Name: Savory Sweet Potato Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups / 180 g rolled oats; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1 cup / 240 g baked sweet potato flesh, mashed; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup / 120 ml / 110 g extra virgin olive oil; 2 scallions or spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped; 1/4 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

These Savory Sweet Potato Muffins with oats make a satisfying healthy breakfast or snack. They’re gluten free, dairy free and nut free with the option of adding fresh herbs. Plus, extra virgin olive oil provides a boost of nutrients.

The muffins start with mashed sweet potato. It stops the recipe from drying out and also provides natural sweetness. Then I use a good quality extra virgin olive oil instead of butter for added health benefits. The flavor of the olive oil will shine through, so I like to use a robust, peppery one to enhance the savory vibe.

Oat flour instead of all purpose flour

Oat flour replaces the need for all-purpose flour in these muffins. You can buy oat flour or make your own by blending rolled oats in a blender or food processor until it turns into a flour consistency. It’s not quite as light in texture as all-purpose flour, so it gives a slightly more dense muffin. However, oat flour is a less processed option when made from whole grain rolled oats.

Using oat flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour also keeps this muffin recipe gluten free. Oats naturally do not contain gluten, but since they are often processed on the same equipment as wheat, they can have traces of gluten. If you are strictly gluten free or have a wheat allergy, you can buy gluten-free oats or wheat-free oats.

Baked sweet potato on a tray to use in savory muffins — Bake your sweet potato for these savory muffins in the oven or microwave

How to bake sweet potato in the oven

If you don’t have any leftover sweet potato to use in the recipe, you can easily bake some in the oven. I find it easiest to bake the sweet potatoes whole, with their skins on. Then I extract the cooked flesh to use in the recipe.

Prick washed and dried, whole sweet potatoes a few times on each side with a fork.
Place the pricked potatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper or foil.
Bake in a 200°C fan-forced / 220°C / 425°F oven for 30 to 90 minutes or until a knife inserted into the thickest part of each potato slides through easily. The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your potatoes.

Ingredients for savory sweet potato muffins set out on a table — Mashed sweet potato, flat-leaf parsley, scallions, rolled oats, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, baking powder and salt

How to cook sweet potato in the microwave

Using a microwave is a faster way to cook sweet potatoes, compared to baking them in the oven. It works really well when you just need to get the sweet potato cooked to mash or use in a recipe.

Prick washed and dried, whole sweet potatoes a few times on each side with a fork.
Place the pricked potatoes on a microwave safe plate. You don’t want to overcrowd the microwave, so I only microwave about two medium or three small sweet potatoes at once.
Microwave for 5 to 30 minutes or until soft, flipping the potatoes over half way. The cooking time will depend on the size of your potatoes and the wattage of your microwave. To check if they are cooked, a knife inserted into the thickest part of each potato should slide through easily.

Savory sweet potato muffins with olive oil and rolled oats — These savory muffins are boosted with extra virgin olive oil

What herbs go well with sweet potatoes?

Flat-leaf parsley: I love to pair flat-leaf parsley with sweet potato in these savory muffins. Also known as Italian parsley, it has a more robust flavor than curly-leaf parsley.
Chives: Chives are also delicious with sweet potato. They have a delicate and mild, onion-like flavor and would be a great addition to these muffins.
Thyme or rosemary: For something a little stronger, finely chopped thyme or rosemary could be nice if you enjoy them. If using rosemary, keep in mind that it can be overpowering if used in larger quantities, so I would only add a small amount.
Dried herbs: Dried herbs or herb blends can also be used instead of fresh ones if that’s what you have at home.
Spices: In addition to herbs, you could also add your favorite spices to the recipe. Smoked paprika or chili powder would work well with the sweet potato to give the muffins a kick.

Easy savory sweet potato muffins with fresh parsley and rolled oats in the background — Swap out the parsley in these savory sweet potato muffins for your favorite herb

Are these low FODMAP muffins?

You can make these into low FODMAP muffins by only using the green part of the scallions or spring onions. When preparing them to use in the recipe, simply slice the green portion of the vegetable and discard the white portion. The rest of the ingredients for the muffins are FODMAP friendly.

More healthy baking recipes

For more healthy baking ideas, check out the Baking Recipes page.