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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole | Vegan

This Savory Sweet Potato Casserole is going to be your go-to recipe to wow the guests at the holiday table. It is delicious, easy to make, impressive, and vegan!

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole in a white casserole, placed on a serving table.

Is there anyone who does not love potatoes? Even those who can’t eat it and make evil eyes at it will tell sneak in a French fry or roast potato in a moment of weakness.

Opinion on sweet potatoes, on the other hand, has been divided. One faction loves it and touts its health benefits while the others simply hate it. Even my die-hard potato fans in the family often look down on the sweet potato. True they will have the customary baked sweet potato loaded with brown sugar and marshmallows once in a year – but would rather not see it for the rest of the year.

But this is one dish that seems to pass their test.

Why we love it

  • Savory
  • Flavorful
  • Healthy
  • Light
  • Did I say it is pretty? Yes, it is a looker !!!

Is This Potato Casserole Easy to Make?

All right so everyone is going to like it, but what about those who have to make it? Well, don’t worry the good news is that it is easy to pull off. And when there is company around having a vegan, gluten-free, and peanut-free dish that is easy to whip up is a blessing.

Arrangement of sweet potato slices in the casserole dish

Now that I look at it – you could call it Hassleback potato medley !!!!

Root Vegetables

I have used a mix of root vegetables here all in the potato or yam family. This one had sweet potatoes – white and purple skins, garnet yams, and jewel yams. I could not find purple sweet potatoes, those would have added more color to the dish.

If I am right all of the above root vegetables are sweet potatoes! Technically yams refer to an entirely different category of root vegetables with more rugged skin. If you visit Asian markets you will find a great many varieties of them with brown often hairy skin. These are more starchy and rarely sweet. Many of these varieties are used a traditional south Indian dish Thiruvathira puzhukku.

Varieties of Sweet Potatoes in This Dish

So any of the yams/sweet potatoes combinations that you find in the store can be used in this dish. You can even add potatoes. Individually these vegetables differ in cooking time, but when sliced and baked in the fashion above these cook perfectly together.

Collage of pictures describing steps in making Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Making the Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

  • Making this dish is very easy. Here is how
  • Slice the sweet potatoes thin
  • Stack in a lightly greased casserole dish
  • Make a spice-infused oil and coconut milk sauce
  • Pour the sauce over the stacked potatoes
  • Bake!

The coconut milk complements the flavors, but you can substitute vegetable broth.

The first time I made a dish like this, I thought it is going to be tough to get the pieces all to stack properly. The trick is to start stacking along the outer edges and fill in the center later.

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole in a white casserole, placed on a serving table.

Savory Sweet Potato  Casserole

By Syama
An easy to make sweet potato casserole that is savory and mildly sweet at the same time. The herbs enhance and complements the natural sweetness of the potatoes and stacks creates a wonderful combination of textures. Use a mix of colors for prettier presentation
4.88 from 25 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb Sweet potatoes or yams,  mixed  color
  • 2- 3 Tbsp Vegetable oil   more if  needed
  • 1 Tsp Red chili flakes /Crushed Red Pepper  To Taste
  • 3 – 4 Cloves Garlic, Sliced Thin
  • 1/2 C Coconut Milk  Notes
  • Sprigs   Thyme
  • Fine Sea salt To Taste
  • Black pepper,   freshly ground

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190 °C). Lightly grease an oven  proof  casserole   large  enough to  hold  the potatoes.
  • Peel the potatoes and slice them   cross  wise  into   rounds  of 1/8 inch thickness (Notes).
  • Heat a  small  skillet  with 2  tbsp oil.  When hot  add  the  chili flakes  and  sliced  garlic.  Keep the  heat on low   and  let  the  oil  be  infused  with  chili and  garlic  flavors.  When  the garlic  turns  golden,  take the  thyme  leaves  off the  stem   and add  to the  oil.  Mix  in the  coconut  milk. Let  it  warm  for a  minute  and  turn off the  heat.   Taste  and  adjust  with  salt and pepper.
  • While  the  oil is  getting  infused stack the  sweet potatoes  vertically  in the    baking  dish.  Stream  the   spiced  coconut  milk  on top  evenly.  Cover  the  top  with a  foil  and  bake  for  40  minutes.  Uncover  and   bake  for  an  additional  10 to 20  minutes  for  desired  brownness .
  • Stream the spiced coconut milk on top evenly. Cover the top with a foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes for desired brownness .
  • Serve Warm.

Notes

  • I like  coconut  milk in this   recipe  as  it  makes  it a  little  richer.   Substitute  vegetable  broth  for a  leaner   more  savory version.
  • A Mandoline  makes it  easy to  get  even slices.   A sharp  chef’s  knife  works  well too.
  • You  could  opt  to  leave  the  potato  skins  on as  well.
  • If  not  baking   the  potatoes  immediately, keep  the  sliced  potatoes  in  water to  prevent it  from  turning brown. 
  •   When  seasoning  the  sauce, use  extra  salt  as   the potatoes  are  not  salted  separately.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.8g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 7.3g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 1521mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 1.3g | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

Important: Nutrition Values are estimates. Actuals vary based on ingredients and serving size.

Tried this recipe?Mention @Oventales or tag #Oventales on Instagram

Here are a  few more vegetarian/vegan dishes    for  the  holidays.

Recipe Rating




Friday 26th of November 2021

Wonderful and delicious, thank you for this recipe!

Andrea Thomas

Saturday 21st of November 2020

Definitely making this for Thanksgiving. Love the taste and scent of thyme leaves but find that sometimes they taste like little prickly sticks. Is there a way to avoid that ? Is using dried thyme ok ? If so, how much ?

Syama

Monday 23rd of November 2020

I would say use about 1/2 tsp of dried thyme. You could also season the oil and let it infuse for half an hour or so. Strain the spices out of the oil before adding and coconut milk. This way the flavors will be there without the bits of herbs. Stay safe! Happy thanksgiving!

Judi Sweat

Thursday 3rd of September 2020

I am making this now. I used vegetable broth and added some nutritional yeast. I think you leave the garlic in the sauce, but I wasn't quite sure. I look forward to trying this as I love savory and sweet potatoes aren't usually savory!! Thanks for the recipe.

Shanika

Tuesday 20th of November 2018

This looks like the perfect Thanksgiving side! I love sweet potatoes and this dish looks yummy!

Syama

Monday 26th of November 2018

Thank you !

Jillian

Tuesday 20th of November 2018

So pretty & delicious! Just in time for the holidays!

Syama

Monday 26th of November 2018

:-) Thank you !