Sweet Potato Bites with Waffle Fries

Throw out the bread and make a crostini with sweet potato waffle fries. Add grape salsa and goat cheese and make a sweet and savory sweet potato bite. The perfect appetizer for any gathering.

A platter of sweet potato appetizers next to glasses of wine.

When you need a quick appetizer that doesn’t require a cracker or baguette, these sweet potato bites with a waffle fry for the base, are just the ticket. Easy to make and adaptable for what you have in your fridge.

Don’t you just love appetizers that are small enough that you can just pop them in your mouth, no utensils required. It’s even better, when they taste amazing and take just a little prep work. Great for munching on while sitting on the patio in the summer, or watching your favorite game on TV.

On Fridays we started just doing appetizers for dinner. They don’t necessarily have to go together and one is always a dessert. It’s a great way to experiment with different flavors and it gives us something to look forward to at the end of the week.

It’s nice to have an appetizer that’s not loaded with sugar or cream but isn’t just carrots and celery. Sweet potato bites have veggies and fruit with no added sugar and just a little cheese.

A crostini made from sweet potato is something you’ve got to try the next time you have friends or family over. It’s kid friendly because, waffle fries, and everyone loves the sweet and savory flavor combination.

A waffle fry covered with salsa and cheese.

While I love sweet potatoes cooked in all the traditional ways, mashed in a sweet potato casserole, grated in sweet potato pudding, roasted with chicken or added to streusel muffins, using a sweet potato as the base for an appetizer, is just another way to enjoy sweet potatoes.

This recipe captures their sweet flavor without added sugar. You start with frozen sweet potato waffle fries, Alexia is the only brand I’ve tried. When baked, they are nice and crispy and can be used in place of bread.

Make sure you cook the fries until they are crispy or they won’t hold the topping. They can also get a little mushy as your topping is absorbed, so you’ll want to serve them right away.

Most crostini recipes start with crispy crunchy bread and are then topped with pomegranates, grapes, bacon peach jam, onions and cheese, or strawberries to name just a few. But substitute a crispy sweet potato slice for the traditional piece of bread and it adds so much flavor.

The crunchy sweet potato fries are then topped with this interesting mix of sweet grapes, peppers, onions, pepper jelly and goat cheese for a burst of unexpected flavors that work well together.

Why you’ll love sweet potato bites

You can make them in advance, just assemble before serving
They’re naturally sweet
One bite finger food
An appetizer even the kids will like
Very adaptable

Simple things you’ll need

Sweet potato waffle fries – these are found in the frozen section of your grocery.
Red pepper jelly – this is also called hot pepper jelly and will be with the jellies and jams.
Fresh lime juice – this brightens up the flavors.
Grapes – you can use red or green, the sweeter the better.
Peppers – use red, yellow or orange which are a little milder than green bell peppers.
Green onions – these are more mild than white or yellow onions but still have a lot of flavor.
Cilantro – it is optional but adds flavor to the salsa.
Goat cheese – due to the texture, goat cheese is easy to break up into small pieces, feta would also work or blue cheese or even cotija.

Directions for making sweet potato crostinis

Step 1: make the base

Bake the fries in a single layer until very crisp. Remove and let cool completely. This can be done hours in advance.

Sweet potato waffle fries on a baking sheet.

Step 2: make the salsa

Whisk together red pepper jelly and lime juice and pour it over cut grapes, peppers, green onions and cilantro. This can be made a day ahead of time.

Step 3: assemble

Right before serving, top the sweet potato fries with the grape mixture and crumble goat cheese on top.

Since you can find sweet grapes all year long, this crostini recipe is great not only in the summer but around the holidays.

How to store sweet potato appetizers

Sweet potato bites don’t save well once assembled because the salsa absorbs into the waffle fries as they sit. However, you can store the baked waffle fries and salsa separately for a couple of days. When serving, just assemble a few at a time so that if you have leftovers, you can assemble some more the next day.

Other toppings that are good on sweet potato waffle fries

Try cream cheese topped with smoked salmon
Add creme fraiche and dried cranberries
Top with thinly sliced apples with goat cheese

Sweet potato appetizer FAQs

Can sweet potato bites be made in advance?

Yes, just don’t add the topping to the sweet potato fries until right before serving. The juicy grape mixture will soak into the potatoes and make them soggy. Still delicious but harder to eat.

Can you eat them with your fingers?

These are a great finger food appetizer as the sweet potato is baked until it is firm and crispy. Most fries will be small enough for one to two bites.

Are they healthy?

Sweet potatoes are generally considered by most to be a healthy food as they have a low glycemic index. These are paleo, gluten free and if you leave off the cheese, vegan. I am of the belief that fruits and vegetables are always a good healthy choice.

How do you keep crostini from getting soggy?

Way to assemble until right before serving.

More appetizers you’ll want to try

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.