These crispy parsnip and sweet potato fritters are a delicious way to turn simple root vegetables into a satisfying meal or appetizer. Made with grated parsnips, Japanese sweet potato, almond flour, and cassava flour, they become beautifully golden on the outside while staying tender inside. Naturally gluten-free and easy to make, they’re especially delicious served with homemade unsweetened apple sauce, which perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
If you’re always looking for new ways to cook root vegetables, these parsnip and sweet potato fritters deserve a place on your table. They are crispy, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to make, using just a handful of wholesome ingredients.
Parsnips have long been one of my favorite vegetables. They develop an incredible sweetness when cooked, caramelize beautifully, and have a wonderful earthy aroma that makes them perfect for recipes like this. Combined with Japanese sweet potato (red skin and white flesh), they create fritters that are crisp around the edges, tender in the center, and naturally sweet and earthy.
One of the most important steps in this recipe is removing as much moisture as possible from the grated vegetables before mixing the batter. A quick squeeze in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth helps the fritters brown better and develop that irresistible crispy exterior.
I love serving these fritters with unsweetened homemade apple sauce. Apples and parsnips are a classic seasonal pairing, and the naturally sweet, unsweetened sauce brings a fresh contrast to the savory fritters. If you enjoy dairy, they’re also delicious with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Although I originally created this recipe as an alternative to potato-based fritters and latkes, it has become one of my favorite ways to celebrate parsnips during the cooler months. Whether you serve them as a light lunch, side dish, brunch, or appetizer, they’re an easy recipe that’s full of comforting flavors.
If you are looking for more unconventional ways to use parsnips, check out this recipe: Parsnip Apple Cake with Rosemary and Olive Oil.
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Parsnip and Sweet Potato Fritters (Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (up to 30 minutes)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
These crispy parsnip and sweet potato fritters are a delicious way to turn simple root vegetables into a satisfying meal or appetizer. Made with grated parsnips, Japanese sweet potato, almond flour, and cassava flour, they become beautifully golden on the outside while staying tender inside. Naturally gluten-free and easy to make, they’re especially delicious served with homemade unsweetened apple sauce, which perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
Ingredients
Homemade Apple Sauce
- 3 medium Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
- 1/4 cup (60ml) filtered water
Parsnip & Sweet Potato Fritters
- 1 large parsnip, grated
- 1 medium Japanese sweet potato (purple skin, white flesh), peeled and grated
- 1 medium onion, grated (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 large egg, beaten (see Notes for egg-free option)
- 2 tablespoons cassava flour
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, for frying
Instructions
Make the Apple Sauce
- Add the cubed apples to a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the water, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the apples are completely soft.
- Blend until smooth. Let cool while preparing the fritters.
Prepare the Fritters
- Grate the parsnip, sweet potato, and onion (if using).
- Transfer the vegetables to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Place the vegetables in a large bowl and add the egg, cassava flour, almond flour, salt, pepper, and allspice.
- Mix until well combined. If the mixture feels too wet, add an extra tablespoon of cassava flour.
Cook and Serve
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and generously coat the bottom with olive oil or avocado oil.
- Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture for each fritter into the pan and gently flatten with the back of the spoon.
- Cook undisturbed until deep golden brown and crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Flip and cook until the second side is equally golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.
- Serve warm with homemade apple sauce. If desired, add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche and garnish with fresh chives.
Notes
Don’t skip squeezing the vegetables. Removing excess moisture is the secret to crispy fritters.
Onion: Although optional, grated onion adds wonderful flavor. If using it, you may need an extra tablespoon of flour because it releases more moisture.
Egg-free option: Replace the egg with 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed mixed with enough water to form a thick paste. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter.
Storage: Leftover fritters keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in a skillet or oven until crisp.
5 Comments
Nina K
November 30, 2021 at 12:07 amHi Claudia,
I made these tonight for the second night of Hanukkah. I did make some modifications to the recipe and they were still delicious. By accident I got a purple sweet potato so the color was pretty spectacular. Also are used bobs red mill egg replacement instead of flax. I also don’t do almonds so I just put an extra cassava flour and a little bit of extra water.
One of the things I love to do when I make latkes is to bake them first. They absorb less grease and are easier to fry. I bake them on parchment paper and a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Then fry in olive oil. I did not use onions and next time I think I’ll try it with the flax. Thank you very much for posting the original recipe. Happy Hanukkah 🕎
Claudia
November 30, 2021 at 1:49 amHi Nina, thank you so much, everything sounds great, I absolutely love the purple sweet potatoes. And I love the picture you sent me. Thank you for the tip with the baking first, it makes sense and I will try it next time I make them. Happy Hanukah!
Nina
November 26, 2021 at 5:44 pmThanks for creating this recipe. Any suggestions for substituting the almond flour? I also cannot do hazelnut. Happy holiday season to you.
Joni Howard
October 21, 2021 at 12:19 pmClaudia,
I am super excited to try your recipe for LF Latkes (though I’m not Jewish so no judgement here, just love latkes!) I just became acquainted with Dr Gundry and am eager to start the program. Many of your symptoms I can relate to and never realized there was a histamine intolerance, I just labeled myself as “sensitive” to smell, meds, food, etc. Thankfully I feel like I’ve been guided throughout my life and step by step lead to information and people who have taught me what I needed at the moment to gradually bring me to a healthier state. You are now on that list 🙂
I had one question, where do you find Japanese sweet potatoes? I live in Denver, Colorado area. I thought I would check an Asian market (H Mart) but if you have any other suggestions please share.
Thank you again for being a mentor.
Claudia
October 21, 2021 at 12:40 pmHi Joni, thank you so much for reaching out and for the kind words. So happy you are here and I hope I can be a part of your healing journey. I totally understand what you mean about guidance. As per the Japanese sweet potatoes, they are not that rare. I never had a problem finding them in the US. Whole Foods and Sprouts and even Trader Joe’s always had them. They have purple skin and white flesh. xx