Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

In our opinion, apples and sweet potatoes go together like peanut butter and jelly. Combine these two ingredients in one dish, and everyone will be happy. Here, we bake them together in a 13×9-inch pan with layers of brown sugar, spicy nutmeg and warming allspice. As they bake together, the produce slowly softens while their juices meld with the sugar and spices, creating a caramelly sauce. Out comes a sweet potato and apple casserole that’s a wholesome, cozy side dish for cold evenings.

Serve the apple sweet potato bake as a side dish with a roasted main, like apple cider pork chops, roasted lamb or a Sunday roast chicken. If it feels too sweet for dinner, though, serve it as dessert. It’s just sweet enough for anyone who doesn’t like something heavy, but dress it up with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream for those who prefer something substantial.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

• Cooked sweet potatoes: Raw sweet potatoes won’t fully cook through here, so boil or bake them before adding them to the casserole. You can also use canned sweet potatoes.
• Tart apples: Buy two large apples from the store. Make sure they’re a tart, firm variety, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Slice them to the same thickness as the sweet potatoes.
• Brown sugar: The deep sweetness of brown sugar pairs well with sweet potatoes and apples. I don’t recommend using granulated sugar as a swap. You won’t get that caramelly, molasses flavor.
• Ground nutmeg: Nutmeg adds warmth and richness to sweet potato and apple casserole. Ground nutmeg works great, but freshly grated nutmeg is wonderfully powerful.
• Ground allspice: Ground allspice really rounds out the sweet and savory flavor profile of this dish.
• Butter: You’ll only need 1 tablespoon of butter here, which helps create the sauce. Use unsalted butter so you can better control the flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Layer the potatoes and apples

In a greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish, layer half of the sweet potatoes and apples.

Step 2: Combine the other ingredients and layer

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle half over sweet potatoes and apples and dot with half the butter. Repeat these layers.

Step 3: Cover and bake

Cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the apples are tender.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole Variations

• Add cinnamon: Sweet cinnamon infuses this sweet potato and apple casserole with a bit more warmth and depth. Take or leave this suggestion if you’re serving this as a side dish, but definitely include a few shakes of cinnamon if this is tonight’s dessert.
• Top with nuts: Crunchy pecans or walnuts add a nice texture to the sweet potato and apple casserole. Toast the nuts in butter before adding them as a topping for a richer, nuttier flavor.
• Make it vegan: This casserole is almost vegan—just swap regular butter for vegan butter, and use vegan brown sugar. You can also DIY vegan brown sugar with coconut sugar and vegan-friendly molasses.

How to Store Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

After cooking your sweet potato and apple casserole, let the food cool completely to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The casserole will last for up to four days.

Can you freeze the sweet potato and apple casserole?

Yes, you can freeze sweet potato and apple casserole, but be sure to leave off any toppings. Prepare the recipe in a foil pan, up until the step where the casserole should go in the oven.  Then, tightly wrap the top with storage wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It’ll stay good for at least three months as long as it’s completely sealed. Remove the wrappings and bake it in the oven whenever you’d like.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole Tips

How do I serve sweet potato and apple casserole?

Serve sweet potato and apple casserole as a side dish or dessert. It’s excellent with holiday mains, like the Christmas ham or Thanksgiving turkey. I love this impressive side dish with an equally show-stopping holiday crown pork roast or plum-glazed lamb. Need something a bit simpler? Just roast a beef or pork tenderloin.

This sweet potato and apple casserole can double as dessert, too! By itself, it’s just sweet enough to pass as dessert, like a sweet potato marshmallow casserole. Zhuzh it up with a scoop of the best vanilla ice cream or a healthy pour of creme anglaise.

What apples should I use for the sweet potato and apple casserole?

The best apples for this sweet potato and apple casserole are tart, crisp apples. Avoid anything bland and mealy, like a Red Delicious, or it’ll turn to mush as it bakes (these apples are best for homemade applesauce!). Basically, any apples best for apple pie are good contenders for this casserole, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.