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You are here: Home / Desserts / Dessert / How to Make Sweet Potato “Dango” from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!)

February 11, 2021

How to Make Sweet Potato “Dango” from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!)

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Gluten Free
Vegan
Under 200 Calories
Nut Free
Egg Dairy-Free

Chewy, soft and addicting, this sweet potato “Dango” is a healthier take on traditional sweet rice balls that only use glutinous rice flour and water. Made only using 2 ingredients, this recipe can be prepared in under 30 minutes and is perfect for those on a gluten-free, vegan or nut-free diet.

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

By now, you probably know my obsession with all things mochi! This time I wanted to make a recipe that fits with the Lunar New Year’s coming up in a few days: sweet rice balls! Known as Tang Yuan in China, Gyeongdan in Korea, and Dango in Japan, these chewy, round balls are often a part of the New Years’ celebration and are said to bring good luck.

So why Dango? Even though they’re basically the same recipe, in China, the sweet rice balls are usually served in a sweet broth, and in Korea, they’re rolled in powdered seeds or sweetened beans. I liked the look of Dango because they’re served on wooden sticks. Also there’s something about this emoji 🍡 I can’t stop using

What You'll Find in this Post:
1. What are Dango / Sweet Rice Balls Made of?
2. Ingredients Used to Make Healthier Sweet Potato Dango
3. Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
4. More Recipes Using Sweet Potatoes (HERE)
5. What are some ways you can eat sweet potato dango?
6. How to Store
7. Final Tips
8. More Like these Dango Recipes (HERE)
9. Healthy Sweet Potato Dango (Sweet Rice Balls)
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

What are Dango / Sweet Rice Balls Made of?

Traditionally, these rice balls are made with sweet rice flour, sugar and water. Food coloring and or food powders such as matcha powder, beetroot, turmeric, ground black sesame, etc. are used to add additional color.

That’s a lot of refined carbs, by the way, with virtually no protein or fiber.

In this recipe, I wanted to incorporate more nutrition and fiber by using mashed sweet potatoes. To keep the chewy texture of the dango, I also decided to use tapioca starch instead of the sweet rice flour.

Ingredients Used to Make Healthier Sweet Potato Dango

**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂

Sweet Potato – You’ll need mashed, cooked sweet potatoes for this recipe. You can steam, bake or boil them until soft but here’s the easy method: Wash and wrap a whole sweet potato in a microwave-safe silicone bag (like this one) or in a plastic wrap, then microwave on high for 6-7 minutes (or more depending on the size of the potato). You can make sure it’s cooked by sticking a fork or toothpick into the center. Let them cool somewhat before handling and mash it with a fork.

There are many sweet potatoes varieties, and you’re welcome to use any variant you have at home. One thing you do need to take into consideration is the color:

  • American (orange) sweet potatoes produce bright orange dangos like the pics below and not suitable for additional coloring.
  • White sweet potatoes and Asian sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are light-colored, so they can be colored however you want.
  • Purple Sweet Potato – Purple sweet potato (also called Japanese Purple Sweet Potato or Okinawan Sweet Potato) are not only beautiful, they’re enriched with Anthocyanin, known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancerous benefits. Purple sweet potato can be found in most asian grocery stores.
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

Tapioca flour (flour , also called tapioca starch) – While traditional dango are made with sweet rice flour, I decided to use tapioca starch instead to make sure the dango textures are chewy and elastic, even with the addition of sweet potatoes. Arrowroot starch and Potato starch can also be used instead. Cornstarch does NOT work.

How to Make Sweet Potato Dango from Scratch

STEP 1

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

In a bowl, knead mashed sweet potatoes and the tapioca starch together until smooth and pliable, and no longer sticky.

STEP 2

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

If desired, divide the dough and add additional food coloring or flavoring powders such as matcha, turmeric, beetroot powder, etc.

STEP 3

Healthy dango made from sweet potatoes

Roll the sweet potato dango dough into Tablespoon sized balls

STEP 4

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

Drop the dango balls into boiling water, in batches if necessary.

STEP 5

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

Once the dango balls are done cooking they’ll float towards the top (kind of like gnocchi). Once all of the dango balls are floating, use a sieve or tea strainer to pull them out of the water

STEP 6

how to make healthy gluten free sweet potato dango

Let the dango cool fully (about 5 minutes) in the ice water.

STEP 7

healthy gluten free sweet potato dango

Remove and skewer them in wooden sticks. Serve with honey.

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

  • Other than coloring you can also add different flavorings to the dough before cooking. For example, you can add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder, cocoa, cinnamon or Cardamom Powder. They’re not typically added in a traditional recipe, but you’re welcome to experiment!

More Recipes Using Sweet Potatoes (HERE)

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
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How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
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How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
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What are some ways you can eat sweet potato dango?

  • Plain and warm, served with honey or brown sugar syrup. Chocolate syrup works, too!
  • If you don’t have wooden sticks you can just serve them in a bowl. See below
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
*pic* I used sweetened white bean paste, dehydrated strawberries and sesame seeds to decorate the dango

How to Store

  • Once the sweet potato dango have been cooked, they can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, I would freeze the individual dango balls in a plastic freezer bag or an airtight container, then reboil them when ready to eat.
  • The reason I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge is that these dango balls tend to develop a weird waxy, hard texture when stored in the fridge. So eat within a day or freeze for best results.

Final Tips

  • Boiling time (as well as serving size) will vary based on the size of the sweet potato dango balls as well as how crowded they are when they’re in the boiling water. Before you remove the dango balls out of the water, do a quick doneness check by taking out one dango ball and use a knife to cut it in half. Be sure the insides are cooked through before you take the rest of them out of the pot.
save this recipe for later! Pin now at Pinterest
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango

More Like these Dango Recipes (HERE)

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
Homemade Pumpkin Dango (Healthier Glutinous Rice Balls) Recipe
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
Healthy Tofu Glutinous Rice Balls Recipe (a.k.a Tofu Dango, Tang Yuan)
How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dango
Healthier Matcha & Sweet Potato Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls) Recipe for Lunar New Year
healthy gluten free sweet potato dango

Healthy Sweet Potato Dango (Sweet Rice Balls)

How to Make Sweet Potato "Dango" from Scratch (only 2-Ingredients!) - sweet potato dangoAll Purpose Veggies
4.94 from 15 votes
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 servings
Calories 109 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 7 oz (200 g) cooked sweet potatoes use white or Asian sweet potatoes for best results
  • 2/3 cup (80 g) tapioca, potato or arrowroot starch
  • food coloring or powders, such as matcha optional

Instructions
 

  • Peel the cooked sweet potatoes while still warm and mash until no chunks remain.
  • In a bowl, knead mashed sweet potatoes and the tapioca starch together until smooth and pliable, and no longer sticky.* Add food coloring or flavoring powders such as matcha, turmeric, cinnamon powder, etc.
  • Roll the sweet potato dough into Tablespoon sized balls
  • Meanwhile, boil a quart or two of water in a large pot. Also, get a ice bath ready (such as a bowl of ice water)
  • Carefully drop the dango balls into the boiling water. If using a smaller pot, work in batches.
  • Once the dango balls are done cooking they'll float towards the top. Once all of the dango balls are floating, use a sieve or tea strainer to pull them out of the water
  • Let the dango cool fully (about 5 minutes) in the ice water.
  • Remove from the ice water and serve with honey. You can also skewer them in long wooden toothpicks.

Notes

*If you’re using the American (orange) sweet potatoes or canned sweet potatoes, you may need to add another 1-2 tablespoon of tapioca starch to achieve this consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 27mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 7038IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg***Net Carbs: 26g
Keyword mochi, sweet potato
Did You Like this Recipe?I’d love to know more about it! Please leave a rating or comment below so I know what to add and which recipes to share with you next!
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Filed Under: Dessert, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Instagram, Low Calorie, Mochi, Nut-Free, Snacks, Trending Now, Vegan, Veggies, Winter Tagged With: 5ingredient, asian-inspired, dango, glutenfree, LowCalorie, mochi, no-bake, NutFree, sweetpotato, Vegan

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Comments

  1. Kamari says

    April 21, 2021 at 12:30 pm

    5 stars
    This is a really useful guide to making dango! Way to go with your healthy ideas

    Reply
  2. DL says

    July 10, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    Made this last weekened and it was amazing! I didn’t have the asian sweet potatoes like you used, so I just used the white sweet potato from Safeway. It was chewy and bouncy and was fun to eat.

    Reply

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