Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

5 from 4 votes

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Scalloped sweet potatoes is a creamy cheesy potato casserole with layers of flavor. Make this sweet potato recipe for a tasty and easy make ahead holiday side dish!

close up of sweet potatoes au gratin on serving spatula


Need a new side dish idea for the upcoming holiday dinner table, or something to bring to your host to lighten their cooking duties? This sweet potato side dish is packed with flavors and is a comfort food favorite.

If you enjoy traditional scalloped potatoes, I’m confident that this recipe will become a favorite of yours. It’s basically the same casserole, but with a sweet, nutty flavor. Plus, the nutritional and health benefits of sweet potatoes!

Scalloped sweet potatoes

Layers of sliced sweet potato and shallots are layered in a casserole dish with heavy cream, cheese and chicken broth, then baked to a bubbly, golden brown.

Au gratin vs scalloped

When I first published this recipe back in 2016, it was titled sweet potato gratin. Why did the name change? Well, I initially thought the two dishes were the same, but in fact, there are some differences between au gratin and scalloped sweet potatoes. Minor differences, but still…

Incidentally, gratin and au gratin mean the same thing; one is just a fancier way of spelling the French potato dish. A dish that’s made au gratin includes a vegetable with a topping of grated cheese and/or breadcrumbs. This is how the dish got its name, because the French term au gratin in English means by grating.

Both gratins and scalloped dishes have toppings, but the topping doesn’t necessarily include cheese.

The difference is that scalloped sweet potatoes (and other scalloped dishes) have a creamy sauce baked in with the vegetables. Gratin recipes don’t have to include a sauce, but most do.

There are also minor differences in the sauce ingredients, and in the way the casseroles are assembled. My scalloped sweet potatoes have two layers of potatoes, while most gratins have three or more layers.

overhead: casserole topped with yellow and white cheese

Ingredient notes and substitutions

  • Sweet potatoes

Look for sweet potatoes that are free from any dark black spots. They may have a strange shape, which is fine, but they should feel firm and not at all mushy.

What’s a good substitute for sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber, Vitamin A, beta carotene, and they’re also a great source of antioxidants. Although sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than traditional potatoes, they aren’t the lowest carb veggie in the garden. For a lower carb swap, use jicima in place of sweet potatoes!

Did you know?

What stores sell as “yams” in the U.S. are actually sweet potatoes. Actual yams are grown in Africa and several countries throughout the Middle East.

Sweet potatoes and yams are essentially the same vegetable, but they come from different plant species.

  • Shallot

Shallots have a milder onion flavor than actual onions, so they’re great to use in the scalloped sweet potatoes, or in sweet potato au gratin for that matter. You want the sweet potato flavors to shine through!

If you can’t find shallot, you could use the white portion of scallions (green onions) as a substitute.

  • Cheese

I use Gouda cheese, as I find to have a milder flavor than Gruyere, which is what many people use in a traditional sweet potato gratin. Other good substitutes include sharp cheddar cheese and Fontina, another great melting cheese.

  • Heavy cream

This product is also known as heavy whipping cream, and it’s not sold very widely overseas. A great substitute for heavy cream is to use a combination of half-n-half and whole milk.

Recipe tips and notes

  • Use caution when slicing sweet potatoes! You’ll need to carefully slice the sweet potatoes horizontally into thin rounds, no larger than 1/8” thick. The simplest way to do this with a mandoline. If you’ve never used one, please be sure to use the food guard that came in the box with it. Your fingers will thank you.
  • Topping browning too quickly? If the cheese and bread crumb gratin begins to brown too quickly, prevent it from burning by loosely covering the casserole dish with aluminum foil. This will serve double duty, as the steam under the foil will help cook the sweet potatoes through.
  • Let the dish rest. After removing it from the oven, you want to allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will firm it up and make it easier to slice.

Make ahead instructions

If you’d like to partially make the scalloped sweet potatoes ahead of time, you can peel and slice the potatoes the day before. Store them in a zip top bag in the fridge. One less thing to do on the day of serving.

You can also completely bake the dish ahead and refrigerate. It saves time, but it’s not the best choice, because when the cheese remelts, it can become a little bit oily.

collage with steps for making potato gratin recipe

Serving suggestions for scalloped sweet potatoes

This casserole makes a fantastic side dish, but it doesn’t only have to be served with holiday meals! Treat it like you would any other cheesy vegetable dish.

Pair it with cranberry stuffed boneless pork chops or a boneless turkey roast. It’s a delicious dinner for weeknights and for special occasions!

If you have any leftovers, be sure to cover and refrigerate them. Reheat and reuse within 5 days.

serving of cheesy potato casserole on spatula above casserole dish
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This post, originally published on Kevin is Cooking Dec. 21, 2016, was last updated with new content on Oct. 23, 2021.

close up of sweet potatoes au gratin on serving spatula

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

5 from 4 votes
Scalloped sweet potatoes is a creamy, cheesy potato casserole with layers of flavor. Make this recipe for a make ahead holiday side dish!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×9 inch (2 1/2 quarts) baking dish with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray.
  • To a small bowl, add salt, pepper and fresh chopped thyme. Whisk to combine.
  • Using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife, slice sweet potatoes and shallot 1/8th inch thin, then separate shallot rings. Set aside.
  • Arrange half of the sweet potatoes and shallot rings in the baking dish. Sprinkle one tablespoon of flour on top with half of the thyme mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat another layer with remaining potatoes and shallots in overlapping rows. Scatter with remaining thyme mixture.
  • In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 of heavy cream and remaining three tablespoons of flour until smooth. Whisk in remaining cream and chicken stock. Pour evenly over sweet potatoes and top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Let scalloped sweet potatoes rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with sprig of thyme and serve while warm.

Notes

  1. 2 cups shredded is about 6.5 ounces of cheese. I’ve used 12 slices of Gouda before and divided it to 6 on top of one layer and 6 slices on the other. Feel free to use sharp cheddar cheese or Gruyere if Gouda is not available. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on the top is fantastic too.
Recipe adapted from a Sunset magazine recipe by Elaine Johnson.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 513mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 16774IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 468mg | Iron: 1mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: side dishes
Cuisine: American
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
titled image of savory sweet potato casserole

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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31 Comments

  1. You know When you are browsing the internet while relaxing on a comfy sofa, and then you see something so amazing it makes you sit straight and open your eyes wide?! That what happened to me when I saw the first click in this post. Your sweet potato gratin looks creamy and perfect.

    1. You made my evening Muna, thanks! I too am sitting comfy on my sofa, wind and rain outside and catching up on my laptop. I hope you give this a try, it’s really so good! All the best for the holidays. Cheers!

  2. 5 stars
    Kevin! I am loving this twist! I love sweet potatoes and this gratin looks amazing! I do hope you and Dave have a wonderful Christmas! Hugs my friend.

    1. You’re the sweetest! Thanks so much Gaila, so happy to have connected here. All the best to you and yours this holiday season.

  3. 5 stars
    It’s just not the holidays without some taters! And I just happen to prefer mine with a ton of cheese. So clearly I feel like you made this beautiful Sweet Potato Gratin just for me!! Loving the use of sweet potatoes and gouda here!! Looks amazing, Kevin!! I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday! Cheers!

    1. Thanks ma dear! A little shake up of the usual never hurt and these are pretty darn tasty! Hoping you, Boy and the furry critters have a fun, safe Christmas. Stay warm!

  4. Whyyyyyy in the world have I never thought to try this!? I love normal au gratin potatoes, so I can only assume that I’ll be obsessed with these. Love this recipe!

  5. Carbs and cheese? How much better can it get?! So good! Love the sweet potato touch and the gouda cheese. Great twist, Kevin! Perfect side for the holidays! Have a relaxing one, my friend!!

    1. Oh yeah, these are so good. Yeah Gouda, but full on cheddar has worked well, too. Super crazy rain here last couple days so I’m hoping lots of snow up on Mt. Laguna where we take the boys every Christmas. Oliver and Kodi love to try and catch snowballs and when they jump and bite them their faces are priceless when it disintegrates. Stay ward friend! 🙂

  6. Oh man… it’s been almost a year since I’ve made sweet potato gratin and now you have me craving it again! (I took a break when I realized how much cream and cheese I was consuming… though, I’m totally over that now and ready to dig in!)

    1. Well seeing as we are in the season of indulgence, every once in a while, right Brian. Everything in moderation! Happy Holidays to you and yours. ?

    1. Thanks so much Elizabeth, it’s a great switch from the usual scalloped potatoes or sweet candied sweet potato dishes. Happy Holidays to you and yours. ?

  7. 5 stars
    Wow, this dish sounds and looks fantastic, Kevin! We do like baked sweet potato mash, but I’ve never made a gratin. Andrey asked to make some sweet potato, but well…now I’m thinking we will try a new recipe:) Thanks for the idea!

    1. Definitely, thanks Ben. This is a savory as opposed to sweet potato dish and I love it. Hope you give it a go and Andrey likes it too. Happy Holidays to you and yours. ?

  8. Hey Kevin! Nice twist! I love sweet potatoes and this certainly makes them more festive! This would be especially good with a nice big ham!

    1. Thanks Dorothy! Super crazy rain here last couple days so I’m hoping lots of snow up on Mt. Laguna where we take the boys every Christmas. Oliver and Kodi love to try and catch snowballs and when they jump and bite them their faces are priceless when it disintegrates. I love this dish and hope you give it a try. We are smoking a turkey this year! Hello to Gary and Happy Holidays to you and yours. ?