This paleo sweet potato au gratin is made with roasted fall vegetables that are all in season, flavorful, and extremely hearty and delicious. The crunchy pecans and warm notes from the cinnamon and cardamom tie everything together so well. This dish is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30, and can be made vegan.
Why is this paleo sweet potato casserole so great?
- It is the perfect accompaniment to any main course
- Thanksgiving side dish? Christmas side dish? Yes, checking both boxes.
- It is all made in one pan. The prep and clean up is quick and easy.
- A wonderful combo of both sweet and savory.
- Versatility. If you have leftovers, throw a few fried eggs on top, and it makes for a fabulous breakfast!
One of my favorite parts of this dish is the fact there is no added sweetener. It is technically Whole30 compliant and the perfect addition to your holiday menu game plan.
It isn't a traditional sweet potato casserole with mashed sweet potatoes and a crumb topping.
Instead, it is very light and roasted in a delicious bath of spices and fat. Yum! 🙂
What roasted fall vegetables are inside paleo sweet potato au gratin?
This apple and sweet potato gratin is made with a short list of really wonderful ingredients. It's made with some of my favorite fall vegetables like sweet potatoes and delicata squash.
Absolutely feel free to use yams or white sweet potatoes... they are both great for this paleo sweet potato casserole.
Also, making an appearance inside this side dish are:
- Apples
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Ghee
- Pecans
What substitutions can I make in this paleo sweet potato casserole?
- If you don't like cardamom, omit it.
- Do not skip the pecans
- Use pears instead of apples
- Coconut oil can be used instead of ghee
- Using a larger casserole dish, see notes.
I wouldn't recommend doing too many substitutions though because I tested the recipe as is, and it is so dang wonderful this way.
Do let me know if you make other substitutions, what they are, and how they turned out though.
You know what else may be at my table this year? These lightened up, brown butter mashed sweet potatoes. Seriously, could they look any more heavenly and de-lish??
How to make paleo sweet potato au gratin
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ¼" thick rounds and set aside. Core apples, cut into ⅛" thick slices, and set aside. Cut delicata squash in half vertically and scoop the seeds and stringy bits. Cut into ¼" thick half moons.
In an 8x8" or 9x13" casserole dish, add the sweet potatoes, apples, and delicata squash. Stir to combine and disperse. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together ¼ cup ghee, water, cinnamon, and cardamom until well combined. Remove from heat.
Pour over the sweet potatoes, apples, and squash. Stir until everything is coated evenly. Cover with foil or a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and add chopped pecans and stir. Cook for another 12-15 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Remove from the oven and stir well. Add the last tablespoon of ghee and salt. Stir and taste for additional salt if you'd like. Serve warm.
More easy Thanksgiving sides like this:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash
Green Beans with Pumpkin Alfredo & Olives
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Kale
Paleo Sweet Potato Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 3 small sweet potatoes about 12 ounces
- 2 Fuji or Gala apples about ½ pound
- 1 medium delicata squash about ½ pound
- ⅓ cup filtered water
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon ghee, split
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup pecan halves chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ¼" thick rounds and set aside. Core apples, cut into ⅛" thick slices, and set aside. Cut delicata squash in half vertically and scoop the seeds and stringy bits. Cut into ¼" thick half moons.
- In an 8x8" or 9x13" casserole dish, add the sweet potatoes, apples, and delicata squash. Stir to combine and disperse. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together ¼ cup ghee, water, cinnamon, and cardamom until well combined. Remove from heat.
- Pour over the sweet potatoes, apples, and squash. Stir until everything is coated evenly. Cover with foil or a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and add chopped pecans and stir. Cook for another 12-15 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and stir well. Add the last tablespoon of ghee and salt. Stir and taste for additional salt if you'd like. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don't like cardamom, omit it.
- You can use pears instead of apples.
- Coconut oil can be used instead of ghee.
- If you'd like to use an 8x10" or 9x13" casserole dish, be sure to adjust the cooking time. I'd start checking on the dish 5 minutes earlier.
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