Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Not a fan of goopy, marshmallow covered sweet potato casseroles? Neither am I. This savory sweet potato casserole with apples and bacon is a delicious diversion from the candied stuff. This sliced sweet potato recipe is easy to make and can be doubled for larger crowds. Try my sliced sweet potato casserole for the holidays or anytime.

Infusing the cream with herbs and sautéing apples for the sliced sweet potato casserole

This recipe has been updated for recipe and photos since its original publishing date in 2014.

This sliced sweet potato recipe has several components. None are difficult, but you’ll want to complete each component before assembling the savory sweet potato casserole.

I usually bake my bacon in the oven – I find it easier and less messy than frying in a pan.  Plus, while the bacon is cooking, I can get to work on the other components. (Directions for baked bacon in the notes section).

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Start by infusing the half and half with herbs and letting it reduce and thicken slightly. While the half and half is simmering,  sauté the apples and nutmeg until they’re just softened but not mushy.

Slicing sweet potatoes and shredding cheese for this sliced sweet potato recipe.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. You’ll want to get the slices as thin as you can.  This can be done using the slicer attachment on a food processor, but if I’m honest, I think a sharp knife gets the best results for this sliced sweet potato recipe.  

Next is the cheese – gruyere — one of my favorites.  This cheese is exceptional.  It’s got a nutty flavor and melts like a dream.

If you can’t find Gruyere, you can substitute Emmenthal or Swiss, but I’d splurge on it if you’ve got access to it. Grate using the fine grates on a box grater to get beautiful, fluffy mounds of cheese.

whisking and tempering eggs for savory sweet potato casserole

Tempering Eggs For Sliced Sweet Potato Casserole:

For the custard portion of this sliced sweet potato recipe, you’ll need to mix the eggs and infused half and half together, but if you do it without tempering first, the eggs will scramble from the hot cream. Here’s how to avoid scrambling your eggs:

  1. Transfer about ⅓ to ½ cup of the hot cream mixture to a glass measuring cup with a spout.
  2. Rapidly whisk the eggs together.
  3. While whisking, pour the hot half and half into the center of the eggs in a slow steady stream.
  4. Once they are mixed together, the eggs are tempered (you’ve increased the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they become accustomed to the temperature without cooking) and you can continue to add the remainder of the half and half in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
layering savory sweet potato casserole

Layering Sliced Sweet Potato Casserole

  1. Spray the casserole dish with vegetable spray.
  2. Place ⅓ of the slices of sweet potatoes in the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping (or shingling) them.
  3. Evenly spread half of the apples on top of the sweet potatoes.
  4. Top the apples with ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓ of the bacon.
  5. Drizzle ⅓of the custard mixture over the casserole.
  6. Do another layer in the same method: sliced sweet potatoes, apples, cheese, bacon and custard.
  7. The last layer is sweet potatoes and egg custard with a final sprinkle of cheese and bacon.
The layered sweet potato casserole in a baking dish ready to go into the oven.

Cover the savory sweet potato casserole with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then remove the  foil and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the top of the sliced sweet potato casserole is golden brown and crusty.

The baked sweet potato casserole with bacon and cheese.

This sweet potato and apple casserole with bacon, cheese and herb-infused custard is silky and flavorful.

Unlike its marshmallow-topped cousin, this sliced sweet potato recipe is more subtle in its flavors. Instead of a candy-bomb, the sweet potato and apple flavors meld beautifully with a bit of sweet and tart in each bite.  

The smokiness and crunch from the bacon add great texture and BACON.  

However, the most surprising part of this dish is the custard.  It ties the whole dish together but isn’t overly aggressive. It acts more like a light binder for the rest of the ingredients.

Serving the savory sweet potato casserole on a plate.

This savory sweet potato casserole is the real deal. Try it with your Thanksgiving Turkey.

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Scooping a savory baked potato and bacon casserole.
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4 from 16 votes

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes, apples and bacon, nestled in a herb-infused custard with nutty gruyere cheese.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword casserole, gratin, sweet potatoes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 6

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups half and half
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1 large granny smith apple peeled and cut into thin slices
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes
  • pound bacon (about 5 strips) cooked until crispy
  • cups gruyere cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°
  • Into a medium saucepan add the half and half, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer the mixture until reduced by about 1/4. (Don’t boil the cream mixture.)
  • In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the sliced apples. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and cook until the apples are tender, but not soft, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together, then in a slow steady stream, whisk in about ⅓ cup of the hot cream mixture. (This is to temper the eggs without scrambling them.)  When the first 1/3 cup is fully incorporated, whisk in the remainder of the cream and herb mix until well combined.
  • Spray a medium casserole dish with vegetable spray. Layer 1/3 of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the dish, overlapping each other. Sprinkle half of the apples over the sweet potatoes, followed by ⅓ of the bacon, ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓of the cream mixture. Continue with a layer of sweet potatoes, apples, bacon, cheese and cream. Finish with a final layer of potatoes, bacon, cheese, and the cream mixture.
  • Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Remove the foil and continue baking an additional 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest ten minutes before serving.

RECIPE VIDEO:

YouTube video

NOTES:

To bake bacon: Preheat oven to 400°.  Place a baking rack over a sheet pan. Lay the bacon on top of the rack.  Cook for 18-22 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 840IU | Vitamin C: 4.1mg | Calcium: 442mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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If you love bacon, sweet potato and apple, you'll love this sliced sweet potato recipe. Savory Sweet Potato Casserole is a great fall side dish. #savorysweetpotatocasserole #slicedsweetpotatocasserole #slicedsweetpotatorecipe #sweetpotatoandapple #baconapple #baconsweetpotato #thanksgivingsides #sidedish #fallsidedish #wintersidedish #bacon #sweetpotato #apple #savoryapplerecipe #sweetpotatocasserole #casserole

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20 Comments

  1. Hi there’s, I’d like to cook this but can’t eat apples, what can I substitute it with?

    1. You can substitute extra sweet potatoes for the apples, which should work fine. I hope that helps.

  2. 5 stars
    Completely different than any other sweet potato casserole- and we love it so much better!

  3. This looks really good, but we don’t eat meat. Have you ever tried it without the bacon? How do you think it would taste with smoked salmon instead?

    1. I’ve never personally made it without bacon, but after reviewing the recipe, I don’t see why you couldn’t.

  4. Made this last night! Can’t wait to have it for dinner tonight. How long should I cook it if I’ve doubled the recipe?

    1. The key to cooking this casserole is making sure that the egg custard is set. That may take longer if you’ve doubled the recipe. After the initial 40 minutes in the oven, remove the foil and continue to cook for the prescribed time, then open the oven and give the casserole a jiggle. If the custard is loose, continue baking for another 15 minutes, then give it another jiggle. It’s ok if the very center is just slightly loose, but if it’s looking like a high school physics wave pool, you’ll want to keep baking until it firms up.

      Be sure to let it rest when it comes out of the oven, too.

  5. There are no eggs listed in the ingredients! How many eggs are needed for this recipe?

    1. Sorry about that Melissa. 3 eggs. I’ve fixed the recipe.

  6. Can this be made a day ahead of time?

    1. You could make and bake the whole thing ahead and just rewarm it in a low oven before serving, or you could assemble it and refrigerate the day before, then bake it off the next day… If you do the second option, let the casserole sit out for about 45 minutes before putting it into the oven.

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve never been into the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole myself! But this savory version with that glorious cheese and bacon, now this is my kind of casserole! Yes, please! 🙂

    1. Marshmallows on hot chocolate — YES. Marshmallows on casserole — NO. Glad you like it!

  8. 5 stars
    This looks so tasty! I’ve been trying to think of a sweet potato dish for thanksgiving that doesn’t include marshmallows, this looks perfect!

  9. 5 stars
    This looks like a beautiful side dish. It is going to be my first year hosting Thanksgiving and I am gonna have to put this on my short list.

  10. 5 stars
    This looks like such a fun twist on the typical sweet potato casserole! I love the sweet and savory combo, so I’ll definitely have to try this over the holidays.

  11. Jere Cassidy says:

    I may just have to make this for Thanksgiving. I love the apples in with the potatoes.

  12. Charlotte says:

    4 stars
    Looks like a great brunch dish.

    1. Yes it would. We will be having it with lamb on Christmas!