Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

The minute you taste this Savory Sweet Potato Casserole it will be on your short list of Thanksgiving and Christmas sides. Not only does it taste marvelous but it also makes a beautiful presentation. A simple, elegant, and outstanding casserole that truly shines during the holiday season.

You may already be devoted to your grandmother’s marshmallow sweet potato casserole, but this year I urge you to switch things up a little and give this delicious casserole a try. A savory take on the Thanksgiving classic, it will instantly become a new favorite.

Creamy-soft baked sweet potatoes are blended up with brown butter, shallots, garlic, sage, eggs, milk, and salty parmesan cheese. A blizzardy topping of sage-y breadcrumbs brings more savory flavour and texture to the dish. Once baked, it emerges fluffy, creamy, and melty on the inside with a golden, crispy top.

Best of all, this easy sweet potato casserole can be prepared up to two days ahead then popped in the oven the day you’re serving it. With all its sweet-savory flavors and textures combined, I guarantee this dish will have everyone coming back for more.

 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

AMAZING TEXTURES AND FLAVORS – With this delicious sweet potato casserole you will get crunchy, soft and creamy-sweet all in one glorious bite.

CAN BE MADE IN ADVANCE – Lighten your load on the day you’re hosting dinner by preparing this savory sweet potato casserole recipe a day or two in advance.

A VEGETARIAN DISH FILLING ENOUGH TO BE SERVED AS A MAIN – This is a very filling dish that can be served as a main alongside other side dishes. Perfect for anyone avoiding meat.

Ingredients

The amount of sweet potatoes in this casserole make it a nutrient-dense, feel-good dish for the holidays.  Feel free to switch out some of the ingredients to accommodate dietary restrictions, or personal taste.

Here’s what you need to put this casserole dish together:

• Sweet potatoes: I used regular sweet potatoes here but I have also made it with white or purple sweet potatoes and with yams – all good.
• Butter: The browned butter adds a ton of flavour and creaminess to the sweet potatoes. If avoiding dairy, you could use a dairy-free butter or olive oil.
• Olive oil: I add only a bit to the melted butter to prevent it from browning too much.
• Shallots: I like to make this casserole with a lot of shallots which I find so tasty and delicious. But you could use a regular yellow onion if you prefer.
• Garlic: The sharp flavours of garlic make this dish even more savoury and delicious.
• Sage: Sweet potatoes and sage have an unquestionable affinity and I just love them together. You can add other herbs like rosemary or thyme, if you like.
• Milk: Milk, heavy cream, or half and half will help make this dish extra smooth and creamy. I like to use 2% milk but any unsweetened dairy-free milk will also work. That said, I might avoid coconut milk which could be a bit too strong-flavoured for this dish.
• Eggs: The eggs help give structure to the sweet potato mixture. You could probably get away with adding only one egg, but I haven’t tried it. If you do, add a 1/4 cup less milk.
• Parmesan: The parmesan cheese adds loads of salty-umami flavour to this sweet potato casserole. I would go as far as to say this is the one ingredient you really can’t leave out. You could, however, substitute with Pecorino, or any other hard, salty cheese.
• Fresh Breadcrumbs: You could use Panko breadcrumbs in a pinch, but fresh breadcrumbs are absolutely so much more fabulous for topping this dish. I just toss a few small chunks of artisanal bread into a food processor and pulse a few times. SO easy and so worth it.

Variations

Make it vegan – This a great vegetarian casserole for a Thanksgiving meal or for holiday gatherings. To make it vegan, use a plant-based milk, vegan butter (don’t brown it) and flaxseed eggs.

Add pecans – Mix in some chopped pecans with the breadcrumb topping – delish!

Make it gluten-free – Choose your favorite gluten-free bread to make the breadcrumbs. GF panko breadcrumbs would also work great here.

Use a variety of fresh herbs – I love this casserole with just sage but feel free to mix in chopped fresh rosemary and/or thyme.

Add maple syrup or brown sugar – I find this savory sweet potato casserole sweet enough, but if you prefer things a little sweeter, add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or brown sugar to the sweet potato mixture.

How to make savoury sweet potato casserole

This savoury sweet potato recipe serves a large crowd and leftovers are fantastic for days. However, you can cut the recipe in half and bake it in smaller dish. It’s delicious warm or at room temperature so you can go ahead and bake it a few hours ahead.

Here is the step-by-step:

• Bake the sweet potatoes. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes so steam can escape. Place them on a sheet pan and roast for about 60-75 minutes at 400ºF.

• Prepare the browned butter mixture.  Meanwhile, place a medium skillet or saucepan over medium-heat, melt 6 Tablespoons of butter until the butter foams. Add the sliced shallots and sauté until soft and butter has browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped sage and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly.

• Puree the sweet potato mixture: When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin and place potatoes in a large bowl or in the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs and most of the browned butter-shallot-herb mixture to the sweet potatoes, reserving a few tablespoons for the breadcrumbs. If using a a food processor, puree the sweet potato mixture until smooth and fluffy. If your food processor is small, do this in two batches. You can also mash the potato mixture in a large bowl using a potato masher or with an immersion blender.

• Prepare the breadcrumb topping: Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add the reserved browned butter-shallot-herb mixture and toss to coat.

• Add the milk and cheese: Pour the pureed sweet potato mixture into a large bowl and add the parmesan cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Using a spatula, mix until well combined and smooth. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

This savoury sweet potato casserole is of course a great side dish to serve alongside a Thanksgiving roasted turkey. But we also love it with this turkey meatloaf or with any other roasted meat.

For a delicious and satisfying vegetarian dinner, serve the casserole with a side of green beans or Brussels sprouts – so good.

Make Ahead

This savory sweet potato casserole is perfect for making ahead. Particularly if making it for a Thanksgiving dinner where you have a lot of other dishes to prepare. The casserole doesn’t take too long to bake so this can be done right before serving, once the turkey (or any other roast) is out of the oven and resting.

To make one day ahead, assemble the casserole with topping, and place covered in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator one hour before placing in the oven, and bake until heated through and the crumb topping is a nice golden-brown colour.

TIP: Bake the sweet potatoes up to 3 days ahead and store in the refrigerator, covered with foil. Heat them slightly in the oven or microwave when ready to assemble the casserole, which will make mashing them easier.

Other Thanksgiving sides you might enjoy

Sweet Potato Gratin with Sage

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Agrodolce Sauce