Creamy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Thin sweet potato rounds bake in garlic-thyme cream until tender, with a few lightly browned patches on the exposed tops. There’s no cheese or thickened sauce in this version: the orange slices stay visible, and cream pools between them. Baking the dish covered first helps the center soften before the tops brown. Check a center slice for tenderness rather than relying on the clock alone.
Servings: 6 side-dish servings. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 50 to 65 minutes. Total: About 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes, including a 10-minute rest.
Ingredients for Creamy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skins left on (900g)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (about 360g)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
How to Bake Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Use some of the butter to grease a shallow, approximately 10-inch round, 2-quart oven-safe dish. Set it on a rimmed sheet pan to catch any bubbling cream.
- Slice the potatoes: Cut the scrubbed sweet potatoes into uniform rounds about 1/8 inch thick. Use a mandoline with a hand guard or a sharp knife.
- Warm the cream: Combine the cream, garlic, remaining butter, salt, pepper, and most of the thyme in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter melts and the cream is warm. Do not boil.
- Arrange the casserole: Lay the rounds flat in loosely overlapping rows. Pour the warm cream between them, lifting a few slices if needed to help it reach the lower layers. The cream should reach partway up the slices without submerging the top layer. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top.
- Bake covered: Cover snugly with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Uncover and finish: Remove the foil and bake for approximately 15 to 25 minutes more. Begin testing a slice near the center after about 45 minutes of total baking. The casserole is done when a knife or fork passes easily through the center, the slices still hold their shape, the cream bubbles at the edges, and the exposed tops have a few golden-brown patches. If the tops darken before the center softens, loosely replace the foil and continue baking.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes, then spoon portions from the dish with some of the cream.
How Thin to Slice the Sweet Potatoes
Aim for consistent 1/8-inch rounds so the middle and edges soften at about the same rate. Thicker slices or a deeper, more crowded dish may need extra baking time; test one of the thickest rounds near the center. You can peel the potatoes if you prefer, though leaving the scrubbed skins on gives the slices more defined edges.
How Much Cream Should Be in the Dish?
Before baking, the cream should be visible between the rounds and partway up the layers, with the top slices exposed. It will look loose when the casserole first comes out of the oven. A 10-minute rest lets it settle somewhat, but this cream-only sauce will remain saucy rather than set firm.
Serving and Storing
Serve warm alongside roast turkey, ham, or pork. For another savory sweet potato dish, try these cheesy spinach and garlic sweet potato boats.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in the oven until hot, uncovering briefly if you want to refresh the exposed tops. Individual portions can be gently microwaved until hot. To make the casserole ahead, bake it, cool and refrigerate it, then allow extra time to reheat the cold full dish. Freezing is not a dependable choice if you want to preserve the cream and potato texture.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving (1/6 of the casserole): 350 calories, 4g protein, 24g fat, and 33g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 165 calories, 2g protein, 11g fat, and 15g carbohydrates, calculated from ingredient weights before baking. Values are estimates; the cooked weight and nutrition per 100g will vary as moisture evaporates.
Equipment
- 10-inch round, 2-quart oven-safe dish
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Mandoline or sharp knife
- Small saucepan
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
For the casserole
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skins left on (900 g)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (about 360 g)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Use some of the butter to grease a shallow 10-inch round, 2-quart oven-safe dish. Set the dish on a rimmed sheet pan.
- Slice the sweet potatoes into uniform rounds about 1/8 inch thick.
- Combine the cream, garlic, remaining butter, salt, pepper, and most of the thyme in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter melts and the cream is warm. Do not boil.
- Arrange the potato rounds in loosely overlapping rows in the prepared dish.
- Pour the warm cream between the rounds, lifting a few slices if needed to help it reach the lower layers. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top.
- Cover the dish snugly with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for about 15 to 25 minutes more. Begin testing a center slice after about 45 minutes of total baking.
- Remove the casserole when a knife or fork passes easily through a center slice, the cream bubbles at the edges, and the exposed tops have a few golden-brown patches. If the tops darken before the center softens, loosely replace the foil and continue baking.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Slice the potatoes evenly, about 1/8 inch thick, so they cook at a similar rate.
- Use a mandoline with a hand guard or a sharp knife.
- Keep the cream below the top layer of potatoes so the slices remain exposed.
- Test one of the thickest rounds near the center for doneness.
- If the tops brown before the center is tender, cover loosely with foil and keep baking.