Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Tots with Jalapeño Garlic Ranch Dipping Sauce

Packed with fiber and vitamins, sweet potatoes are a versatile and cheap component to a healthy, well-balanced diet. That being said, there is no question that the most popular way to enjoy this root vegetable is to deep fry it in tot form and serve it with greasy ranch sauce. 

In this healthy spin-off of sweet potato tots, we’ve switched out the deep fryer for an oven and whipped up an easy jalapeno ranch made with Greek yogurt, low fat buttermilk, and fresh herbs. Nutty almond flour and panko crumbs create a warm, crispy shell around a sweet and smooth interior, mimicking a classic fried tater tot.

Whether it’s a party appetizer, fun snack, or a salty craving that you just can’t ignore, these tots are kid-friendly and seriously addicting. Double the batch and freeze half so you can defrost these in a pinch for a comforting, quick on-the-go snack.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Tots:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 egg whites
• Cooking spray

Jalapeño Garlic Ranch Sauce: 

• 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork several times. Bake sweet potatoes on baking sheet lined with foil until soft, about 45-55 minutes. Let cool.
3. Remove skin from sweet potatoes and combine flesh with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let the mixture sit in fridge for 10-15 minutes.
5. In a bowl, combine almond meal, panko, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, crack egg whites.
6. Roll about 1 tablespoon sweet potato mixture into a tot shape, douse in egg white mixture, and roll in breading mixture. Place on an oiled baking.
7. Once all tots are on baking sheet, spray tots with cooking spray in order to achieve even browning.
8. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes or until they've reached desired crispiness, flipping tots halfway through.
9. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 (serving size: about 15 tots)
CALORIES 235; FAT 6.8g (sat 1.1g, mono .03g, poly .09g); PROTEIN 10g; CARB 35g; FIBER 4g; SUGARS 9g; CHOL 15mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 614mg; CALC 90mg