Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with crumbled up bacon bits and a creamy herb sauce. Grain free + Gluten free
Originally published October 17, 2018 – Updated November 14, 2018
Is it too early to start planning out my Thanksgiving menu?
Either way it’s happening and these scalloped sweet potatoes are my number one. This dish has been my Thanksgiving contribution for a few years now and it has yet to disappoint.
Let’s get to it!
How to Make: Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Prep
First up: you guessed it – sweet potatoes!  If you’ve got a handy-dandy Mandoline Slicer this will take you no time at all. Just adjust the slicing width to about 1/8 inch thick and get to it. If you don’t have a mandoline – no worries! Just slice the sweet potato into thin slices and you’re good to go.
The Herb Sauce
The herb sauce is super easy to make with very little involved. Start out by sauteeing the garlic in a little bit of butter until golden and fragrant. At this point it’s just a matter of adding the remaining sauce ingredients to your pan and simmering on the stove top for about 7-10 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering you can take this time to fry the bacon if you haven’t already. Cook until crispy then chop into pieces. Try not to eat too many bacon slices while you’re at it (or is that just me?).
Assembly
The assembly here is pretty simple just layer your ingredients in two segments:
- sweet potatoes on the bottom
- bacon bits in the middle
- cream sauce and cheese on top
- repeat once more
Once you’ve done this you’re all set to bake and go! I do recommend covering the dish with foil for the first 30 minutes of the bake to prevent the top from browning too much while the potatoes soften and tenderise. Once you’re about halfway through you can remove the foil and continue baking to finish off and then that’s it.
Additional Tips & Questions
Do I have to peel the sweet potatoes?
This is really up to you! You can save on time by skipping the peel and you get a few extra nutrients in your potatoes. Sweet potato skin can get crispy and maybe even a little chewy when cooked, but since they will be drenched in sauce it shouldn’t be a problem here. Just make sure to wash your potatoes well to clean off any excess dirt.
Can I prep or make this ahead of time?
You can certainly prep stages of this dish ahead of time if you’re like. The potatoes can always be prepped a day or two ahead of time. Just peel, slice and store away in a sealed bag or container to cut down on time.
You can prep and assemble the dish a day in advance and keep stored in the fridge, covered until you’re ready to bake.
As for freezing I have not tried this myself so I can’t say for sure. That being said there are several articles on the web that suggests freezing scalloped potatoes is fine. The important thing to keep in mind is to undercook the potatoes so that they don’t become too mushy when defrosted. The key is to cook the potatoes until they’re almost done but not quite tender which means you’ll need to keep an eye on them in the oven. Let cool completely before freezing and allow to defrost in the fridge overnight or cook from frozen.
These scalloped sweet potatoes are super rich and decadent – comfort food at its best. Enjoy!
More Potato Recipes to Check Out
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes without Milk
- Lemony Feta and Sweet Potato Mash
- Stir Fried Broccoli and Potato Curry
- Dairy Free Ham and Potato Soup
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Cream Sauce
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with crumbled up bacon bits and a creamy herb sauce. A Thanksgiving family favourite! Grain free + Gluten free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and sliced in 1/8inch thick slices, about 4-5 medium sized potatoes
- 6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp. dried
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F/204°C and grease a 9 x 13 in casserole dish.
Cream Sauce
- Warm the butter in a medium sized sauce pan. Add the garlic and sautee 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Add the remaining cream sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes then remove the sauce pan from the heat.
To Assemble
- Lay out half the potato slices in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the bacon bits and pour half the sauce over the top - spread around to cover the potatoes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the top.
- Add the remaining potatoes as evenly as you can. Sprinkle over the remaining bacon bits followed by the remaining cream sauce and cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and bake another 25-30 minutes
- Allow the potatoes to rest for about 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Do I have to peel the sweet potatoes?
- This is really up to you! You can save on time by skipping the peel and you get a few extra nutrients in your potatoes. Sweet potato skin can get crispy and maybe even a little chewy when cooked, but since they will be drenched in sauce it shouldn't be a problem here. Just make sure to wash your potatoes well to clean off any excess dirt.
Can I prep or make this ahead of time?
- You can certainly prep stages of this dish ahead of time if you're like. The potatoes can always be prepped a day or two ahead of time. Just peel, slice and store away in a sealed bag or container to cut down on time.
- You can prep and assemble the dish a day in advance and keep stored in the fridge, covered until you're ready to bake.
- As for freezing I have not tried this myself so I can't say for sure. That being said there are several articles on the web that suggests freezing scalloped potatoes is fine. The important thing to keep in mind is to undercook the potatoes so that they don't become too mushy when defrosted. The key is to cook the potatoes until they're almost done but not quite tender which means you'll need to keep an eye on them in the oven. Let cool completely before freezing and allow to defrost in the fridge overnight or cook from frozen.Â
Yuki says
Just made these for the first time — delicious!! I love how creamy and decadent this recipe is. I wouldn’t have thought to add nutmeg to a cream sauce (inexperienced chef here), but it makes all the difference. This is definitely showing up at my next family gathering.
Sarah Nevins says
That genuinely makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back to let me know how it went 🙂