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Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole

By Katie Leaird

Published on August 13, 2017

Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 ¼ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon pepper 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces3 scallions, sliced thin on biasSour cream

Before You Begin

Any shallow baking dish of similar size will work for this recipe. A mandoline makes quick work of evenly slicing the sweet potatoes.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
  2. Toss potatoes, oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Microwave, covered, until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Uncover and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
  3. Shingle one-third of potatoes in prepared dish, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar. Repeat with half of remaining potatoes and 1/2 cup cheddar. Shingle remaining potatoes in dish and pour any remaining liquid from bowl over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheddar. Bake until tip of paring knife inserted into potatoes meets no resistance and cheese is spotty brown, about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, cook bacon in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate.
  5. Transfer dish to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle bacon and scallions over top and serve, passing sour cream separately.
Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole

Headshot of Katie Leaird
By Katie Leaird
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Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Sour cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Sour cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Sour cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

The texture of sweet potatoes goes from raw to falling apart mysteriously quickly when cooked. To make sure ours were tender but not mushy, we precooked them in the microwave—just a few minutes in the zapper did the trick. We also tossed the slices with some smoked paprika and garlic powder before microwaving them to give them a flavor boost. And rather than rely on the traditional gratin ingredients for this dish (they didn’t jive with the potatoes’ sweetness), we loaded this casserole with flavor-packed, more compatible ingredients: sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled crispy bacon, sour cream, and scallions.

Before You Begin

Any shallow baking dish of similar size will work for this recipe. A mandoline makes quick work of evenly slicing the sweet potatoes.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
  2. Toss potatoes, oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Microwave, covered, until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Uncover and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
  3. Shingle one-third of potatoes in prepared dish, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar. Repeat with half of remaining potatoes and 1/2 cup cheddar. Shingle remaining potatoes in dish and pour any remaining liquid from bowl over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheddar. Bake until tip of paring knife inserted into potatoes meets no resistance and cheese is spotty brown, about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, cook bacon in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate.
  5. Transfer dish to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle bacon and scallions over top and serve, passing sour cream separately.

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