Sweet Potato Casserole With Bacon Recipe

Is there anything better than a homemade casserole? We really don't think so. The great part about casseroles is that they are always so comforting and filling, and they are especially great to enjoy over holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. This sweet potato casserole is pretty unique, and it's something that's definitely worth trying.

We can thank recipe developer and private practice registered dietician Kristen Carli for creating this amazing sweet potato casserole that not only looks like a work of art, but it also happens to taste pretty amazing, too. She gives a great reason as to why she loves this particular recipe so much. "I prefer my sweet potato casseroles savory! So many sweet potato casseroles are sweet, and I'm a savory girl at heart," Carli says. "This dish accomplishes my savory dreams with the decadent salty Gruyère cheese and crispy bacon." (Excuse us while we wipe the drool off of our faces!) Keep reading to find out how to make this incredible side dish that's perfect for the holiday season and beyond.

The first step in any recipe is making a trip to the store to grab all of the necessary items. For starters, you will need a few large sweet potatoes. Next, swing by the cold section, and grab some bacon slices. Why? Because everything is better with bacon! Keeping in the cool area, get some unsalted butter and heavy cream. You will need salt and pepper as well, which you may have at home already. In addition, pick up some brown sugar and Gruyère cheese. Once you have everything added to your cart, check out, and make your way home to cook this delightful dish. 

Since this recipe requires the use of the oven, it's best to preheat your range. Turn the dial to 400 F, allowing it to get nice and toasty before you do anything else.

In the meantime, grab a baking sheet, and place a cooling rack on top of it. Then, put the strips of bacon on top of the cooling rack. Once the oven has fully preheated, stick the bacon in. Set your timer for 10 to 12 minutes, and bake until it gets nice and crispy. "You could cook the bacon on a skillet if you prefer," Carli shares.

As your bacon cooks in the oven or in the skillet, grab your sweet potatoes. Make sure to wash them ahead of time, and then you can peel and chop them one by one. "The size and shape of the sweet potato chop are not super important here since we end up mashing," Carli says. "Just make sure they are roughly the same size as each other to ensure even cooking."

Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and toss in the sweet potatoes. Set your timer for 20 minutes, and let the potatoes get nice and soft.

By now, the bacon should be done cooking. Remove it from the oven, and once it cools, chop it into little crumbles. Set the bacon to the side, because you will need it shortly.

Then, grab a colander, and once your 20-minute timer goes off, drain the water from the sweet potatoes. Place them back into the same pot that you used to cook them, and add the butter, cream, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Use either a potato masher or a wooden spoon to mash the potatoes, and then stir them to combine.

Now, the sweet potato mixture should be good to go. It may already look good enough to eat, but there are still a few more steps that you will need to take before you dig in.

Grab a 9x13-inch baking dish, and pour in the sweet potato mixture. Spread it evenly in the dish, and then top it with shredded cheese. The last layer that you need to add to the casserole is the bacon. Again, try to spread it out as evenly as possible. Now, you have got yourself one fantastic casserole.

Pop the casserole into the oven, but before you do, double check to make sure that has finished preheating first. Set your timer for 10 minutes, and bake until the cheese melts. Now, you have a fantastic casserole to enjoy!

"This dish is great served at a holiday party among typical holiday food — I'm thinking of making this for Thanksgiving this year," Carli says. If you have any left, it's all good. "Leftovers store best in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days."