinders. Each is then rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until perfectly fluffy-crisp. To enjoy them brunch-style, try loading the tater tots with a hearty sausage gravy and fried eggs. This makes an excellent shareable centerpiece if you're feeding a crowd.

Recipe: The Best Sweet Potato Tater Tots

An elegant addition to any breakfast table, this sweet potato and crispy kale frittata is loaded with wholesome ingredients. To the cheesy egg base, you'll add caramelized onions and garlicky, herby cubes of roasted sweet potato. The kale gets rubbed with oil and salt and scattered on top, and the leaves crisp up beautifully as everything bakes in the oven. For some contrasting crunch and extra touch of sophistication, scatter over some toasted pine nuts before serving.

Recipe: Sweet Potato And Crispy Kale Frittata

Hash browns are the ultimate satisfying breakfast dish, and you could easily swap white potatoes for the sweet variety in this easy 30 minute recipe. Here, we fry strips of bacon and cook the other ingredients in the reserved fat, which gives everything a mouth-watering smoky richness. The potatoes are sauteed until tender and seasoned with paprika, before diced bell pepper, onion, and garlic are thrown into the mix. Scatter chopped bacon on top, and you've got a warm, savory skillet breakfast that'll keep you feeling fueled all morning.

Recipe: Bacon Fat Hash Browns

There's something rather fun about whipping up a batch of hand pies, and a tender sweet potato filling makes an excellent contrast to the crisp, flaky pastry. The filling is made with mashed potatoes that are combined with garlicky sauteed shallots, milk, egg, and shredded Gruyère, creating heaps of savory depth. This smooth and luscious center is an ideal partner with crispy shell that puffs up in the oven. Prepped in advance, these make a brilliant grab-and-go breakfast.

Recipe: Puffy Savory Sweet Potato Hand Pies

A fitting choice for a cozy fall morning, these sweet potato latkes get a creative upgrade thanks to sage and apple. This trio of autumnal flavors work amazingly well together, creating tender-crisp latkes that taste especially wonderful topped with a dollop of sour cream. Matzo meal and egg bring the grated potato and apple together into a cohesive batter, and dollops are simply fried in hot oil until golden brown. You could even go all out and garnish your stack with some crispy fried sage leaves.

Recipe: Sage And Apple Sweet Potato Latkes

Bring some bold, Indian-inspired flavor to your breakfast with these crunchy croquettes. Made with sweet potato and boiled red lentils, they're completely meat-free, and bursting with spicy warmth thanks to garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder. Each carefully crafted patty is coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried, for a gorgeous crispy finish. Also, homemade cilantro-yogurt chutney makes the ultimate flavor pairing. These would be great with a side of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.

Recipe: Masala Lentil And Sweet Potato Croquettes

Tender, caramelized veggies and crisp, flaky pastry are an exceptional pairing, and this rustic recipe marries the two elements in the most delicious way. The method is rather nifty, with the pastries essentially baked upside-down. Pie crust slices are draped on top of each stack of sauteed onion, sweet potato, and shredded Gruyère before baking, ensuring there are no soggy bottoms in sight. Just flip the pastries to serve, topping each with a generous helping of the accompanying zesty Brussels sprout salad.

Recipe: Caramelized Sweet Potato And Brussels Sprouts Pastry

When you need a breakfast that's both fuss-free and crowd-pleasing, a casserole is always a winner, and this one never fails to impress. Creamy mashed sweet potatoes form the base, and once spread into a baking dish, they're sprinkled with a layer of rich shredded Gruyère cheese. Chopped, cooked bacon is the final element, scattered over in an even layer. The freshly baked casserole is gloriously melty and gooey, and it's sure to disappear fast at any brunch table.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole With Bacon

Scrambled eggs are great, but they're even better when enhanced with a medley of vibrant veggies. The approach here is to cook everything in one pan, starting with caramelized onions that are combined with diced sweet potato, broccoli, and kale. Once these elements are tender and caramelized, beaten eggs join the party, becoming gently scrambled as you stir everything together. Of course, the skillet simply wouldn't be complete without a final scattering of creamy crumbled feta.

Recipe: Hearty Winter Vegetable Egg Scramble

Give traditional Irish potato cakes a sweet and earthy twist by switching out regular white tubers for orange-hued sweet potatoes. This is the perfect way to use up any leftover potatoes, and you'll only need a handful of other pantry staples – flour, salt, pepper, egg, and chives — to transform them into these soft fluffy patties that get fried in butter until they brown and attain nice crisp on both sides. Whichever version you decide to make, these potato cakes would be particularly special topped with smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Recipe: Irish Potato Cakes

Another delightfully wholesome approach to breakfast, this convenient yet undeniably impressive-looking dish comes together in one skillet. Tender sauteed onion and red pepper get a savory flavor boost from garlic and smoked paprika, then we add the all-important cubed sweet potato. Kale brings striking pops of green, and eggs are baked snugly within the veggie mixture, bringing a satisfying dose of protein and rich, yolky goodness.

Recipe: Kale And Sweet Potato Hash

These versatile oven-baked fritters will fit seamlessly into your breakfast spread and prepping them is super simple as you can do the whole prep in just 10 minutes. The patties combine sweet potatoes with eggs, flour, cornstarch, and seasonings, and the trick is to spritz each fritter with cooking spray, so they develop a crisp outer layer as they bake. Ideally, you want the center to remain soft and tender. Serve them with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream, perhaps with a side of crispy bacon, poached eggs, and grilled tomatoes.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Fritters

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