Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole

Comfort food at its finest. Soft creamy sweet potato mash encrusted with a crunchy maple walnut breadcrumb topping, this savoury sweet potato casserole recipe is one to share at family dinners or festive holiday celebrations.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole
• Can I Use Yams Instead of Sweet Potato?
• Is It Better To Boil Or Bake Sweet Potatoes?
• Recipe Overview
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• Instructions
• How to Make This Recipe Perfectly (Expert Tips)
• Great Mains for This Side Dish
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole

Who doesn’t love a good mashed sweet potato recipe? 

Truly, it’s difficult to resist. The creamy, buttery flavours infused with the sweet, fluffy texture make it so that once I start scooping, I can’t stop.

So what happens when you add another layer of deliciousness? The ultimate comforting sweet potato side dish. 

This savoury sweet potato casserole recipe is filled with the buttery, garlicky sweet potato mash we all love and then finished with an incredible maple walnut breadcrumb topping. The combination is wonderfully comforting with delicious texture in every bite.

And for those who are not keen on marshmallows and loaded sugar in the more traditional sweet potato casserole, not to worry! This is a lip-smacking savoury sweet potato casserole with no marshmallows.

No loaded canned sweet potato puree in sight. I skipped these ingredients and created a delicious baked savoury recipe that goes with so many main dishes. 

I love how effortless this savoury sweet potato casserole is to throw together, and it can also be made in advance to save time. Easy side dishes are the way to go! So when it comes to entertaining at Thanksgiving, Christmas or large family gatherings, this mashed sweet potato bake is a total winner.

Can I Use Yams Instead of Sweet Potato?

The terms yam and sweet potato are often used interchangeably in certain regions. Yams in the US are, in actual fact, sweet potatoes. However, technically yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. 

Yams and sweet potatoes belong to different botanical families and have quite distinct characteristics. 

Yams are drier and have a more starchy texture compared to sweet potatoes. Like their name, sweet potatoes are sweeter and have a softer flesh when cooked. 

I would generally not substitute a true yam for sweet potato in this baked casserole recipe. 

Is It Better To Boil Or Bake Sweet Potatoes?

Baking sweet potatoes in the oven before mashing does result in a delicious sweet caramelised flavour. I do love a good baked sweet potato. However, this process takes more time. If you are prepping ahead, it is worth baking the sweet potatoes in the oven first. 

However, to save time, boil or steam the sweet potatoes before mashing. I did not find that boiling the sweet potato chunks added extra moisture to my mashed sweet potatoes.

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: The dish combines sweet, savoury, and creamy elements. The contrasting flavours ensure this baked sweet potato side dish isn’t too rich. The walnut breadcrumb topping contributes to its delightful mouthfeel.

Ease: This is a simple recipe. The base is mashed sweet potatoes combined with a few simple ingredients for the topping. Let the oven do the heavy lifting as you leave the casserole to bake. 

Time: This recipe will take approximately 1 hour. You can prepare other dishes whilst the savoury sweet potato casserole is in the oven.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need in savoury sweet potato casserole:

Sweet potatoes: There are a few different varieties of sweet potatoes. The most common one would be the orange-fleshed sweet potato. They have sweet orange flesh that is soft and creamy when cooked. This variety would be best for a casserole dish. 

Butter: Who doesn’t love creamy, luscious sweet potato mash? Butter will add extra flavour and velvety texture. Leave at room temperature to help with stirring into mashed sweet potatoes.

Garlic: is a natural pairing with sweet potato. Adding garlic elevates the sweet potato with delicious spicy aromatic flavours. 

Sour Cream: This will help cut through the richness of butter and balance the natural sweetness of sweet potato. 

Parsley: For colour and a hint of aromatic freshness to the dish.

Walnut: I wanted not only a crunchy topping but a flavourful one too. Sweet potato casserole with walnut and breadcrumbs topping provides a delectable crunch and nutty flavours.

Breadcrumbs: I used panko breadcrumbs for the topping only because that is a staple in my pantry. You can use whatever breadcrumbs are available, including whizzing up any leftover sourdough. 

Maple syrup/Extra virgin olive oil: This is to help create a lovely golden walnut breadcrumb crust for the topping. 

Variations and Substitutions

Vegan option: Use vegan butter and sour cream to create a creamy texture. 

Substitute for sour cream: You can replace sour cream with cream, milk, creme fraiche, Greek yoghurt or a combination. 

Additional toppings: In addition to walnut breadcrumb topping, you can add other ingredients and create your own version. Try these variations: 

• bacon bits
• grated parmesan cheese
• shredded gruyere cheese
• crispy sage
• fresh rosemary 
• chopped pecans 

Sweeter option: I am not a big fan of the marshmallow brown sugar version of sweet potato casserole, but you can add a touch of sweetness if you like. Similar to our whipped sweet potato recipe, add a little more maple syrup and cinnamon to the potato mash.  

Alternative cooking methods for sweet potato mash: Other than boiling sweet potatoes, you can steam or oven roast sweet potatoes before mashing. 

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make sweet potato casserole: 

Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F. 

Cut sweet potatoes into small cubes. 

Place sweet potato cubes into a large pot and cover with water. 

Boil until sweet potatoes are soft and fork tender. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes.

Drain water from cooked sweet potatoes. Make sure there is no excess water in the pot.

Start mashing sweet potatoes with a potato masher until desired consistency. 

Whilst still warm, add butter and minced garlic to sweet potatoes. Mix into mashed sweet potatoes.

Pour sour cream into mixture and stir in. 

Scatter with ½ chopped parsley and season well with salt and pepper. 

Scoop sweet potato mash into a lightly greased baking dish. 

In a small mixing bowl, add chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, maple syrup and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and then mix together.  

Scatter maple walnut breadcrumb mix on top of sweet potato mash. Spread out evenly. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.

Serve warm.

How to Make This Recipe Perfectly (Expert Tips)

Mashed potatoes consistency: I quite like my mashed sweet potatoes a little chunkier, but if you prefer a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or food processor to help mash. 

Be careful not to burn the top: As we have added a little maple syrup to the walnut breadcrumb topping, do be careful it doesn’t burn in the oven. 

Great Mains for This Side Dish

What to serve with sweet potato casserole? Try these delicious main dish recipes:

Cheeseburger meatloaf recipe.; seriously how good does that sound? It’s like 2 awesome dishes in one! Sweet potato would also go so well with crispy chicken parmesan which the family would love.

Or try this maple mustard air fryer pork tenderloin. Serving it up with the sweet potato casserole would be such an amazing meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

So whether you are looking for a sweet potato recipe for Thanksgiving or need an easy side dish for family dinners, our savoury sweet potato casserole fits the bill. It’s deliciously comforting and can be prepped ahead of time. Even without the marshmallows, everyone will love it!

That’s all!

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