A pound and a half of sweet potato boiled, drained very well and mashed, then bound with an egg, half a cup of panko, Parmesan and smoked paprika.
Shaped into sixteen, rolled in a further cup of panko, misted with oil and baked at 425°F — and served on a no-cook dip of burrata, pistachios, olive oil, lemon and basil.
Why This Recipe Works
- The dip is half the dish. Cool, milky burrata under a hot, crisp croquette is the contrast the whole recipe is built on, and it takes two minutes and no heat at all.
- Panko appears twice and does two jobs. Inside it absorbs the moisture that would otherwise stop the croquettes holding; outside it is the crust.
- The mash is cooled before the egg goes in. Hot mash scrambles the egg on contact, and scrambled egg binds nothing.
- Baked at 425°F rather than fried. High heat and a misting of oil crisp panko properly, which is what makes a croquette possible without a pan of oil.
- Roasted pistachios, split between the dip and the top. Half blended in for flavour and colour, half scattered whole for texture — the same ingredient doing two different things.
One Croquette, Built Once
The yield is stated in units because that is how these are made and eaten. Everything below is what goes into a single croquette — multiply by sixteen — plus the dip they are all served on.
What goes into one croquette
The body
About a rounded tablespoon and a half of sweet potato mash, drained very well and cooled ten minutes. Cooling is what lets the egg bind rather than scramble.
The binder
A share of one egg, half a cup of panko and a third of a cup of Parmesan across the batch. The panko inside absorbs the mash's remaining moisture; the Parmesan seasons and helps it hold.
The crust
Rolled in the second measure of panko — a full cup, on a plate. This is the outside crunch, and it is a separate quantity from the binder.
The oil
Misted or brushed. It is what lets panko brown in a 425°F oven without frying; dry crumbs come out the colour they went in.
The dip, underneath
Eight ounces of burrata mashed or blended with half the pistachios, olive oil, lemon and basil. No cooking at all — it is the cool, creamy base the hot croquettes sit on.
The remaining pistachios scattered over the dip, and the croquettes served hot on top of it.
Ingredient Notes
- Burrata, drained
- Eight ounces, drained. Burrata rather than mozzarella — it is the cream inside that makes the dip spoonable without anything added.
- Panko breadcrumbs, two measures
- Half a cup in the mixture and a full cup for coating. One line, two purposes, and mixing them up leaves either a wet croquette or a bare one.
- Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- A pound and a half, drained very well. Wet mash is the single most common reason croquettes fall apart.
- Shelled roasted pistachios
- A third of a cup, split between the dip and the garnish. Roasted rather than raw — they have the snap and the colour.
- Grated Parmesan
- A third of a cup, in the mixture. It seasons and it helps the croquettes hold their shape as they bake.
How to Make It
Heat the oven and line the pan
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
Cook, drain and cool the sweet potato
Boil or steam the sweet potatoes until tender, then drain very well and mash. Cool for 10 minutes.
Bind the mixture
Mix the sweet potato with the egg, 1/2 cup panko, Parmesan, paprika, salt and pepper.
Shape and coat
Shape into 16 small logs or balls and roll them in the remaining panko.
Bake
Arrange on the sheet pan and mist or brush with olive oil. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden.
Make the dip
Blend or mash the burrata with half the pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice and basil to a spoonable dip.
Serve
Top the dip with the remaining pistachios and serve with the hot croquettes.
Success Tips
- Drain the sweet potato thoroughly and let it steam dry before mashing.
- Give the mash its full ten minutes to cool before the egg goes in.
- Keep the two panko measures in separate bowls.
- Shape all sixteen before coating any, so they are consistent.
- Turn them once at the halfway point so both sides crisp.
Serving Ideas
A party plate: hot croquettes on the cool dip, with lemon wedges. They also work as a starter, four to a plate with a spoonful of the dip.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate croquettes and dip separately for up to 2 days. Burrata dip is best on the day it is made.
Freeze
Freeze shaped, coated, unbaked croquettes for up to 2 months and bake from frozen with a few extra minutes. Do not freeze the dip.
Reheat
Reheat croquettes on a rack at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes. A microwave leaves them soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
My croquettes fell apart.
The mash was too wet or too hot. Drain the sweet potato very well and give it the ten-minute cool before the egg and panko go in.
Can I serve them with something else?
The burrata and pistachio dip is a defining part of this recipe rather than an accompaniment. Hot croquettes on a cool, creamy base is the whole idea.
Can I use mozzarella instead of burrata?
It will not blend to the same spoonable consistency — burrata's cream centre is what makes the dip work without adding anything.
Can I air-fry them?
They suit one well. Work in batches with space between them and check at twelve to fifteen minutes, turning once.
