Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Feast your eyes on this healthy, savory sweet potato casserole. It’s a delicious alternative to the dessert-style variation and perfect for a holiday gathering.

Truthfully, I was never one for the sugar-laden sweet potato casserole and never really understood it. That, as a side dish and then pie for dessert? It made no sense to me, but traditions, I suppose. Even as a kid, I was never interested in that super sweet casserole, but honestly, it was probably more the sweet potato part that turned me off because I liked marshmallows, and brown sugar was okay in my book then too.

On the flip side, a savory sweet potato casserole is something I can totally get behind, and this one fits the bill. It has a nice mix of flavor and bite, plus some “cheesiness” from the nutritional yeast. If you’re not sure about the nutritional yeast, start with half the amount, taste, and add more if desired. Alternatively, you could use good-quality Parmesan cheese as a replacement, if tolerated and desired.

Meanwhile, I wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! If any of you make this recipe to go with your holiday meal, please let me know how you like it!

Cheers and enjoy!

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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

 

Savory sweet potato casserole is a delicious alternative to the traditional dessert-style sweet potato side dish. It features chanterelle mushrooms, crunchy walnuts and nutritional yeast for a bit of "cheesy" flavor. No gluten or grains either.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Gluten-free, Grain-free

Keyword: holiday side dish, mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, Thanksgiving

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee, plus extra for greasing dish
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp granulated onion or onion powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable, chicken, or turkey broth
• 2 eggs, preferably pasture-raised
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 casserole dish with a little butter or ghee and set aside.

2. Add sweet potato chunks to a large pot and add enough water to cover. Then, add a couple pinches of sea salt to the water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large pan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp of the butter or ghee. Once melted, add the onion and sauté 1-2 minutes. Then, add the chanterelles and garlic. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper. Continue to cook until mushrooms are softened. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter or ghee to the pot with the cooked sweet potatoes and mash. Then, add the nutritional yeast, onion granules or powder, cayenne, nutmeg, Dijon, vegetable broth, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Lastly, add the cooled mushroom mixture and eggs, and stir.

5. Pour sweet potato mixture into the greased dish. Sprinkle walnuts on top in an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.