Creamy, Savory Scalloped Sweet Potatoes for the Holidays
These scalloped sweet potatoes are the savory side your holiday table needs: tender sweet potato layers, a brown butter cream sauce, melty Gruyère, and crispy sage on top.
My first batch didn’t turn out the way I wanted, though. I baked it at 400°F, and the sauce separated while the potatoes went a little too soft. So I dropped the oven to 375°F, and that fixed both problems (yay!). The sauce stayed silky and creamy, and the potatoes baked up tender without turning mushy.
My other big (random) tip from testing is to grab a bag of organic sweet potatoes. I find they tend to be a better size for slicing into nice, even rounds!
Get those two little things right, and you’ll pull a bubbly, golden pan of creamy sweet potatoes that’s ready to earn a permanent spot on your holiday table.
Looking to finish your holiday menu? Try these with boursin mashed potatoes, easy stuffing, and homemade broccoli casserole.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below!
- Sweet potatoes: You’ll need about 3 pounds. Look for ones similar in size so your slices are even.
- Butter and fresh sage: The butter gets browned with the sage leaves. Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Together they make a rich, creamy sauce that isn’t too heavy.
- Garlic and fresh thyme: Smash the garlic cloves and leave the thyme sprigs whole. They flavor the sauce and then get strained out.
- Gruyère and Parmesan: Gruyère melts beautifully and has a nutty flavor that’s perfect with sweet potatoes. It’s also the star of my cauliflower gratin. Parmesan on top helps it brown.
- Nutmeg: Optional, but a small pinch adds a warm, cozy note.
If you love the brown butter sage combo, try my brown butter mashed sweet potatoes too!
How to Make Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Step 1. Slice the sweet potatoes. Slice them all before you start the sauce. Thin, even slices cook at the same rate. If you’re using a mandoline, be very careful: wear a cut-resistant glove, use the hand guard, and go slowly. I set mine to 3mm.
Step 2. Brown the butter and crisp the sage. Stir the butter until it turns golden, then add the sage at the end. Stay close, because brown butter can burn fast. It’s ready when it smells nutty and the sage is crisp.
Step 3. Make the cream sauce. Whisk the flour into the brown butter, then slowly whisk in the milk and cream so it stays smooth. Add the garlic, thyme, and seasonings, and simmer until it lightly coats a spoon. Strain it into a measuring cup with a pour spout to catch the garlic and thyme stems.
Step 4. Layer it up. Spread half the sweet potatoes in the dish, pour over half the sauce, and sprinkle with Gruyère. The pour spout helps you get sauce into the corners so every slice is coated. Repeat, then finish with the rest of the Gruyère and the Parmesan.
Step 5. Bake, rest, and serve. Bake it covered so the potatoes cook through, then uncover at the end so the cheese browns on top. You’ll know it’s done when the potatoes are tender, the edges bubble, and the top is golden. Let it rest for 20 minutes so the sauce settles into creamy layers. Top with the crispy sage right before serving!
Tips for Creamy Sauce and Tender Sweet Potatoes
Cover the dish tightly. Crimp the foil around the edges so no steam escapes. The trapped steam is what helps the sweet potato layers cook through evenly before you uncover the dish to brown the cheese.
Check the middle. The edges cook faster than the center, so slide a knife into the middle of the disk before you call it done. It should go in with no resistance. If it doesn’t, give it a few more minutes.
Stick with whole milk and heavy cream. Lower-fat milk is more likely to curdle in the oven, and the full-fat dairy is what gives the sauce its rich, silky texture.
Make-Ahead and Travel Tips
Prepping this for Thanksgiving or bringing it with you as a holiday side? Here are my best tips for you!
Make it ahead: Assemble the dish up to 1 day ahead, but hold off on the final shredded cheese layer. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Let it sit out for 30 minutes then added the shredded cheese and bake. It may need an extra 10-15 since it’s starting cold. You can also bake it fully up to 2 days in advance. Reheat it at 350 for 30-40 minutes then uncover.
Take it on the road: Bake it right before you leave and let the drive count as resting time. Wrap the dish in foil and a couple of towels so it stays warm. If it’s a longer drive and the dish cools too much, warm it back up in the oven at 350°F until heated through. Pack the fried sage separate and add it right before serving.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Gruyère
- Gluten-Free Stuffing
- Acorn Squash Casserole
- Broccoli Casserole
- Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 sage leaves
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4-5 thyme sprigs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg optional
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/8-inch round (3mm on a mandoline), about 5-6 large sweet potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter begins to turn golden. Add the sage leaves during the last 1–2 minutes and cook until the leaves are crisp and the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve for serving.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 sage leaves
- Make the cream sauce: Whisk the flour into the browned butter and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream, then add the smashed whole garlic cloves, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove the garlic and thyme stems or strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout.3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 3 cloves garlic, 4-5 thyme sprigs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, Pinch of nutmeg
- Layer the potatoes: Arrange half of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the cream sauce and 3/4 cup of the Gruyère. Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes and cream sauce. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup Gruyère and the Parmesan.3 lbs sweet potatoes, 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Bake: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, the edges are bubbling, and the cheese on top is browned. If needed, broil for 1–2 minutes to brown the top, watching closely.
- Rest and serve: Let rest for 20–30 minutes before topping with the reserved fried sage and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I want to make this for Easter, can I use full fat coconut milk instead of the cream or will it be too loose? Also, if I used chicken stock instead of veg, would the flavor bee too strong.
Thank you
Hey there! I haven’t tried it those ways but I think the full fat should be okay. I think the broth should be okay too!
Recipe sucks. Followed it to a t. Came out awful.
To make in advanced should I bake it , and then put it in the oven again the next day?
Sorry I missed this, Morgan! Yes I would bake it and then reheat it the next day!
Super yummy!!!
I forgot to mention that I used coconut oil instead of ghee and it came out great! It was a little runnier than I thought it should be but the flavor was still amazing!
Thanks, Tracy!!
You do understand that this is not a vegan recipe, I hope. Even without the chicken stock, you still put butter/ghee in it.
You’re right, Katie! I left out the options for vegan in the ingredients list! So sorry. You can use vegan butter and vegetable stock. Thanks!