Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole is both creamy and fluffy, topped with melted mozzarella, Swiss cheese, and crispy bacon pieces. It’s delicious alongside any kind of roasted meat and easy enough for simple dinners or elaborate holiday spreads. Plus, it bakes in just 10 minutes!
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Despite the name, sweet potatoes can actually be quite savory, especially when you help them along with cheese and bacon… like in this savory sweet potato casserole!
It’s a welcome change from the marshmallow-topped version, which I usually find to be too sweet — which is probably why Munchkin likes it so much!
Not only is this sweet potato casserole savory, but it’s creamy and cheesy too. And when I have time to prep ahead, I can have it done in under 20 minutes from start to finish.
Talk about an easy side dish!
Looking for more savory ways to enjoy this root vegetable? You’ve got to make homemade chips or fries in the air fryer! They’re perfectly crispy with hardly any oil.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes – You’re looking for the kind with orange flesh and reddish-brown skin, also known as Jewel yams.
Butternut squash is the best substitute, but the dish will have a slightly different flavor. I don’t recommend canned sweet potatoes because they come in a sweet syrup. - Heavy Cream – Feel free to use half-and-half for a lighter dish, but milk will be too thin.
Be sure to mix this in first to help cool down the potatoes, which will ensure the egg doesn’t scramble from the heat. - Cheese – You’ll mix cream cheese into the mashed sweet potatoes (it’s easiest if it’s softened first), then sprinkle freshly grated mozzarella and Swiss cheese on top.
- Egg – One should be plenty for this recipe, but you can add an extra yolk for even more of a custard-like consistency.
- Bacon – Use your favorite here. Thin or thick, plain or applewood smoked… even pepper-crusted strips would be delicious!
Tips and Tricks to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Savory
- Keep the seasonings simple.
A little salt and pepper is more than enough to bring out the natural flavor of the vegetable and keep this sweet potato casserole savory.
But you could easily amp up the flavor with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or cumin.
- Add plenty of cheese both in and on top of the dish.
Cream cheese in this savory sweet potato casserole recipe injects some tang and keeps things extra creamy.
Then, the mixture of mozzarella and Swiss adds even more tang and a subtle nutty flavor. Both are naturally a bit sweet too, which complements the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes.
- Don’t forget the ultimate savory addition: bacon!
If you don’t feel like making this ahead of time, you’ll have just enough time to cook it while the cheesy sweet potato casserole is on its first round of baking.
Usually, I’ll just toss some strips in a skillet, but you can use your air fryer instead.
Another option is to chop up the strips first — it’s easiest if they are super cold — and then crisp them on the stovetop.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to drain off all the grease before sprinkling the pieces over your savory sweet potato casserole!
Prep Ahead
- Shred cheese
- Peel, chop, and cook sweet potatoes
- Cook bacon
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Steamer – This is a pot with holes in the bottom that sits on top of another pot of simmering water. It’s a great way to cook veggies while retaining their color and flavor!
- 2-quart Casserole Dish – Any shape oven-safe baking dish will work, as long as everything fits inside.
- Large Bowl – This one is my go-to!
- Cheese Grater – Fresh cheese makes this recipe even better! Skip the bagged shreds and buy a block to grate yourself.
- Potato Masher – This one doesn’t get clogged like the kind with holes, and one tap releases anything stuck to the wires.
Serving Suggestions
Cheesy sweet potato casserole is excellent with any roasted meat… but especially beef or pork!
It’s simple enough with tender chuck roast or smoked tenderloin as a weeknight dinner, but you can easily serve it for a holiday meal.
For that, you’ll want to make prime rib, maple glazed ham, or the juiciest turkey you’ve ever tried. Don’t forget a basket of pumpkin dinner rolls and your favorite holiday sides!
Storing and Reheating Cheesy Sweet Potato Casserole
Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer your savory sweet potato casserole to an airtight container.
To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or return the pan to the oven (covered in foil) at 350°F and bake until warmed through.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe FAQ
There are a few options! My top choice would be to bake the sweet potatoes covered with foil until tender. You can also boil them, but they tend to lose flavor and come out more watery.
You can also steam them in the microwave. Place the pieces in a large, microwave-safe bowl (Pyrex is great for this), add some water, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Microwave a minute or two at a time until the sweet potato chunks are fork-tender. Then, drain off the liquid and use as directed.
Egg acts as a binder, providing structure to the dish while also keeping it light and fluffy instead of dense.
Combined with heavy cream and cream cheese in this recipe, it also gives the mashed sweet potatoes a bit of a custard-like consistency.
You bet! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be my top choice, and you can sprinkle those right on top with the cheese. They’ll toast up nicely in the oven.
Or, if you’re worried about them burning, toast them in a skillet and sprinkle them on with the bacon before serving.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 8 ounces bacon
Instructions
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes. Then, cook them in a steamer until fork-tender.
- Place cooked potatoes into a large bowl and mash them. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, butter, egg, salt, pepper, and mix until well combined.
- Transfer this mixture to an oven-safe ceramic or glass tray. The one I’ve used is 8’’x11’’.
- Spread shredded mozzarella and Swiss cheese over the mashed sweet potato.
- Bake this casserole in a preheated oven at 400F for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese melts and is slightly golden on top.
- In the meantime, cook bacon slices in a skillet until crispy.
- Serve warm with crispy bacon on top, enjoy!
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2024
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