Description
This Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole features creamy mashed sweet potatoes blended with sour cream, parmesan, and garlic, topped with a crunchy browned butter and sage-infused panko breadcrumb mixture, and finished with crispy bacon for an irresistible layered flavor. Baked to golden perfection with rich nutty browned butter, this comforting casserole is perfect as a hearty side dish or a festive centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mash:
- 1.75kg / 3.5lb sweet potato (3 large or 6 smaller ones)
- 1/2 cup (115g) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan, freshly grated
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Browned Butter & Crispy Sage:
- 250g / 8oz salted butter, cut into 2cm/1″ cubes
- 15 sage leaves
Topping:
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan, finely grated
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 150g / 5oz bacon, streaky, cooked until golden then finely chopped
Instructions
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F and line a tray with foil. Place the sweet potatoes on the tray and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes depending on their size, until a knife easily pierces through the center. Once done, allow them to cool just enough to handle, or carefully use a tea towel to hold them while still piping hot inside.
- Prepare Browned Butter & Crispy Sage: While the potatoes are baking, melt the cubed butter in a large silver saucepan over medium heat. Once melted and foamy, add the sage leaves and cook for about 1 minute until they turn golden brown. Remove the leaves through the foam and drain on paper towels to crisp. Continue cooking the butter until the foam subsides and you see brown flecks at the bottom, signaling the nutty browned butter stage. Strain the butter through a paper towel-lined sieve to collect roughly 180ml of browned butter.
- Make the Topping: Crumble the crispy sage leaves by hand or chop if not fully crisp, placing them in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the browned butter, panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently to combine well.
- Mash the Potatoes: Slice down the center of each baked sweet potato and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of browned butter, sour cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mash with a masher or electric beater until smooth and creamy. Avoid overprocessing if using a food processor to prevent a gluey texture.
- Assemble and Bake: Grease a 2-liter (2-quart) baking dish. Spread half of the sweet potato mash into the dish and create swirls on the surface using a spoon to catch pools of butter. Drizzle 1/4 cup browned butter over the swirls. Carefully cover with the remaining mashed sweet potato, trying not to disturb the butter pools. Sprinkle the prepared topping evenly over the surface. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges bubble.
- Add Bacon and Finish Baking: Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the crispy chopped bacon over the top, and bake for an additional 5 minutes. If you have any leftover browned butter, drizzle it on just before serving for extra richness.
Notes
- Note 1: Sage leaves crisp up nicely when browned in butter, adding a wonderful aromatic flavor and texture contrast.
- Note 2: Panko breadcrumbs provide a lighter, crunchier topping compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Use a tea towel to handle hot potatoes safely without burning your hands.
- Avoid over-mashing or over-processing the sweet potatoes to keep the mash fluffy and prevent it from becoming gluey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th casserole (approx. 250g)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
