Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Fritters with Leeks and Kimchi (Low FODMAP Optional)

Super Bowl season is always a tricky time to balance health and hedonism. During the “before times” you could usually find me shoveling fistfuls of salami off a meat tray in order to be less jealous of the casserole dishes of baked pasta being served to the non-gluten-free members of my friends’ watch party.

But it’s entirely possible to cater to both your game day guests and your gut, especially with delicious apps like these gluten-free sweet potato fritters.

They are essentially Korean-influenced latkes, with spicy, tangy fermented kimchi playing a role in both the veggie batter and the aioli. Cooking the kimchi does negate some of the probiotic benefits, but you get them in full force in the condiment on top.

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants and fiber, while the leek and scallions—members of the allium family—contain lots of prebiotic fibers that your gut loves. The kimchi has both probiotics and prebiotics—what we call a symbiotic in the supplement aisle.

To make these fritters low FODMAP for the SIBO folks, you can easily sub a cup of plain shredded cabbage for the kimchi and leek, and stick with just the green parts of the scallions. If you make this version of the sweet potato fritters, they will be similar to these okonomiyaki, another great low FODMAP fritter option! Kimchi should be fine in moderation so long as you don’t have a histamine issue and the kimchi you buy doesn’t have garlic or onion, so feel free to leave it in the batter or the aioli if so.

But even if you omit these things entirely, they should still work. I’ve made riffs on these gluten-free sweet potato fritters so many times and even the plainest ones are delicious.

I created this recipe in partnership with the folks a Kean Health, a new gut testing company that I’m excited to be taking for a test drive! I wanted to explain to their audience that in addition to choosing high quality ingredients, we also want to always use them correctly. Even though we are pan-frying in this recipe, I chose avocado oil because it’s a healthy fat and, more importantly, has a high burning temperature.

For the flour, I love using chickpea or brown rice flour, but you can substitute whatever gluten-free option you have on hand.

To make the gluten-free sweet potato fritters in advance or give them an extra crispy finish, simply reheat on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until sizzling, about 10 minutes. You can even freeze them and thaw this way before a party. I did this many times when I used to cater – there was always some sort of gluten-free fritter on my finger food menu!

Read on for this gluten-free sweet potato fritters recipe!

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Fritters with Leeks and Kimchi

5 from 3 votes

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Even though these gluten-free sweet potato fritters have leeks and kimchi in them, they are pretty easy to adapt to be low FODMAP. Just sub a cup of plain shredded cabbage for the kimchi and leek, and stick with just the green parts of the scallions. But kimchi should be fine in moderation so long as you don’t have a histamine issue and the brand you buy doesn’t have garlic or onion, so feel free to leave it in or use in just the aioli. This recipe was created in partnership with Kean Health.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 2 dozen fritters

Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato about ¾ pound, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 medium leek white and light green parts only thinly sliced
• 4 scallions thinly sliced on the bias, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped kimchi liquid drained, divided
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1/3 cup brown rice or chickpea flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup organic mayonnaise
• Avocado oil for frying

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, mix the grated sweet potato, leek, half the scallions, half the kimchi, sesame oil, eggs, flour, and salt until smooth.
• In a small mixing bowl, add the remaining scallions and kimchi, along with the mayonnaise. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as necessary.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron), heat a thin layer of oil. Add the fritter mixture to the pan in batches, a heaping tablespoon per patty, and fry over medium-high heat until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the fritters to a paper-towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary (about 4 batches total, depending on the size of your pan). You can keep the early batches warm on a baking sheet in a 400 degree F oven until finished. This can also help get them extra crispy.
• Serve immediately with the kimchi aioli and more scallions for garnish.

If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!