Sweet Potato Calas are delectable fried rice fritters, as emblematic of New Orleans as beignets. These sweet treats embody Creole heritage, blending West African, French, Caribbean, and Indigenous influences in every bite. Featuring South Louisiana staples like rice and sweet potatoes, enhanced by cinnamon and nutmeg, they are fried to golden perfection. Pair Sweet Potato Calas with café au lait and a drizzle of cane syrup for a delightful experience. This simple recipe will make them a cherished tradition in your home!
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What are Calas?
Calas (pronounced KAH-la) are traditional Creole rice fritters from New Orleans, made with rice, flour, eggs, and seasonings, fried to a crispy golden exterior with a soft, chewy interior. Historically sold by enslaved and free women of color in the French Quarter, they reflect Creole resilience and culinary creativity. Sweet Daddy D's recipe incorporates rice, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, and nutmeg, blending West African, French, Caribbean, and Indigenous influences, showcasing New Orleans’ diverse cultural heritage.
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Here's What You Need
These are the key ingredients used in this recipe. A complete list, with quantities, is included in the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet Potatoes: Use fresh sweet potatoes, which you will peel, cube, and boil.
- Rice: Use long-grain, cooked rice; leftover rice is perfect.
- Spices: Cinnamon and Nutmeg provide a realistic flavor profile.
- Sugar: Use white, refined sugar.
- Oil for Frying: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Cinnamon Stick: Include a cinnamon stick in the water you boil the sweet potatoes in.
- Cane Syrup for Dipping: Louisiana Cane Syrup is perfect for dipping the fried Calas.
- Powdered (Confectioner's) Sugar for dusting.
Substitutions
Substituting ingredients is sometimes desirable or necessary, but keep in mind that any substitution may impact the flavor profile, cooking time, or nutrition.
- Fresh sweet potatoes: Canned sweet potatoes can be substituted for the fresh. These are fully cooked and usually packed in a light syrup or water and should be rinsed and drained before mashing.
- Spices: Add or substitute ground cloves or Allspice to complement the flavor profile.
- Cane syrup: If you don't have Cane Syrup, substitute maple syrup, molasses, or honey. Confectioner's Sugar:
- Substitute some cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Cookware
To make Calas, you will need appropriate frying equipment. This may be as simple as a cast-iron Dutch Oven or a deep fryer.
You'll also find a fish spatula, or spider, is perfect for snatching a hot Calas out of the oil. A sifter or fine mesh kitchen strainer is handy for preparing the dry ingredients. Once you use a Baker's Scoop to add the Calas to the hot oil, there's no looking back!
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Hints and Tips (FAQ)
To prevent lumps, sift the flour and dry ingredients (baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt) separately to remove clumps. (Since we don't know how much flour we will end up using, keep it separate from the other dry ingredients at this point). Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes until smooth. Combine the wet mixture with the rice thoroughly, then add the sifted dry ingredients, mixing well. Gradually incorporate the sifted flour, starting with ½ cup, and mix until the batter is smooth and sticky, adding more flour only if needed.
Making the batter in advance can be tricky because the eggs, rice, and sweet potatoes are very perishable. The batter can be held 24 to 48 hours in an airtight container in the fridge (under 40 degrees Fahrenheit), but keep in mind the baking powder will lose its punch over time. Watch for off-smells, off-colors, and changes in texture as warning signs of spoilage.
The Calas will fry quickly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Test one of the Calas by tearing it in half to see if the filling is cooked through and is soft and slightly springy. You can also check the internal temperature for 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. Preparation is the key to no-angst cooking! Grab a beer and read the recipe from top to bottom, noting the ingredients and how they need to be prepared. Then, perform your mise en place. With most of the work done, you’re ready to seamlessly assemble this dish, making cooking a joy!
Mise en Place
No-angst cooking starts with Mise En Place! Prep and measure all your ingredients before you start. This way, most of the work is done, and you can easily focus on cooking!
- Prepare each ingredient before making the calas and place them in individual containers.
- Peel and cube the sweet potato; set aside.
- Measure the cooked rice into a bowl.
- Sift the AP Flour through a Sifter or kitchen strainer, then set it in a bowl.
- Sift the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt through a Sifter or kitchen strainer, then set them in a bowl.
- Measure the remaining ingredients.
Preassemble the Ingredients
What happens in this step? Mashed sweet potatoes and combined wet and dry ingredients are the first step to the perfect Calas.
Lagniappe Tip: The sweet potato is ready when a skewer or paring knife pierces it easily, indicating a soft, tender texture. Drain the water, remove the cinnamon stick, and mash until smooth before adding to the batter.
Combine the Ingredients
What happens in this step? Perfect Calas is a consistent, uniform distribution of each ingredient with no lumps, resulting from these steps.
Lagniappe Tip: Thoroughly mix the ingredients at each step before proceeding to ensure even distribution. This promotes consistent flavor and texture throughout the calas.
Lagniappe Tip: Sift the all-purpose flour through a sifter or fine-mesh kitchen strainer to remove lumps. Sift the baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt separately to maintain accurate proportions, as not all flour may be used.
Fry the Sweet Potato Calas
What happens in this step? Oil temperature and timing are critical to perfect Calas!
Lagniappe Tip: Heat the frying oil to 350–375°F to maintain a consistent temperature when adding calas. Use a thermometer to ensure accuracy. Insufficient heat causes greasy calas; excessive heat burns the exterior before the interior cooks.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Sweet Potato Calas hot, dusted with Powdered Sugar, and a small bowl or drizzle of Louisiana Cane Syrup. Traditionally known as a Creole sweet breakfast or dessert treat (think Beignets!), they are perfect served with a steaming cup of Café au Lait, or some of New Orleans' famous coffee (can you say dunk?). These delicious Creole rice fritters are also special with Cinnamon-Sugar sprinkled on top or with your favorite jelly, jam, or preserves.
More Sweet Treats from Sweet Daddy D!
Leftover Tips
Leftover Sweet Potato Calas can be safely enjoyed for days if properly handled. Here are some tips to maintain Calas’s quality right from the fridge or freezer:
Storage
- Allow the calas to cool to room temperature within 2 hours after frying to prevent condensation and sogginess.
- Refrigeration: Place the calas in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- Depending upon how many you have, separate them into layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Quality will be maintained in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, arrange cooled calas on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until solid (about 1–2 hours). Transfer the frozen calas to an airtight freezer-safe bag or container and place them back in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheating
- When reheating, ensure the Calas reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- Oven: For the best texture and quality, reheat defrosted or frozen Calas in a preheated 350°F oven.
- Place the Calas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat for 5–8 minutes if defrosted and 10–12 minutes if frozen. The Calas should be warmed through and slightly crisp.
- Air Fryer: Reheat at 325°Ffor 3–5 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. This is great for reviving crispiness.
- Microwave: As a last resort, microwave a few Calas on a microwave-safe plate on medium power for 20–30 seconds per calas. (The exact time depends on the microwave and how many Calas you reheat at one time.)
- The microwave will make them soggy, so a paper towel underneath will absorb any moisture.
- Avoid Refrying: Refrying can make leftovers overly greasy and tough.
Safety Note: Discard any Calas that smell off, show signs of mold, or discoloration.
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Yeah You Right!
Recipe
Sweet Potato Calas
Here's What You Need
- 1 cup sweet potatoes mashed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ to 1 ½ cups AP flour
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- â…› teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- vegetable oil for frying
- cane syrup for serving
- powdered sugar for serving
Here's What You Do
Preparation
- Use leftover rice or cook rice until softened. When cool, place 2 cups in a mixing bowl.
- Peel and cube the sweet potato. Add it to a pot of water with a cinnamon stick and a pinch of salt; boil for about 10 minutes until soft. When cool, remove the cinnamon stick and mash.
- Sift the flour, set aside.
- Combine the baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sift is desired; set aside
- Combine the eggs, sugar, and 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes. Beat until the sugar dissolves.
For the Calas
- Add the egg mixture to the rice and mix it together thoroughly.
- Add the baking powder mixture to the rice mixture and combine thoroughly.
- Slowly add flour, starting with ½ cup. Mix well and add more slowly if needed. The consistency should be sticky and can be formed into a ball. You probably will not use all the flour.
- Heat oil to 360 degrees. Drop in spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon) and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning midway through to brown on all sides.
- Serve on a platter sprinkled with powdered sugar. Dip in Cane Syrup.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
Sweet Daddy D
A recipe tied to the earliest Creole days.