Cheesy Scalloped Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
Scalloped sweet potatoes and apples are layered in a creamy cheddar sauce with thyme, then baked until bubbly and browned on top. Think of it as a cheesy apple sweet potato casserole that leans savory instead of sweet, with no marshmallows or brown sugar topping. It’s a good side for turkey, ham, or a steak off the grill, and the sauce is thickened with cornstarch, so it’s gluten free.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: French
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten free
- Skill Level: Easy
I’ve long been on a quest to find just the right sweet potato side dish. I do occasionally enjoy a sweet potato casserole with streusel, but I’m a big fan of a plain baked sweet potato with butter, so I don’t always want to add more sweet stuff. That’s where this scalloped sweet potato and apple casserole comes in.
The slices are layered with apples and a creamy sauce with plenty of sharp cheddar, so you get richness and savory flavor with a hint of natural sweetness. It’s a twist on classic potatoes au gratin.
Why You’ll Love Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples
- Balanced flavors. The sweetness of the tender sweet potatoes and apples is surrounded by a creamy sauce with a hint of thyme. And the cheese on top browns for that slightly nutty flavor.
- So versatile. This cheesy scalloped sweet potatoes and apples recipe feels like a holiday side, and the flavors pair nicely with a Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas ham, or prime rib. But it’s also good with a steak dinner or even the tangy flavors of barbecue.
- Easily gluten free. The sauce is thickened with cornstarch instead of flour, so as long as you check labels on things like your broth and that cornstarch, you have a gluten free side dish to share.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need to make this apple sweet potato casserole. I’ve included a few tips and points to note before getting started. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Unsalted butter
- Onion – diced
- Cornstarch – you can also substitute potato starch.
- Chicken stock or broth – to make it vegetarian, you can use vegetable stock. Check your labels to ensure your brand is gluten free, if that’s a need for you.
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh thyme leaves – you’ll need to mince some for making the cream sauce and leave some whole for sprinkling on top of the casserole.
- Sweet potatoes – peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds.
- Apples – peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick. I used Gala, but any apple that holds up when cooked will do, such as Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Golden Delicious. Your choice of apple will also determine the sweetness of the final dish.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – I used white cheddar, but yellow cheddar will be fine too. The final color of the dish will be a little different.
Tips for Success
- Cut evenly. The apples are cut thicker than the sweet potatoes so that they don’t break down too much in the time it takes for the sweet potatoes to become tender. When you are trying to slice a lot of sweet potatoes and slice them evenly, I definitely recommend using a mandoline slicer (just be careful!). This will ensure they bake evenly.
- Use a deep baking dish. You can use a basic glass baking dish, but if you are serving these scalloped sweet potatoes and apples for a holiday meal, it’s nice to bake it in a 9×13-inch stoneware or ceramic baking dish that doubles as a serving dish. Just make sure it is deep enough to fit all of the ingredients.
- Cover at first. You want to trap the heat to ensure that the sweet potatoes get nice and tender, but then the cheesy apple sweet potato casserole needs some time uncovered so it can continue to thicken and get nice and browned on top.
FAQs About These Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Baking time will vary slightly based on how thick and evenly you slice your sweet potatoes. For the first thirty minutes bake covered to help get the potatoes cooked through. Then it will take another 25 to 30 minutes uncovered for them to get completely tender and for it to be browned nicely on top.
Some scalloped potato recipes are thickened with flour, but this one uses cornstarch, so it is gluten free with gluten free broth.
This casserole is best made and served right away. But you can make the cream sauce and slice the potatoes a couple of hours in advance, and then assemble it right before baking.
Another option is to assemble the entire dish and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two before baking.
And it can be baked and reheated if needed. You will want to take it out of the fridge to warm up for about an hour before reheating. Then put it in the oven at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
I do not recommend freezing it, as cream sauces tend to get grainy when frozen and thawed, and the sweet potatoes and apples will get mushy.
I find that a sharp cheddar is a nice balance to the sweetness of the potatoes and tartness of the apples. I have not tested it, but feel free to experiment with other cheeses like Monterey Jack, gruyere, or Swiss cheese which should all work, but provide a different flavor profile.
Make it a Meal
These scalloped sweet potatoes and apples complement the meals you make on any special day, whether it’s a Sunday dinner with the family or a holiday meal, and I’m happy to enjoy them simply with my BBQ Turkey Meatballs. Here are a few more of my favorite serving suggestions.
- Steak dinner. Put a Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak on the grill, then toss together Broccoli Apple Salad or make Loaded Mashed Cauliflower with Bacon.
- Roast chicken. Get the oven going for a Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Chicken, and serve it with Buttery Peas and Carrots and Cauliflower Hash Brown Casserole.
- Thanksgiving feast. Put an Herb Roast Turkey and Gluten Free Gravy at the center of the table, plus gluten free Thanksgiving side dishes like homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce and my favorite Corn Pudding Casserole.
- Holiday ham. Make a Pineapple Glazed Ham, and round out the meal with Pineapple Pecan Glazed Green Beans and Gluten Free Funeral Potatoes.
- Prime rib meal. Enjoy a Cranberry Crusted Prime Rib with Creamed Spinach and Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese.
Cheesy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves divided and one teaspoon minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (I used a mandoline)
- 1 pound apples (I used Gala), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 oz.) divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and coat a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 medium onion, chopped, and saute for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Whisk 2 Tablespoons cornstarch into 1 cup chicken broth and add it to the skillet. Whisk until combined.
- Stir in 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until combined.
- Bring to a simmer, then cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Peel and slice 3 pounds sweet potatoes and 1 pound apples.
- Spread half of the sliced sweet potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan and top with half of the apples.
- Pour half of the cream sauce evenly over the potatoes and apples, then sprinkle evenly with 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Top evenly with the remaining sliced sweet potatoes and apples, the remaining half of the cream sauce, and the remaining 0.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly, the top is browned, and the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
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Best savory sweet potato dish I’ve ever had. A hit for Christmas with the family. Will definitely make it again. There were no left overs
This looks like my Pampered Chef Rectangle baker!!! Love it!!! But, I am gonna try this recipe with a Ham dinner at our church in a couple weeks!! Sounds SOOO good!!
making it with ham sounds like a fantastic idea, Theresa! Please let me know how it turns out!
will make this! thanks for the recipe.
betsy
Enjoy!
This looks delicious! Pinning and tweeting, thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Wow! This is the ONLY side dish I need this Christmas 🙂