I love sweet potatoes, but add Thanksgiving to the equation and my love turns to hate. I know, sounds harsh, but sugar doesn’t belong unless you are making a dessert, and everyone adds some form of sugar to this side dish. It’s tradition to be sure, but tradition doesn’t make it right and sometimes change for the right reason is good. Am I the only one who feels this way?
This year, I’m putting my foot down. The poor sweet potatoes that are passed around the Thanksgiving table each year, only for a small spoonful to be taken out of obligation, deserve something better. Luckily, this fix is pretty easy, and I’m sure everyone will be thanking you in the end.
Note: You might have to introduce this dish coupled with a slick table side marketing campaign. Years of skipping over the dish that looks orange (because you know it will be clad with hidden pecans, marshmallows or maple syrup) will take a real shift of the mindset. You’ve got to lure them in with the right key words and samples.
Sweet potatoes have a subtle natural sweetness all on their own, as do parsnips, so it’s only natural to counter this sweetness with all things savory. Add herbs, garlic, and a mix of sharp, earthy, nutty cheese, and you’ve got a new Thanksgiving crowd-pleaser.
Savory Sweet Potato Parsnip Au Gratin
This sweet potato Thanksgiving side dish is exactly the way it should be: savory! With lots of herbs and cheese, these sweet potatoes take the traditionally obligatory side dish to all new levels. Your guests will want seconds!
Ingredients
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed once with the back of a knife
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 T kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded or shaved parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2.5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3)
- 3 parsnips
- Some chopped thyme or chives for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside.
Perform steps in the order listed.
- Put the first 8 ingredients in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup (rosemary through pepper). Add the milk. Microwave on high for 3.5-4 minutes or until very hot. Stir well. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to steep.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into very thin slices (as thin as you can make them). Slice the onion into thin rounds and then in half (forming half circles). Peel the parsnips and slice into very thin rounds (as thin as you can make them).
- Shred the cheese. Combine the two shredded cheese varieties together. Set aside 1 cup of the combined shredded cheese to melt on the au gratin the last half of the oven cycle. The remaining cheese will go into the cheese sauce.
- In a sauce pan, over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly for one minute. The mixture should be bubbling. Strain in the milk (leaving the herb sprigs and garlic out) and stir to combine. Continue stirring until thickened into a pourable sauce consistency (just a few minutes). Once thickened, take the sauce off of the heat and stir in the shredded cheese (keep the one cup aside for later). Stir until you have a smooth cheese sauce. Set aside.
- In the prepared pan, put a single layer of sliced veggies in this order: potato, parsnip, onion, potato. Pour/Smear the top potato layer with half of the cheese sauce. Continue layering until you’ve used all of your veggies. If you run out of one veggie, keep going with the others, finishing with potatoes. Finish by smearing the top layer of potatoes with the rest of the cheese sauce. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Take the foil off and sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of cheese over the top. Put the casserole back in the oven, without foil, for 25 minutes.
- Once out of the oven, sprinkle with fresh herbs for garnish. Serve warm.
Notes
Depending on your slicing (the thinner the better on the potatoes, parsnips, and onion), cooking time may vary. You want the veggies to be tender but not completely mushy. Test the doneness at 50 minutes by sticking a fork in. If it needs more time, do it in 5 minute intervals and recover with foil if it’s getting too dark. Just be careful not to let the foil touch the cheese on top or you’ll end up cheese-less!
Happy Thanksgiving! If you include this side dish on your Thanksgiving table, tag #flourandco in your photo!
xo Emily
