Name: Sweet Potato Gratin
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes - any variety (skin-on, thinly sliced); 1 large onion (thinly sliced (about 1 – 1¼ pounds)); 7 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Tillamook, shredded); Salt and pepper to taste

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I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve given out my no-recipe recipe for this Sweet Potato Gratin over the years. It’s something I just pulled together one day… We absolutely loved it, so I keep making it. And I’m pretty sure it gets better every time.

Last night – just as I was pulling this pan out of the oven – a friend sent me a text asking for a refresher about how I put it together. She’s making it for her family on Thanksgiving! {YAY! I can’t think of a greater compliment!}

So, for “D”, and for anyone else looking for a delicious accent dish, I thought I’d finally write it down and share it here.

This Sweet Potato Gratin (pronounced “gra-taahn” – the way one of my favorite caterers from long-ago used to pronounce it) is one of our go-to favorites any time of year. It’s absolutely delicious whether you serve it warm – right out of the oven in the wintertime, or chilled – right out of the refrigerator for a summer BBQ. And if you have any leftovers, this Sweet Potato Gratin also makes an amazingly quick and tasty lunch!

It’s super simple to put together, can be assembled in advance, and re-heats like a dream. Unlike most gratins, this one is relatively guilt-free and yet it’s unbelievably melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

It’s a sweet potato lover’s dream, and it’s solely responsible for increasing our consumption of this wonderfully flavorful root veg. I just know you’ll love it as much as we do!

The recipe is written to serve 8 – 10 people, but as you’ll see, you can easily make as little or as much as you want. This recipe is completely flexible – the best thing about no-recipe recipes! It seems like a lot, but keep in mind that the root vegetables reduce in volume as they cook down and create their own brand of sauce-less deliciousness.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Gratin

This Sweet Potato Gratin is fairly guilt-free and unbelievably delicious! It can be served warm or cold, winter or summer, and the no-recipe recipe can be easily adjusted to make smaller or larger batches.

Course Casserole, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8 - 10

Author Michele Phillips, BaconFatte.com

Ingredients

3½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes - any variety skin-on, thinly sliced
1 large onion thinly sliced (about 1 – 1¼ pounds)
7 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese such as Tillamook, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Lightly coat an 8½ x 13-inch (3 quart or 2.8 liter) casserole dish with butter and set aside.
Scrub and thinly slice the sweet potatoes*, and peel and thinly slice the onions.
Begin by layering the sweet potato slices on the bottom of the casserole dish, then add a thin layer of the sliced onions, then some shredded cheese. Lightly season with salt and pepper, and repeat the layering process, ending with plenty of shredded cheese on top of the casserole.
Cover casserole pan with aluminum foil (spray the underside with some cooking spray if you’re concerned about the cheese sticking), and bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and check the tenderness of the sweet potatoes – they should be fall-apart soft and tender when done. If there is excess liquid in the pan*, carefully pour or spoon it out, then, cover the pan and bake again until potatoes are soft. Remove the foil, add more cheese on top (optional), and bake for 10 more minutes to finish.
Too serve, garnish with fresh herbs (fresh thyme and sage work beautifully). If serving chilled or at room temperature, allow gratin to cool completely before covering and refrigerating. May be refrigerated for up to two days.

Recipe Notes

*If you prefer to peel your sweet potatoes, go ahead. I love the texture and color (and nutrition) that the peels add the dish, so I leave then on.
*Some varieties of sweet potatoes seem to produce more liquid while cooking than others. This doesn’t affect the dish in any way, but I generally pour or spoon out most of the excess liquid when I pull the pan out of the oven at the 30-40 minute mark to check it.

This recipe is a Bacon Fatte Original!