Sweet Potato au Gratin
This delicious Sweet Potato au Gratin recipe comes together within minutes. Grated Parmesan cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh garlic, eggs, and fresh ginger and milk create a wonderful twist to the classic potato casserole usually served during Thanksgiving. This recipe is versatile for any type of dinner, whether casual or formal.
This recipe for Sweet Potato au Gratin or Gratin de Patates Douces originated from St Vincent and the Grenadines. The original recipe is made with a type of sweet potato that is red on the outside and light yellow on the inside.
As we are not so privileged in the states, finding all kinds of ingredients available globally is sometimes a miracle. We have to substitute most of the time and hope that recipe will turn out well.
The difference between white and yellow sweet potatoes
The flesh color of the potatoes varies. You can find white, yellow, pink and even purple. Sweet potatoes are sometimes called yam. They are more starchy and less sweet.
Both white potatoes and yellow potatoes are also great when fried, steamed, and boiled. Let’s not forget roasted in the oven to a crisp – a delightful way to enjoy potatoes.
How to make Sweet Potato au Gratin
To make this recipe, I used regular brown-skinned sweet potatoes or yams found in many supermarkets. With red-skinned sweet potatoes, if you are lucky, you can find lovely shapes and good ones. This particular ingredient is a hit and miss. They are not also available in many supermarkets.
I was also very skeptical about the original recipe since it asked for milk and not heavy cream. Most recipes online usually require heavy cream because of texture. When heavy cream is mixed with cheese, you have a richer and creamier consistency. But again, heavy cream has more fat than milk.
The original recipe also required fresh milk. That’s also a challenge if you don’t live in the Caribbean, on a farm, or near one where you can find fresh milk. But let’s not dream. We can use regular milk. Evaporated milk is a great option.
The first time I made the recipe I used regular gallon milk and reduced the amount. The taste was not bad but it was missing that rich milky taste I love so much.
The second time I changed the regular milk to evaporated milk. Much creamier, and richer, and tasted exceptionally good.
The result!
The recipe turned out to be good. The recipe is similar to potato casserole in terms of ingredients. When cooking root vegetables, adding fresh ingredients and fresh spices is good practice.
Mixing regular milk and eggs replaced the heavy cream. The dish is light and flavorful. The ginger and nutmeg are also a good addition. They add flavor and make the dish tastier.
Enjoy this recipe as a side dish for your next Thanksgiving dinner or anytime you want to eat sweet potatoes. Serve this dish with your favorite entree and side dish.
Notes and Tips for the recipe
- There are several green vegetables that go very well with this dish. Brussels Sprouts, and Italian Green Beans complement the potatoes nively.
- The main entree could be roasted pork ribs or roasted chicken.
- For leafy greens, lettuce, escarole, kale, and mustard green are great option.
Other potato recipes for you to try:
- Sweet Potatoes with Vinaigrette, the perfect side dish
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and White Potatoes
- Fish and Sweet Potatoes Soup
- Easy Roasted Sweet and White Potatoes
Source:
Sweet Potato au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 lb Yams or Sweet Potatoes about 4 – 5 medium size
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1 pinch Cinnamon
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 1 pinch Ginger grated
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Grated Cheese Parmesan or Cheddar
Instructions
- Prepare a buttered baking dish. Peel and thinly slice the sweet potatoes. Add the potato slices to a frying pan.
- In a saucepan, add milk, garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Add milk with spices to potatoes and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or halfway cooked, and the milk is reduced by half.
- Lightly beat the eggs and pour them over the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle cheese.
- Bake 20 to 25 in a 350 degree F oven.
- Remove from oven and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
This recipe was originally published on November 9, 2013. It has been updated with additional content.
