Sweet Potato Fritters (Maruya na Kamote)

Sweet potato fritters are a popular Filipino snack made with thin strips of sweet potatoes coated in a light batter and fried until golden.

Depending on where you're from, you might know them as kamote maruya, kamote fritters, kalingking, or even kamote ukoy.

The name may vary, but the idea is the same - lightly sweet and crisp around the edges with a thin coating that isn't heavy.

This version uses rice flour with a little sugar and baking powder for a light, crispy batter. It's made with simple ingredients and easy to put together!

Ingredients You'll Need

Notes and Substitutions

• Sweet potato: Use firm sweet potatoes and slice them into thin sticks so they cook through and crisp up properly. I like Japanese or Korean sweet potatoes (yellow flesh) because they hold their shape and crisp nicely.
• Rice flour: Makes the coating light and crisp when fried. It gives a thin, crunchy texture that isn't heavy. Use regular rice flour, not glutinous rice flour.
• Baking powder: Helps keep the batter light so the coating fries up crisp instead of heavy.

How to Make Sweet Potato Fritters (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Cut the sweet potatoes

Peel the sweet potatoes and rinse them. Slice into thin, even strips.

Try to keep them the same size so they cook evenly. If they're too thick, the outside can brown before the inside is cooked.

Step 2: Make the batter

In a large bowl, combine:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt

Add ¾ cup water to start, then mix until smooth.

Add more water as needed (up to 1 cup total) until the batter is thin enough to lightly coat the sweet potatoes, but not watery.

It should drip slowly from a spoon. If too thick, add a little water. If too thin, add a bit more rice flour.

Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes while you heat the oil.

Step 3: Heat the oil

Heat about ½ inch of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

To check if the oil is ready, drop a few drops of batter into the oil. If it sizzles right away and floats up, the oil is hot enough.

Step 4: Coat and fry

Add all the sweet potato sticks to the batter and mix until they're well coated.

Using a large spoon or spatula, scoop some of the coated sweet potatoes and carefully slide them into the hot oil. Lower them close to the oil so it doesn't splatter.

You can leave them loose for crisp edges, or gently press them together if you want a clustered shape.

Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. If they're browning too fast, lower the heat so the inside has time to cook.

Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed.

Step 5: Drain

Transfer the fried sweet potatoes to a plate lined with paper towels. Let the excess oil drain off.

If you'd like them sweeter, you can sprinkle or roll them in sugar while they're still warm so it sticks better.

Step 6: Serve

Serve your sweet potato fritters (maruya na kamote) while hot. They're best right after frying.

You can serve them with coffee, hot tsokolate, or even a cold glass of sago't gulaman.

Cooking Tips

• Make sure the oil is hot before frying. If it's not hot enough, the fritters will absorb too much oil.
• Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches so they cook evenly.
• Keep the heat at medium to medium-high. Too hot and the outside browns too fast before the inside cooks.
• Let excess batter drip off before frying. This keeps the coating light.

How to Store and Reheat

• To store leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• To reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer until crisp again.

Recipe FAQs

More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try

• Kamote cue: Fried sweet potatoes coated in caramelized sugar.
• Ginataang kamote: Sweet potatoes cooked in coconut milk.
• Sweet potato turon: Sweet potato and banana wrapped and fried until crisp, then coated in caramelized sugar.
• Minatamis na kamote: Sweet potatoes cooked in brown sugar syrup.
• Sweet potato with ginger syrup: Sweet potatoes cooked with ginger and sugar.