Cheesy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes are a combination of two favorite potato dishes: scalloped potatoes and sweet potato casserole. Making scalloped sweet potatoes is easy and perfect for the holiday table with both sweet and savory flavors. This delicious recipe has the natural sweetness of the potatoes and the creamiest garlic buttery sauce to create a smooth inviting flavor to go with any meal.
Though nobody is quite certain who invented scalloped potatoes, some say that they originated in England while others say they are French. We do know that there is an old English word, collops, that means slices of meat. In fact, in the UK, there is a dish called collops that is made with thick, fried sliced potatoes. Then, there is the Irish potato collops that includes bacon.
For this yummy sweet potato gratin recipe, all you need are a few ingredients including sweet potatoes, cheese, butter, flour, milk, cream, and some herbs and spices. It is so good, you are going to want to print this recipe card so you can make it again. Your whole family will love this even if they are not a big fan of sweet potatoes alone.
Whether you are looking for a perfect holiday meal for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or just a weekend dinner, this side dish is totally a winner. It is a favorite of mine because it is creamy, cheesy, and very delicious!
Cheese and spuds are already such a perfect combination! However, this casserole just takes it to the next level by baking it with a generous amount of milk and sautéed herbs. Also, it is loaded with three types of cheeses to make it extra creamy! Simply put, this dish is extraordinarily savory and mouthwatering.
I love baking it and sharing it with my neighbors and friends. That is why I am also sharing this recipe with you and I hope you have a good time making and eating it as much as I did.
Ingredients needed:
Each of the ingredients was chosen to make the perfect blend of flavors and textures in this scalloped sweet potato recipe. Once you have gathered up the ingredients listed here, find the handy recipe card at the bottom of the page for the instructions and measurements.
- Thinly sliced sweet potatoes: Peeled and sliced as thin as you can with a sharp knife or mandolin slicer. Try for about 1/8 of an inch.
- Cheddar cheese: Make your own freshly shredded cheddar cheese for the best taste and texture.
- Mozzarella cheese: Same here, shredding your own cheese is best.
- Parmesan cheese: Once again, freshly shredded cheese gives you the most incredible flavor.
- Minced garlic cloves: You need garlic to balance out the sweetness in this dish.
- Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, just omit the salt from the ingredients.
- All-purpose flour: Any kind of flour will do. It is just for thickening.
- Whole milk: Mixed with the cream, this makes the perfect cheesy milk sauce.
- Heavy cream: Along with the milk, adding heavy cream will make your potatoes extra creamy and thick.
- Cinnamon: Freshly ground cinnamon would be awesome, but you can use store-bought.
- Ground ginger: Ginger goes with cinnamon and nutmeg for a delicious blend of fall spices.
- Nutmeg: Made from the seeds of the nutmeg tree, this spice has a sweet and nutty flavor.
- Finely chopped fresh rosemary: For garnish, this addition is just an option but one that we think is necessary for a unique taste.
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
How to make Cheesy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes from scratch?
- Preheat oven and prepare dish: First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish or any baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut sweet potato slices: While you wait, peel and slice the sweet potatoes into very thin circles, you can use a mandoline slicer.
- . Rinse potatoes in cold water and drain thoroughly.
- Sauté butter and garlic: Next, sauté butter and garlic over medium heat until fragrant. Then, add the flour and whisk in until combined.
- Make the cream sauce: Immediately, add the cream, milk, parmesan cheese, rosemary, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Bring the milk mixture to a soft boil, remove it from heat, and let it cool for five minutes.
- Add cheese: After, stir in both kinds of shredded cheese to make a creamy sauce.
- Arrange and add cheese mixture: Now, arrange the thinly sliced sweet potatoes in layers in your prepared casserole dish. Then, pour the cream mixture on top of the layered sweet potatoes.
- Bake scalloped potatoes: Then, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until they are fork tender. Remove foil and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Garnish and serve: Finally, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then garnish with fresh rosemary and serve warm.
Recipe Variations:
- Add fresh herbs: Feel free to add your favorite herbs like fresh thyme, basil, oregano, bay leaves, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley.
- Milk-free: Instead of regular milk and cream, use coconut milk or almond milk in your cream sauce for a dairy-free alternative.
- Vegan: If you are going dairy-free, why not make it vegan too? Use vegan cheese and vegan butter instead of regular.
- Sweeter sweet potatoes: For a sweeter dish, add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, light or dark, to your milk sauce.
- No sugar: Another way to add some sweetness without sugar is to add 1/4 cup of maple syrup or honey.
- Other cheeses: For your cheese mixture, you can use any kind you like such as Monterey jack, Colby jack, or gruyere cheese.
- Spicy scalloped sweet potatoes: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your sauce for a spicy kick.
- Make it a meal: Add chunks of cooked chicken, ham, turkey, or beef to make this a hearty one-dish meal.
How to serve:
This easy scalloped sweet potato recipe is ready in less than an hour and is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner. Try one of these serving ideas or share one of your own with us in the comments section.
- Sprinkle bacon bits on top of your potatoes before serving. Bacon makes everything better!
- Turn this dish into a scalloped sweet potato casserole with our easy, loaded sweet potato casserole recipe.
- Add some crushed crackers, crunchy pecans, or cornflakes on top after uncovering for a crunchy browned topping.
- Another way to use leftover scalloped sweet potatoes is to make this sweet potato salad.
- If you have any remaining cheese, add it on top before serving. You can never have too much cheese.
- Leftover potatoes can be used for any sweet potato recipe. We have a bunch of them on our food blog. Try our sweet potato pie recipe.
- This is a great side dish for any holiday table with turkey, ham, or whatever you are having.
- Sprinkle mini marshmallows on top as soon as they get out of the oven to give your potatoes a sweet topping.
Frequently asked questions
What are scalloped potatoes?
The word scalloped is the method in which the spuds are thinly sliced and layered. They are then baked in a milk sauce in the oven until the top turns golden brown. In North America, this is one of the main side dishes on the Thanksgiving table or Easter dinner.
How do I choose sweet potatoes?
The best sweet potatoes are firm but not hard with smooth skin and no blemishes. Do not get any with cracks or soft spots. They should also have a bright color and the skin should not be wrinkled or dry. You should also try to get sweet potatoes that are close to the same size, so they cook evenly. According to Harvard University, these vegetables have plenty of health benefits. Firstly, they are loaded with Vitamin A – in the form of beta-carotene, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and others.
What is the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes?
If you love scalloped potatoes, you probably already know the answer to this question. The difference comes down to cheese. While scalloped potato recipes are always made with a milk or cream sauce, they do not always include cheese and do not typically have a crunchy topping. Au gratin potatoes always have shredded cheese and a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs.
Can I use regular potatoes?
Any kind of thinly sliced potatoes will work for this recipe. There are over 200 types of potatoes in the United States alone. Yukon gold potatoes would be perfect for this easy scalloped potato dish. You could also use red, blue, yellow, or white potatoes of any variety. The one that is not as good to use is russet or Idaho potatoes because they tend to get mushy.
Why are my scalloped potatoes watery?
You may have not drained the potato slices well after rinsing them. To ensure this does not happen, place them on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and press them dry after draining. Of course, it is possible that you added too much liquid, but this is doubtful if you followed the recipe. Add some flour to your cream mixture and heat it until it is thick enough.
Scalloped Swee Potatoes vs Sweet Potato Casserole
This is another frequent question I get.
Classic Sweet Potato Casserole is pretty much always made with crunchy pecans and topped with marshmallows or brown sugar. In addition, it tends to be on the sweeter side, because it combines brown sugar or maple syrup. Also, this one is made with mashed sweet potatoes. While for scalloped sweet potatoes, you have to slice the spuds thinly.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: You can store your leftover scalloped sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last for three to four days.
- Freeze: If you cannot finish it in a few days, you can freeze scalloped sweet potatoes for up to three months. Just pack it into a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container.
- Thaw: Try to remember to thaw your frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight for the best consistency and taste.
- Reheat: To reheat the whole thing, place it in the oven, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. For a single serving, microwave for 45 to 90 seconds.
More recipes using sweet potatoes:
Cooking tips:
- Try to slice potatoes uniformly so they cook evenly.
- Use a mandoline slicer or special food processor instead of a sharp knife to slice sweet potatoes evenly.
- Looking for more delicious recipes? We have it all whether you are looking for a sweet or savory dish, side dish cuisine, main entrees, or desserts.
- Add protein by adding meat, bacon, beans, or dried peas.
- Make sure you let your potatoes sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- If you are wondering about sweet potato nutrition, we have information about everything from calories to saturated fat at the bottom of the page.
- Keep a close eye on your potatoes when broiling. You do not want the cheese to burn.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 or 3 ½ lbs sweet potatoes peeled and very thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel and slice the sweet into very thin rounds. You can use a mandoline slicer to do this.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, sauté butter and garlic until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk in until combined.
- Next, add the Parmesan cheese, milk, cream, salt, pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, chopped fresh rosemary, stir, and bring the mixture to a soft boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
- Once cooled, stir in the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Arrange the thinly sliced sweet potatoes in a row or circles In a casserole dish, and pour the cheese mixture on top evenly.
- Then, cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve warm.
Nutrition
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