Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Spinach and Cheese Recipe
Nestled between comfort and nutrition, this sweet potato casserole blends unexpected ingredients into a delightful culinary experience.
Creamy cheese melts perfectly around tender spinach leaves.
Nutritional powerhouses combine in one spectacular dish that surprises and satisfies.
Vibrant orange sweet potatoes create a luscious base for green spinach and golden cheese.
Weeknight dinners suddenly become more exciting with this unique recipe.
Home cooks appreciate simple techniques that deliver maximum flavor.
You’ll want to savor every single bite of this remarkable casserole that transforms ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary.
Why Sweet Potato Casserole Feels Like Comfort
What Goes In Sweet Potato Casserole
Base Vegetables:Dairy Components:Aromatics and Seasoning:Binding and Topping:Step-By-Step Sweet Potato Casserole Guide
Step 1: Prepare Sweet Potatoes
Scrub the sweet potatoes clean under running water. Using a fork, poke several holes all over the surface to help steam escape during roasting.
Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and roast at 375°F for 45-50 minutes until they become tender when pierced with a knife.
Step 2: Cool and Slice Potatoes
Remove the roasted sweet potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Once comfortable to handle, slice the potatoes into thin, even rounds. Arrange these rounds in a single layer across a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
Step 3: Sauté Spinach
In a skillet, melt butter and add minced garlic. Sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant and golden.
Toss in fresh spinach leaves and cook quickly until they wilt and turn a vibrant green color. Spread the wilted spinach evenly over the sweet potato layer.
Step 4: Create Creamy Sauce
In a mixing bowl, whisk together:Blend until the mixture becomes smooth and well combined. Gently pour the cream sauce over the spinach and sweet potato layers, allowing it to seep between the potato rounds.
Step 5: Add Cheese Topping
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese generously across the entire surface, ensuring complete coverage. In a separate small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
Scatter this crispy mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
Step 6: Bake and Finish
Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Look for the cheese to become melted and bubbly, with the breadcrumb topping turning a beautiful golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and immediately garnish with chopped green onions for a burst of fresh flavor and color.
Step 7: Rest and Serve
Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the flavors meld together and allows the dish to set slightly, making it easier to serve and enjoy.
Tips To Make Sweet Potato Casserole Shine
Flavor Twists For Sweet Potato Casserole
What To Serve With Sweet Potato Casserole
How To Store Sweet Potato Casserole Properly
Sweet Potato Casserole FAQs, Answered
Yes, squeeze out excess moisture from thawed frozen spinach before using to prevent a watery casserole.
They should be tender when pierced with a knife and have slightly caramelized edges, with soft interior.
Prepare and assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, refrigerate, and bake when ready to serve.
Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and whole milk instead of heavy cream for a lighter version.
PrintSweet Potato Casserole with Spinach and Cheese Recipe
- Total Time: 90-95 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Cheesy sweet potato casserole blends rich flavors from Mediterranean kitchens into a comforting dish that delights taste buds. Creamy layers of spinach and melted cheese create a satisfying meal perfect for weekend gatherings or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Dairy and Cream:
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
- 0.25 cup (60 milliliters) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter
Seasonings and Extras:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 0.25 cup (40 grams) chopped green onions
Topping:
- 0.5 cup (60 grams) breadcrumbs
- 0.25 cup (25 grams) grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 375°F and prepare sweet potatoes by washing thoroughly, then creating multiple fork punctures to facilitate steam release during roasting.
- Position sweet potatoes directly on oven rack, roasting for 45-50 minutes until easily pierced with a knife, then allow to cool slightly.
- Cut roasted sweet potatoes into uniform thin rounds, arranging them in a single layer within a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Melt butter in a skillet, sauté minced garlic until aromatic, then quickly wilt spinach leaves until they reduce and maintain a vibrant green color.
- Distribute wilted spinach evenly across the sweet potato layer, ensuring complete coverage.
- Create a creamy mixture by whisking heavy cream, sour cream, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well integrated.
- Gently pour the cream mixture over spinach and sweet potato layers, allowing it to penetrate between potato rounds.
- Completely cover the surface with a generous layer of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Create a crispy topping by mixing breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, then sprinkling evenly across the cheese layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts completely, becomes bubbly, and the topping turns golden brown.
- Immediately after removing from oven, garnish with freshly chopped green onions to enhance flavor and visual appeal.
- Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and settle before serving.
Notes
- Prep sweet potatoes ahead by roasting them whole, which intensifies their natural sweetness and makes peeling easier.
- Replace heavy cream with lighter alternatives like Greek yogurt or milk for a lower-fat version that maintains creamy texture.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed nuts like almonds for a celiac-friendly or low-carb topping option.
- Experiment with different cheese combinations like gruyère or goat cheese to create unique flavor profiles that complement the sweet potatoes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 75-80 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Truc Tran (Kris)
Senior Food Editor
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert
Education
Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.