Baked Sweet Potato Balls: A Festive Side Dish

These mashed sweet potatoes are formed into balls, rolled in a spicy egg white mixture, and then rolled in chopped pecans. They are a delicious make-ahead alternative to marshmallow, butter, and sugar-laden sweet potato casseroles.

8 servings

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1 10

Ingredients

2 pounds (907 g) sweet potatoes, fresh
6 tablespoons (90 g) water
½ teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper

Egg White Coating

2 large (66 g) egg whites
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups (250 g) finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, melted

Instructions

Peel and cut 2 pounds sweet potatoes, fresh into half-inch slices. Place them into a covered pot with 6 tablespoons water. Cook over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring until potatoes are soft. It usually takes 20-25 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool and dry for a few minutes. Mash with a fork or potato masher. (Do not use a mixer, food processor, or immersion blender as they will cause sweet potatoes to be too soft.)
Season with ½ teaspoon salt and dash cayenne pepper.
Preheat oven to 400˚ F (200˚C). Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with parchment paper, a silicone mat, or grease it well.
Mix 2 large egg whites, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with a fork until frothy. Add 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon cayenne. Mix well.
Spread 2 cups finely chopped pecans on a piece of wax paper or a plate.
Make sweet potato balls using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. I like balls between ⅛ to ¼ cup size. (Surgical gloves are really helpful here.) Drop balls one at a time into the egg white mixture with a slotted spoon making sure the whole ball gets coated. Then cover each ball with finely-chopped pecans.
Place on a prepared cookie sheet. Brush with 3 tablespoons butter, melted.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until nuts become toasty and balls are heated through.

Notes

Make-Ahead: If you want to peel the sweet potatoes ahead of time without them turning brown, immediately place peeled sweet potatoes into a bowl full of water to slow down the browning.
Prepare balls and bake them at your convenience. When cool, wrap sweet potato balls well and freeze them. Thaw and reheat in the oven before serving.
Note about the calorie count: The nutritional estimates on this recipe may be a little high because you will probably have a little bit of the egg mixture and butter left over after making the balls.