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.
Servings 6 people
Calories 252kcal
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
- ½ teaspoon ground sage or one teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh
- ¾ 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.
Video
Notes
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 21790IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg
