Sweet Potato Gratin Stacks are a delicious way to change up your holiday side dishes without getting too far from the traditional favorites.
If you’re planning Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and already have a sweet potato casserole on your usual menu, these little stacks give you something different to serve.
Each stack has thin layers of sweet potatoes baked with cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and herbs. The potatoes turn tender in the middle, with golden cheese and slightly crispy edges on top.
They’re rich and savory, with just a little natural sweetness from the potatoes.
A standard muffin pan makes it easy to bake individual portions. You’ll also want a mandoline slicer to keep the potato slices thin and even, although a sharp knife works too.
These sweet potato gratin stacks are especially nice for a holiday dinner because everyone can take one or two without scooping from a casserole dish.
They go great with roast turkey, ham, prime rib, or just about any main dish you’re planning for a special meal.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Gratin Stacks Recipe
Individual Servings Make Holiday Meals Easier
Each person can take one or two stacks, so there’s no need to cut or scoop portions at the table. They’re also easy to arrange on a serving platter.
A Savory Alternative to Sweet Potato Casserole
If you’ve had enough marshmallows and brown sugar on your sweet potatoes, this recipe gives you a different option. Garlic, thyme, and Parmesan make these stacks savory without covering up the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
Creamy Centers With Golden Edges
The thin sweet potato slices bake until tender, and the Parmesan on top turns golden. You get a little crispness around the edges with soft, creamy layers underneath.
Great With Traditional Holiday Main Dishes
These stacks work great with roasted turkey, glazed ham, or prime rib. You can serve them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or a special Sunday dinner.
Ingredient Substitutions
Unsalted Butter
Salted butter works great if that’s what you have. Reduce the added salt slightly to keep the stacks from becoming too salty.
Heavy Cream
Half-and-half can replace heavy cream for a lighter sauce. The stacks won’t be quite as rich, but they’ll still be creamy.
Parmesan Cheese
Grated Pecorino Romano works as a substitute, although it has a stronger, saltier taste. You can also use grated Gruyère for a milder, creamy cheese topping.
Fresh Thyme Leaves
Use ⅓ teaspoon dried thyme in place of the fresh thyme. Dried thyme has a more concentrated taste, so you won’t need as much.
Ground Nutmeg
You can leave out the nutmeg if you don’t have any. The garlic, thyme, and Parmesan still give the stacks plenty of flavor.
Fresh Parsley
Fresh chives make a nice substitute for parsley. You can also skip the garnish entirely.
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Sweet Potato Gratin Stacks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled
- 3 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease all 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with a small amount of the melted butter.
- Slice the peeled sweet potatoes into even rounds about ⅛ inch thick using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining melted butter, heavy cream, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix with a wire whisk until combined.
- Add the sweet potato slices and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Gently toss until evenly coated.
- Stack the sweet potato slices evenly in the prepared muffin cups, pressing down gently. Fill each cup almost to the top.
- Spoon any remaining cream mixture evenly over the stacks.
- Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese over the tops.
- Cover the muffin pan loosely with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the tops are golden brown with slightly crispy edges.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven. Let the stacks rest in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Carefully loosen the edges with a thin spatula and lift each stack from the muffin pan.
- Transfer the stacks to a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Keep the Slices Even – Thin, evenly sliced sweet potatoes cook at the same rate and stack more neatly. A mandoline works great, but always use the safety guard. Don’t Overfill the Cups – Leave a little room at the top of each muffin cup so the cream mixture doesn’t spill over during baking. Use Freshly Grated Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan melts better than the shelf-stable powdered variety and gives the tops a nicer texture. Let Them Rest – Giving the stacks a few minutes to cool helps the layers stay together when you remove them from the muffin pan. Make Ahead – Bake the stacks a day before serving, cool, and refrigerate in a covered container. Reheat before serving.Storing and Reheating
Refrigerating – Store cooled sweet potato gratin stacks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheating in the Oven – Place the stacks in a baking dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Reheat at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through to 165°F. Remove the foil near the end to help the tops crisp up. Reheating in the Microwave – Place one or two stacks on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in short intervals until heated through to 165°F. The edges will be softer than when reheated in the oven. Freezing – Cool the baked stacks completely and freeze individually until firm. Transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The creamy layers may be slightly softer after freezing.Nutrition
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