Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Savory sweet potato casserole, with Italian sausage, sage, thyme and Swiss cheese, brings a whole new flavor to this popular holiday side dish.
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Everyone loves the traditional sweet potato casserole with cinnamon, brown sugar, and marshmallows. But have you ever tried a savory casserole? Even though these popular root vegetables naturally have a decidedly sweet flavor, they are the perfect complement when paired with salty Italian sausage, aromatic sage and thyme, and nutty Swiss cheese.
Ingredients and tools you will need
Be sure to leave room on your Thanksgiving table or Christmas dinner for an easy sweet potato casserole unlike anything you’ve ever tried. To make this savory sweet potato casserole recipe, you will need:
- 4-5 large sweet potatoes
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage – if using links, be sure to remove the casings first. You can also use mild or hot sausage for more of a kick.
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups leeks, white and light-green parts only, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced – if you’ve never cooked with leeks, keep reading. I’ll explain how to prepare them in the next section.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage or one teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- Potato masher or potato ricer – you can also use an electric mixer or food mill.
- 9 x 13 x 2 inch casserole dish
Before you get started
You need to cook the sweet potatoes. This can be done a few days in advance to save time. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick potato skins with a fork. Then roast potatoes in the oven until they are tender, about one hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set them aside to cool to room temperature. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, the skins will easily peel off. Discard the skins. If storing for more than a day, cover the sweet potatoes to prevent them from drying out. Keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
We also need to prepare and slice one leek. Leeks look like giant green onions but have a much milder flavor. Cut off the root end, then cut just before the stem starts to turn dark green. The dark green leaves are too tough to eat. Slice the leek in half and rinse any dirt that may have gotten trapped between the layers with cold water. Then chop the cleaned leek into 1/4-inch slices. Set these aside as well or store them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.
How to make savory sweet potato casserole
- Preheat the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage until it is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the grease from the skillet and then return the pan to the heat.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the leek, sage, and thyme. Cook the leeks until they start to turn golden brown and become tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked and peeled sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a fork, potato masher, ricer, or electric mixer.
- Add the sausage, leek, and sour cream to the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture into an even layer in a greased 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish and cover the prepared baking dish with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and top the casserole with the Swiss cheese.
- Bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Storage. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or foil. You can also spoon everything into an airtight container. Store leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours and consume within five days.
Freezing. The casserole can be made ahead of time and frozen either baked or unbaked. If freezing unbaked, leave off the cheese. Store the casserole on a level surface until frozen. Consume within three months,
Reheating. The casserole can be baked from frozen but will need more bake time to heat through. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Be sure to remove the foil and add the Swiss cheese to the top during the last 15 minutes of baking.
Thawed individual servings of sweet potato casserole can be reheated for one minute in the microwave. To reheat an entire thawed casserole, preheat the oven to 375, cover with casserole with foil, and bake for 30 minutes until heated through. Leave the foil on for the entire time to prevent the casserole from drying out.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but your casserole may not have the same taste or texture. Some people believe that yams and sweet potatoes are the same. That is not true. Although yams are also root vegetables, they are different from sweet potatoes. They have tough, dark brown skin that resembles tree bark. Yams are also much drier and less creamy than sweet potatoes. They are actually more like russet potatoes in both texture and taste.
Yes, but again, the flavor may not taste the same as mine. Two 29-ounce cans of yams will yield a close approximation. Make sure you are not using candied yams, which have been flavored with butter, sugar, and spices.
Yes, but it is more labor-intensive. You will need to peel the sweet potatoes first, then cut them into cubes. Transfer the cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes until the cubes are tender. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly before mashing.
You can also cook the sweet potatoes in an Instant Pot. Again, peel and cube the potatoes. Place them in the Instant Pot and add one cup of water. Seal the pot and select the MANUAL function. Set the cook time for three minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.
Green onions can be used instead of leeks. However, since green onions are more fibrous than leeks, your dish may have a different texture. Use four green onions as a replacement for the leek in this dish.
Sure, Gruyère, Fontina, and Parmesan cheese all have that distinct nutty flavor. If that doesn’t appeal to you, try provolone or mozzarella.
This easy side dish can be made 3-4 days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Let the casserole come to room temperature before baking.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4-5 large whole sweet potatoes
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups leeks white and light-green parts only, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage or one teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Poke holes in each of the potatoes with a fork. Bake the potatoes in the oven until they are tender, about one hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, cook the sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat. Break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage until it is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the grease from the skillet and then return the pan to the heat.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the leeks, sage, and thyme. Cook the leeks until they start to turn golden brown and become tender, about 10 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins. Transfer the insides to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with a fork, potato masher or electric mixer.
- Add the sausage, leeks, and sour cream. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Spread the sweet potatoes into an even layer in a greased 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish and cover with foil.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and top the casserole with the Swiss cheese.
- Bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Have questions? Leave a comment.