10 Leftover Sweet Potato Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Snacks

Leftover sweet potatoes are one of the most useful ingredients because their soft, sweet interior works in waffles, soups, and cakes, and their edges crisp up quickly in a hot pan. They bring natural moisture and color, so you can use less sugar and fat. The recipes below take that same foundation in different directions, from airy breakfasts to deeply spiced dinners.

Start with the waffles for the most classic route. Go for the tacos when you’re craving heat, the gnocchi if you have a little time, and the oat muffins when you’re meal prepping. There is also a breakfast hash that makes leftovers feel new again.

Which Leftover Sweet Potato Recipes Should You Make?

Sweet Potato Waffles

This is the one I make on slow weekend mornings. The leftover sweet potato keeps the center tender while the outside gets deeply crisp, and your waffle iron does all the hard work.

Ingredients (makes 6 waffles)

• Leftover cooked sweet potato, mashed: 300 g (1 1/4 cups)
• All-purpose flour: 180 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Baking powder: 2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Large eggs: 2
• Unsalted butter, melted: 60 g (1/4 cup)
• Maple syrup: 2 tbsp
• Butter or neutral oil, for the waffle iron: as needed

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your waffle iron on medium-high and whisk the 180 g (1 1/2 cups) flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. You want the leavening evenly distributed before the wet ingredients go in.

Step 2: Whisk the 300 g (1 1/4 cups) mashed sweet potato, 240 ml (1 cup) milk, 2 eggs, 60 g (1/4 cup) melted butter, and 2 tbsp maple syrup in a second bowl until smooth and no streaks of orange remain. You should still see tiny flecks of sweet potato, which is fine.

Step 3: Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. A few small lumps are good here, so you stop folding the moment the flour disappears.

Step 4: Grease the hot waffle iron with a little butter or oil. Ladle about 120 ml (1/2 cup) of batter onto the center, close the lid, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until steam slows and the waffle is deep golden. You can lift an edge to check before pulling it out.

Step 5: Serve the waffles hot with extra maple syrup, yogurt, or toasted pecans, and you will not need any extra butter.

Silky Sweet Potato Soup

You can have this soup on the table in about 30 minutes, which makes it the one I go to on busy weeknights. The sweet potato blends into the coconut milk, so it feels rich without any cream.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1 medium, about 180 g
• Carrots, peeled and chopped: 2 medium, about 160 g
• Garlic cloves and fresh ginger, minced: 3 cloves and 1 tbsp
• Leftover cooked sweet potato, chopped: 600 g (4 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 960 ml (4 cups)
• Coconut milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add the chopped onion and carrots and cook for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until you see the onion turn soft and translucent around the edges.

Step 2: Stir in the 3 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp ginger along with the 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 30 seconds, just until you smell the garlic and ginger rise from the pot.

Step 3: Add the 600 g (4 cups) chopped sweet potato and 960 ml (4 cups) vegetable stock to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until you can mash a carrot piece against the side of the pot with a spoon.

Step 4: Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup until completely smooth, either with an immersion blender or in batches in a stand blender. Stir in the 240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk and 1 tbsp lime juice, then taste and add more salt if you think it needs it.

Step 5: Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with a spoonful of coconut milk, a pinch of cracked pepper, or toasted pumpkin seeds. You can also add a squeeze of fresh lime right before eating.

Spicy Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

These tacos are built for a weeknight when you want something fast and loud. The sweet potato gets a smoky crust in the pan, and the beans make them filling enough that no one asks for a side.

Ingredients (makes 8 tacos)

• Olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Red onion and garlic, diced: 1 small onion and 2 cloves
• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, diced: 400 g (3 cups)
• Canned black beans, drained and rinsed: 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Chipotle chili powder: 1/2 tsp
• Corn tortillas: 8
• Lime juice: 1 tbsp
• Fine salt: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Warm the 8 corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds per side, then wrap them in a clean towel so they stay soft. You can do this while the filling cooks.

Step 2: Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the diced red onion and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until you see the onion turn glossy and lightly browned at the edges.

Step 3: Add the 400 g (3 cups) diced sweet potato, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Press the potatoes into a single layer and leave them alone for 5 minutes so you get a deep golden crust on one side.

Step 4: Stir in the drained black beans and 1 tbsp lime juice. Use the back of your spoon to gently mash a few of the beans and sweet potato pieces, which thickens the filling and helps it cling to the tortillas.

Step 5: Spoon the filling into the warm tortillas and top each taco with whatever you like, such as sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, or a spoonful of yogurt.

Brown Butter Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This is the weekend project that pays you back in tender little dumplings. Leftover sweet potato keeps the dough soft, and browning the butter with sage turns a simple skillet into a sauce.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, riced or mashed: 450 g (2 cups)
• Large egg yolk: 1
• Whole milk ricotta, drained: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• All-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling: 180 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Fine salt: 1 tsp
• Unsalted butter: 80 g (6 tbsp)
• Fresh sage leaves: 12
• Grated Parmesan: 30 g (1/3 cup)
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Press the 450 g (2 cups) sweet potato through a ricer or mash it very well in a large bowl, then work in the 1 egg yolk, 120 g (1/2 cup) ricotta, and 1 tsp salt until you have a smooth orange mound.

Step 2: Add the 180 g (1 1/2 cups) flour in two additions, folding with your hands after each one. Stop as soon as the dough comes together into a soft, slightly tacky ball, because overworking it will make the gnocchi tough.

Step 3: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thick, and you can cut it into 2 cm (3/4 in) pieces with a sharp knife or bench scraper.

Step 4: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in about a third of the gnocchi and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they bob to the surface, then lift them out with a slotted spoon so you can repeat with the rest.

Step 5: Heat the 80 g (6 tbsp) butter in a wide skillet over medium. Add the 12 sage leaves and let the butter foam and turn nutty brown, about 3 minutes, then add the boiled gnocchi in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes without stirring so you get a crisp bottom.

Step 6: Toss the gnocchi in the brown butter, then serve them hot with the 30 g (1/3 cup) Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. You can finish with an extra pinch of flaky salt.

Skillet Sweet Potato Cornbread

This cornbread bakes in a screaming hot skillet, so the bottom and edges get a caramelized crust while the center stays soft. It is the side I bring out for chili night or a big pot of beans.

Ingredients (makes 8 wedges)

• Unsalted butter: 80 g (6 tbsp)
• Cornmeal: 170 g (1 cup)
• All-purpose flour: 120 g (1 cup)
• Brown sugar: 50 g (1/4 cup)
• Baking powder: 1 tbsp
• Baking soda: 1/4 tsp
• Fine salt: 1/2 tsp
• Large eggs: 2
• Buttermilk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Leftover cooked sweet potato, mashed: 200 g (3/4 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Put the 80 g (6 tbsp) butter in a 25 cm (10 in) cast iron skillet and place the skillet in the oven while you heat it to 220C (425F). You want the butter melted and the skillet very hot before the batter goes in.

Step 2: Whisk the 170 g (1 cup) cornmeal, 120 g (1 cup) flour, 50 g (1/4 cup) brown sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. A few quick turns of your whisk will do the job.

Step 3: Beat the 2 eggs, 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk, and 200 g (3/4 cup) mashed sweet potato in a second bowl until no large orange clumps remain. You should have a thick, pourable batter.

Step 4: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold with a spatula until you no longer see dry streaks of flour. Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet with the melted butter, and do not worry if it sizzles around the edges.

Step 5: Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the skillet sit for 5 minutes, then slice into 8 wedges and serve warm with a pat of butter or a drizzle of honey, and you will hear the crust crackle as you cut.

Crispy Sweet Potato Turkey Hash

This is the breakfast that uses up a whole container of leftover sweet potatoes and turns them into a crunchy, savory skillet dinner. You only need one pan, and the eggs cook right in the hash.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 medium
• Red bell pepper, diced: 1 medium
• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, diced: 500 g (4 cups)
• Cooked turkey breast or ground turkey, chopped: 300 g (2 cups)
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Fine salt: 3/4 tsp
• Large eggs: 4
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until you see the onion soften and the pepper lose its raw crunch.

Step 2: Add the 500 g (4 cups) diced sweet potato and 300 g (2 cups) turkey to the skillet, then press everything into an even layer with your spatula. Leave it untouched for 6 to 7 minutes so the bottom gets brown and crisp, and you will hear a faint sizzle as the sugars in the potato caramelize.

Step 3: Sprinkle the 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 3/4 tsp salt over the hash, then turn the mixture in large sections. Press down again and cook for another 5 minutes, until you have deep golden bits mixed with soft, tender sweet potato.

Step 4: Make 4 shallow wells in the hash with the back of your ladle and crack a large egg into each one. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks still shake when you nudge the pan. Serve the hash straight from the skillet with the 2 tbsp parsley scattered on top.

Coconut Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

This curry leans on pantry staples and leftover sweet potatoes to make a rich, warming dinner with very little chopping. I keep the spice level gentle, but you can raise it with fresh chiles if that is your thing.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Coconut oil or olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves and fresh ginger, finely grated: 3 cloves and 1 tbsp
• Curry powder: 2 tbsp
• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, chopped: 500 g (4 cups)
• Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed: 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can
• Canned diced tomatoes: 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can
• Coconut milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Baby spinach: 100 g (4 cups)
• Fine salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add the sliced onion and cook for 6 minutes, stirring every so often, until you see the strands soften and pick up a little color at the edges.

Step 2: Stir in the 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp ginger with the 2 tbsp curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds, until the spice paste smells toasted and you have a thick, fragrant base.

Step 3: Add the 500 g (4 cups) sweet potato, the drained chickpeas, the can of diced tomatoes with their juices, 240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk, and 1 tsp salt. Raise the heat until the liquid bubbles gently, then lower it and simmer for 15 minutes so you can see the sweet potato pieces deepen in color.

Step 4: Fold in the 100 g (4 cups) baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring until each addition wilts into the sauce. Taste the curry and add a little more salt or a squeeze of lime if you want it brighter.

Step 5: Serve the curry ladled over rice or with warm flatbread, and finish each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt or toasted coconut flakes. You will not miss the extra oil.

Sweet Potato Oat Muffins

These muffins are the answer when you want a grab-and-go breakfast that does not taste like cardboard. Leftover sweet potato keeps them soft for days, and the oats give them a little chew around the edges.

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

• Rolled oats: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• All-purpose flour: 120 g (1 cup)
• Baking powder: 2 1/2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Fine salt: 1/2 tsp
• Leftover cooked sweet potato, mashed: 200 g (3/4 cup)
• Brown sugar: 100 g (1/2 cup)
• Large eggs: 2
• Milk: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Melted coconut oil or butter: 80 ml (1/3 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven to 180C (350F) and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. You want the oven hot before the batter is mixed because the leavening starts working as soon as the liquids hit the dry ingredients.

Step 2: Whisk the 150 g (1 1/2 cups) oats, 120 g (1 cup) flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl until the oat flakes are evenly distributed, and you will see the cinnamon streak through.

Step 3: Beat the 200 g (3/4 cup) mashed sweet potato, 100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar, 2 eggs, 120 ml (1/2 cup) milk, and 80 ml (1/3 cup) melted oil in a second bowl until smooth. You should see no thick ribbons of egg white left behind.

Step 4: Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and fold just until no dry pockets remain. Divide the batter among the 12 liners, filling each about three quarters full, and your scoop will make that cleaner.

Step 5: Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back when you press them lightly and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Crispy Sweet Potato Cakes with Lime Yogurt

These little cakes are what I make when leftover sweet potatoes need to become a snack or a light lunch. They get a shattering panko crust and a cool, tangy yogurt sauce that cuts through the richness.

Ingredients (makes 10 cakes)

• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, mashed: 450 g (2 cups)
• Panko breadcrumbs: 50 g (1/2 cup), plus extra for coating
• Large egg: 1
• Scallions, thinly sliced: 3
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Fine salt: 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
• Greek yogurt: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• Lime, zest and juice: 1
• Vegetable oil, for pan frying: 60 ml (1/4 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the 450 g (2 cups) mashed sweet potato, 50 g (1/2 cup) panko, the egg, sliced scallions, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl until the mixture holds together when you squeeze a small handful.

Step 2: Shape the mixture into 10 equal cakes about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick. Dip each cake in the extra panko and press gently so the crumbs stick, then set them on a plate while you heat the oil.

Step 3: Heat the 60 ml (1/4 cup) oil in a large skillet over medium until it shimmers. Add half the cakes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until you see a deep golden crust and the cakes release easily from the pan.

Step 4: Whisk the 120 g (1/2 cup) yogurt with the lime zest and half the lime juice in a small bowl. Taste the sauce and add the remaining juice if you like it tarter.

Step 5: Serve the cakes hot with the lime yogurt on the side for dipping, and you can scatter over a little extra scallion for a fresh finish.

Hearty Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

This chili uses leftover sweet potatoes to add body and a subtle sweetness that plays against the deep, smoky spice. It is the pot you make when you want dinners sorted for the next few days.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion and red bell pepper, chopped: 1 large onion and 1 bell pepper
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Ground turkey: 450 g (1 lb)
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Leftover cooked sweet potatoes, diced: 400 g (3 cups)
• Canned diced tomatoes with green chiles: 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can
• Canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed: 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can
• Vegetable stock: 480 ml (2 cups)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 minutes, stirring a few times, until you see them soften and the onion turns just golden.

Step 2: Add the 450 g (1 lb) ground turkey and break it up with your spoon. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until no pink remains and the bits are lightly browned, and you can scrape up any brown spots from the bottom.

Step 3: Stir in the 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chili powder, and 1 tsp cumin. Cook for 30 seconds, just until the spices darken and you have a deep red film on the bottom of the pot.

Step 4: Add the 400 g (3 cups) diced sweet potato, the can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, the drained kidney beans, and 480 ml (2 cups) stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to lift every bit of that spice.

Step 5: Bring the chili to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. You can tell it is ready when the sweet potato pieces fall apart under light pressure and the liquid has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 6: Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot with chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips, or a spoonful of yogurt, and you can set out extra toppings so everyone builds their own bowl.

The one technique that matters across all of these is getting your sweet potato smooth or dry before you add it to the next dish. If it is too wet, it will throw off batters and doughs, so drain any roasting liquid and mash lumps thoroughly when a recipe calls for it.

Pick the one that matches your night, set out your leftover sweet potatoes, and start cooking. You will be surprised how far one batch can go.