Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

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Are you looking for a Savory Sweet Potato Casserole? Look no more! This is a recipe of a delicious side dish that could be served for the holidays. 

Ready for Thanksgiving?

It is that time of year, again, people, when we are getting ready for the holidays. We start with Thanksgiving that sometimes can be very stressful if you don’t get organized. 

I personally try to stay focused and plan a little bit in advance. From grocery shopping to menu, I kind of like to know what I am going to do the week of Thanksgiving.

To tell you the truth, having a food blog puts me into the Thanksgiving mood way too early, as I try to prepare, take photos and write as many recipes I can for Thanksgiving,  with enough time in advance.

Some years we get so tired of Thanksgiving dishes cooked in advance for the blog, that I have to scratch my head again that week and come up with something we did not have in a while. #lifeofablogger

However, for you, the ones out there who don’t need to worry about cooking Thanksgiving dishes in October, you also need to make a plan on what are you going to serve and make sure you have everything you need if you entertain in your house.

You can take a look at my list of kitchen gadgets and make sure you have everything you need. There is still some time to order a few things online if not.

After you make sure you have the tools, then you can start planning the menu.

How many people are coming, who brings what, what are you going to prepare, these questions are very important when it comes to organizing a party.

I have plenty of ideas to get inspired from, so check these out.

I love this version of Sweet Potato Casserole

I am not a fan of the typical sweet potato casserole, you know, the one with brown sugar and marshmallows and made with cans of candied sweet potatoes.

I cannot handle a lot of sugar, so I prefer to stay away from it as much as possible.

I am sure I am not alone out there. Lots of people are trying to avoid too much sugar and carbs and Thanksgiving meal can be really tricky and challenging sometimes, when you have health issues.

However, I absolutely love sweet potatoes. They are already sweet and good for you.

Sweet potatoes contain nutrients, fibers, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and believe it or not, Vitamin C, when baked.

This dish is savory, does not have any sugar and it is made from fresh potatoes. It can also be made with leftover mashed potatoes, after holidays, when we look to use up the leftovers.

Here is what you need to make this dish:

• sweet potatoes
• slices of ham, chopped small or bacon if you prefer
• oil- could be sunflower oil, olive oil or any flavorless oil that you would cook with
• large onion
• dried thyme
• dried marjoram
• unsalted butter, melted
• shredded cheese(could be a mixture of Swiss and Gruyere )
• heavy whipping cream
• large egg
• salt
• ground black pepper

How To make this Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

In general, I don’t use the microwave that much, because I love my stove better, but I like baking potatoes in it. 

Step 1.

Peel and cook the potatoes:

To cook the potatoes, choose one of these methods: If you boil them, peel the potatoes and chop them in big cubes.

Cook them in salted water until soft and a fork goes through them.

If you bake them, then peel the potatoes and place them in the microwave. Cook them on high according to your microwave instructions for baked potatoes.

Step 2.

After that, I just mashed them up and set them aside.

Step 3.

In a large skillet, heat up the oil and add the chopped ham. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until golden brown, approximatelly 10 minutes.

Stir in thyme and marjoram. Remove from heat.

Step 4.

In the bowl with the potatoes, add the cooked ham and onion mixture, melted butter, 1 cup cheese, heavy cream, beaten egg, salt and pepper. Stir everything together.

Step 5.

Bake until heated through, for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and bake until melted, approximately 5 minutes or more.

Serve warm as a side dish.

Can I make this dish the day before I serve it?

Yes, it is an easy recipe and perfect to bake with a day before. You could skip  the last step of adding the cheese on top of the dish until the day you are actually going to serve it. 

Can I freeze this dish? 

I would recommend to freeze the mashed potatoes, but without adding the cheese to them. Defrost them in the fridge overnight, and add the rest of the ingredients before you bake the casserole. 

Mashed potatoes(without any other ingredients added to them) can last in the freezer for about 10-12 months if they are stored properly. 

Pin this for later:

A Few SUGGESTIONS OF THANKSGIVING SIDE-DISH TO MAKE IN ADVANCE:

Easy Baked Pumpkin Mac And Cheese

Traditional Cheesy Potatoes

Vegetarian Wild Rice And Mushroom Stuffing

Easy Sausage, Cranberries and Walnuts Stuffing

Baked Brandied Cranberry Sauce(my favorite)

Cranberry Chutney With Apples

Scalloped Corn With Vegetables(also my favorite)

Apples And Berries Pie

Best Sour Cherry Pie

I hope you will enjoy this dish as much as we did. It is a delicious, full of flavor casserole that everyone will love.

Serve it with your favorite meat, salads and everything else in between and have a lovely, healthier, delicious Thanksgiving, my friends! See you next time!