Sweet Potato Porridge Recipe

Sweet Potato Porridge is a healthy recipe with vegetables, fish, and spices for flavor and texture. It is cooked in savory and sweet pepper sauce for a soft and smooth quality. This is also a family-friendly dish you can serve for any celebration!

There is no doubt that this is going to be a crowd favorite! 

How to Make Sweet Potato Pottage

Turn ordinary potatoes into comforting Sweet Potato Porridge!

Ingredients 

Don’t forget to buy these ingredients on your next grocery trip. 

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are firm yet creamy vegetables with sugars and starch for a sweet flavor. These can be baked, grilled, boiled, steamed, fried, or roasted. 

There are plenty of kinds of sweet potatoes with different colors and flavors. For a rich flavor go for the red to orange potatoes. 

If you love potatoes, you can also try Mashed Potatoes and High Protein Beans. Meanwhile, prepare organic Sweet Potato Puree for your baby!

Sweet peppers and bell peppers 

These are two of the best peppers you can use to make the sauce. They smell and taste divine. These are also my go-to peppers for Jollof Rice!

Tomatoes 

Tomatoes are tangy and pulpy ingredients that will be perfect to add texture to the pepper sauce. They are popular ingredients for African sauces. 

Save some of these for Spaghetti, Pizza Sauce, or Fried Eggs!

Scotch bonnet 

Add a scotch bonnet for a kick of spice you can taste in the sauce and the sweet potatoes. It improves the overall quality of the dish. You can also turn scotch bonnet into Chili Flakes!

Onion 

The onion adds peppery and pungent quality to the sauce. Use the other onions for Moi Moi to eat with the Sweet Potato Porridge!

Grilled salmon 

Grilled salmon is a mildly flavored fish that also tastes buttery and citrusy at the same time. This also has a tender texture making it one of the best garnish for this dish.

Sunflower oil 

Cooking the sauce in sunflower oil improves its flavor and texture. Sunflower oil also has a high smoke point to prepare the sauce properly. 

Seasoning 

Intensify the dish with parsley, basil, sea salt, chicken stock cubes, mixed herbs, turmeric powder, and curry powder.

If you haven’t tried sweet potatoes with these ingredients, then this is the perfect opportunity to give yourself an amazing experience. This dish is the perfect twist between a classic Sweet Potato Porridge and an African twist!

Directions

Make sweet potatoes worth it by following this recipe.

Make the sauce

1. Rinse and chop the tomatoes and peppers using a knife.
2. Peel and slice one-half of the onion.
3. Puree them in a blender until smooth.

Prepare the potatoes

1. Use a knife to peel and slice the potatoes into two or more pieces.
2. Then, rinse them in a bowl of water.
3. Place an iron cooling rack in a pot.
4. Put the steaming basket inside to cook the sweet potatoes.
5. Add hot water, cover with a lid, and cook until soft.
6. Allow to cook for 20 minutes until soft.

Cook the Pottage

1. Heat sunflower oil over medium heat in a deep frying pan or pot.
2. Saute the remaining half onion for 2 minutes.
3. Add the blended pepper sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Season it with mixed herbs, curry powder, basil, parsley, turmeric powder, chicken stock cubes, and sea salt.
5. Cover it with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. 
6. Debone the salmon and break it into small chunks with a knife and fork.
7. Then, add the drained sweet potatoes to the sauce.
8. Add the deboned grilled salmon.
9. Mix everything together with a wooden spatula and serve!

With the flavor, aroma, and texture of these Sweet Potatoes, you’ll find yourself making this from time to time. It’s perfect for a delicious dinner with your loved ones over good food!

Tips

Buying and storing Sweet Potato Pottage ingredients

Sweet potatoes

Selection. Sweet potatoes like Jewel and Red Garnet make excellent sweet potato dishes. They are usually orange or red on the outside and orange on the inside. Buy small and medium ones with a firm texture. 

Storage. Put the sweet potatoes at room temperature to last up to several weeks. Do not wash them before storage. 

The Spruce Eats does not put them in the fridge unless peeled and sliced. Freezing potatoes is suggested once you have cooked them. 

Sweet pepper, bell pepper, and scotch bonnet

Selection. Buy sweet peppers, bell peppers, and scotch bonnets with smooth, shiny, and clear skin.

Storage.  Master Class suggests placing the peppers in a mesh bag. Then, store to use within a week. You can also freeze them for 6 months. 

Tomatoes 

Selection. The tomatoes should have vibrant orange or red skin with the stem still attached. They should not have bruises or soft spots. 

Storage. You can store them at room temperature for several days. However, they are best refrigerated to extend their shelf life. 

Onion 

Selection. Choose the onions that feel heavy for their size with firm skin and texture. 

Storage. Onions can be stored at room temperature. Put them in an area away from the sun.

Grilling salmon

• If you haven’t grilled salmon yet, try my Grilled Salmon recipe for an easy and quick meal!
• According to Food Network, buy salmon steaks or center-cut pieces for thickness and even cooking.
• The salmon should be light pink in color.
• Marinate the salmon in herbs and spices of your choice.
• I suggest using smoked paprika, sea salt, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and mixed herbs.
• Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. 
• Cook the salmon in the preheated griller or oven over medium-high fire and grill with the skin side facing upward for 3 to 5 minutes.
• The salmon should be flaky before taking it out of the heat.
• Meanwhile, you can also pan-fry the salmon on a skillet over medium-low fire for four minutes on each side.

No-blender pepper sauce

Aside from using a blender, you can also prepare the sauce using a food processor, food mill, grater, and other similar kitchen tools.

Finely chop the ingredients with a knife for the sauce as a last resort until you achieve a slightly smooth and pulpy texture. 

Sweet Potato Pottage Variations

Serious Eats suggests using different kinds of potatoes such as Beauregard, Jewel, Garnet, and Hannah. These have a rich sweetness to make different kinds of sweet potato porridge. 

You can also use other herbs and spices to season the dish. For instance, you can add chili flakes for spice, sugar for caramelized sweetness, and other spices for more flavor. 

Moreover, you can add other ingredients such as desiccated coconut, spinach, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, bananas, cinnamon, and other ingredients of your choice. 

Recommended Tools

• Blender: Make the pepper sauce using a blender. 
• Deep frying pan or pot: Cook the sweet potato porridge in a pan or pot. 
• Knife: Peel and flies the ingredients using a knife
• Glass bowls: Rinse and prepare vegetables in glass bowls.
• Peeler: Remove the skin of the sweet potatoes with a peeler.
• Steaming basket: Cook the sweet potatoes with a steaming basket.
• Iron cooling rack: Place the steaming basket on a cooling rack.
• Spatula: Mix the porridge with a spatula.

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How to Serve Sweet Potato Porridge

Sweet Potato Porridge can be served as a side dish. You can also enjoy it with nuts, savory dishes, and even breakfast meals. Below are some of the recipes that I suggest with sweet potatoes:

• Grilled Croaker Fish
• Roast Chicken
• Fish Stew
• Steamed Plantains
• Almond Vegetable Stew

According to Fortune, sweet potatoes are one of the best dishes to eat a few hours before going to sleep. While this dish is not suggested for babies, you can replace it with Sweet Potato Puree Baby Food instead. 

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Sweet potato porridge is best eaten within two to four hours for flavor and texture. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What to eat with sweet potato porridge?

I suggest eating meaty and savory dishes with Sweet Potato Porridge to balance the sweetness of the dish. Beef and chicken dishes also add texture to the dining experience.

Why is boiling not good for sweet potatoes?

Steaming is preferred over boiling because steaming helps preserve the nutrients of the sweet potatoes. On the other hand, boiling is suggested if you want to reduce the starchy quality of these vegetables.

Is it best to steam the potatoes instead of boiling them? 

I suggest steaming your fruits and vegetables to retain their moisture and nutrients. However, sweet potatoes in this recipe can also be boiled or baked until soft. 

Is sweet potato good for breakfast? 

Yes, sweet potatoes are great for breakfast because they are loaded with fiber, vitamins, protein, calcium, and healthy fats. This dish also pairs well with other breakfast recipes to energize you for the day. 

Is it okay to eat sweet potatoes every day? 

Sweet potato porridge is best eaten several times a week to give yourself a good diet, especially if you are counting the carbs that you consume.