If you’re looking for something a little new and different to make for the holidays, serve as a side dish for dinner or even brunch, then I’ve got the recipe for you.
These cheesy scalloped sweet potatoes are made with a creamy gouda cheese and chipotle chile sauce for a hint of heat and smoky flavor.
This recipe was inspired by Abra’s old roommate Kiltie, or as we like to call her Kilter Krocker. She’s basically the savory version of Betty Crocker and ridiculously adorable. After Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, Abra told me about these fabulous smoky chipotle gouda scalloped sweet potatoes that Kiltie made for their Friendsgiving party.
I haven’t stopped thinking about these sweet potatoes since, so I recreated them with a few slight tweaks they came out amazingly delicious. Your next side dish for your Thanksgiving menu, perhaps?!
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What’s the difference between scalloped and au gratin potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes often use cheese, cream and sliced potatoes. On the other hand, potatoes au gratin usually have cheese between each layer and breadcrumbs on top; oftentimes they also are made with very thinly sliced potatoes. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter if you call them sweet potatoes au gratin or scalloped sweet potatoes, because they’re going to be delicious either way.
Everything you’ll need to make these scalloped sweet potatoes
You’re going to love how simple the ingredients are for this recipe. Sweet potatoes, cheese, some chipotle chiles, and BOOM, you’ve got yourself an epic side dish. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Sweet potatoes: we’re slicing up 3 large sweet potatoes into these cute little rounds.
- Butter & flour: you’ll start by making your sauce with butter and flour, which will help to thicken it up. Feel free to use gluten free flour to keep the recipe gluten free.
- Milk: feel free to use any milk you’d like to give the sauce creaminess.
- Cheese: I love how unique and delicious smoked gouda cheese makes these scalloped sweet potatoes, but feel free to use shredded sharp cheddar for a more traditional flavor.
- Chipotle chiles: for an extra kick of smoky flavor you’ll add the sauce from a can of chipotle chiles. It’s not spicy!
- Garlic: don’t forget some fresh garlic for added flavor.
- Spices: we’re just using plenty of salt and pepper to taste to bring out all of the other flavors.
- To garnish: I like to top these potatoes with a little fresh parsley.
Can I make them vegan or dairy free?
Sure! Feel free to use vegan butter, dairy free milk (I like cashew milk for this recipe for extra creaminess), and your favorite vegan cheese to make this recipe both vegan and dairy free.
Jazz up your scalloped sweet potatoes
There are a few easy ways you can really make these potatoes your own! Here’s what I suggest:
- Add bacon or ham. Make them extra savory by adding 6-8 ounces of cooked, chopped bacon or ham to the cheese sauce or onto the potatoes before pouring the sauce.
- Switch up your cheeses. As I mentioned, feel free to swap the smoked gouda for a sharp cheddar or even your favorite spicy cheese. The chipotle chile sauce is also optional if you’re not a fan of that smoky flavor.
- Add a little crunch. If you want a crunchy topping, add some breadcrumbs or even crushed up Ritz crackers to the top after pouring the cheese sauce.
Don’t forget these tips for au gratin or scalloped sweet potatoes
- Evenly slice your sweet potatoes. Do your best to make sure your sweet potato slices are even and about 1/8 inch thick so that they cook evenly. A mandolin makes this super easy!
- Don’t squish them. You don’t want the sweet potato slices to be overly tight, so make sure you leave enough space so the slices are slightly slanted.
- Shred the cheese. Do this by hand instead of using pre-shredded. It will melt much better because pre-shredded cheeses contain stabilizers.
- Season as needed. When you’re done mixing together your gouda cheese sauce, be sure to taste it and add more salt and pepper as you see fit. Everyone has a slightly different preference for saltiness, so you be the judge and remember it’s coating lots of potatoes.
How to make scalloped sweet potatoes
- Prep your sweet potatoes. Slice 3-4 large sweet potatoes into 1/8th inch thick rounds and layer in slanted rows in a greased 8×8 inch pan. You don’t want to pack them overly tight so that they stand up in straight rows — slanted is best!
- Make the sauce. Make your cheesy gouda chipotle sauce by combining butter, flour and milk of choice in a saucepan until it resembles a creamy gravy. Stir in gouda cheese and chipotle chile sauce then pour over sweet potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
- Top, bake & serve. Add a little more cheese on top, then broil until bubbly. Garnish the scalloped sweet potatoes with parsley. Serve immediately!
Make them ahead of time
You can absolutely make these scalloped sweet potatoes a day ahead of time! Simply pour the sauce over the sweet potatoes as directed, then cover the potatoes with foil and instead of baking, place in the fridge until ready to bake.
Storing & reheating tips
- To store: simply store these scalloped sweet potatoes in the refrigerator in individual, airtight containers or cover the entire pan and place it in the refrigerator. They’ll stay good for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: reheat individual portions in the microwave or place the pan back in the oven until heated through.
More healthy side dishes you might like
- Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Dad’s Creamy & Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
- Scallion Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms
- Caramelized Garlic Carrots with Spicy Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Get all of my side dishes here!
If you make these chipotle gouda scalloped sweet potatoes, please take the time to leave a comment below and rate the recipe, it helps us and other readers know how you liked the recipe. Thank you!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Chipotle Gouda Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- For the sweet potatoes:
- 3 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/8th inch thick rounds
- For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons salted butter (or sub vegan butter)
- ¼ cup flour (whole wheat, all purpose, or gluten free 1:1 flour will all work)
- 2 cups milk (skim, 2% or whole milk)
- 8 ounces smoked gouda cheese OR sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 3-4 tablespoons sauce from the can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, depending how spicy you like it
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For topping:
- 2 ounces smoked gouda (or sub sharp cheddar), shredded (about 1/2 cup)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- To garnish:
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter or oil.
- Arrange sweet potatoes: Place sliced sweet potatoes in three tight slanted rows as indicated in the photos. You don’t want them to be overly tight, make sure you leave enough space so the sweet potato slices are slightly slanted.
- Make the sauce: add in 3 tablespoons of butter and place over medium heat. Once butter melts, whisk in the flour and cook for 10-20 seconds until a paste forms, then very slowly add 2 cups of the milk, while you continue to whisk away any lumps. You’ll need to whisk pretty vigorously but it should smooth out easily.
- Once smooth, bring mixture to a simmer for a few minutes, stirring every so often until sauce thickens up a bit, similar to a gravy. If it gets too thick, add in a few tablespoons more milk. Taste sauce and add more salt as needed.
- Once thick, turn off the heat and stir in 2 cups shredded gouda cheese (reserving 1/2 cup for later), garlic powder and 3 tablespoons of the sauce from the can of chipotle chiles. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste. After tasting the sauce, you can decide if you want to kick it up a notch and add in 1 more tablespoon of the chipotle sauce. I definitely recommend it!
- Pour the sauce evenly over the sweet potatoes to cover them. Don’t worry, the sauce will get nice and creamy while baking.
- Cover the pan with foil, then bake for 45 minutes-1 hour. The sweet potatoes are done when the middle sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Once they are done baking, remove the foil, sprinkle ½ cup remaining gouda cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese on top, then turn on the broiler in your oven and broil on high for 1-2 minutes (watching carefully so they don't burn!) or until cheese is nice and melted and slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on April 14th, 2019, and republished on November 15th, 2023.
This is a wonderful recipe. I do not care for sweet potatoes but was asked to bring them to an Easter dinner. They were a hit and I even had 2 helpings of them myself. I am inspired to try this with cauliflower as a substitute for the sweet potatoes. I will definitely be making these again for a special occasion.
So happy to hear that! Let me know if you give it a try with cauliflower 🙂
How long would you bake this in a 350 oven?
You’ll likely need to add about 15 or so minutes of baking time. Just check to see when they’re fork-tender!
So delicious and love that it’s a different way to prepare sweet potatoes. I’m adding this to our Thanksgiving menu.
Absolutely! Hope everyone loves it 🙂
This is hard to follow and does not have the amounts of each indigent.
Hi! Please make sure you scroll all the way down to the full recipe card where you’ll find the ingredient amounts and detailed instructions. I list them within the blog post to explain what each ingredient is for and to just give an overview. You can also click “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page to find the actual, full recipe.
This was even more delicious than I thought it would be, and I am pretty sure that even sweet potato haters would like this if they gave it a try! The Adobo sauce is perfect in this, and although I didn’t have smoked gouda, I am sure that would make it even better! I used a 4-cheese mexican blend and half & half since that was all I had. I halved the recipe since it was just me and my husband, and it was gobbled up! I sesrved it with smoked pork chops brushed with a honey mustard glaze that baked at the same time, perfect pairing!
Amazing! That sounds like the perfect meal!
Came across this recipe today and I LOVE sweet potatoes! My office has a Holiday potluck coming up in about 2 weeks and I’m wondering how you think these would be made in a crockpot, or if any of your followers may have done them in the crockpot?
Hi Heather! Hmmm I’m not 100% sure how these would turn out in the crockpot after lining them up. I think baking them is what gives them that ooey-gooey cheese factor on top!
This was the hit of my Thanksgiving dinner and even got better as a leftover!
YAY! Glad you gave this one a try and are loving it – Thanks SO much for your comment!
I made this dish to bring to a Friendsgiving and it was such a hit! I used GF flour to make it GF for friends who were attending and it was very easy to make that swap. You’ll definitely want a mandolin for the potatoes. The sauce was phenomenal. After pouring it over the potatoes, I literally licked it out of the pan with a spatula – no regrets!!
Ahh this is amazing, Lacey. SO glad everyone loved this recipe and it turned out great!
This was such a delicious recipe. I am going to dd it to our Thanksgiving rotation.
Thank you!
Beth
YAY! Glad you are loving this recipe!
I’ve made these for two thanksgivings in a row and they are a hit. The only dish that completely was gone both times and I double the recipe! Do not sleep on these. Not your traditional sweet potato side dish but one that will leave an impression. Didn’t change a single thing. My favorite recipe from Monique!!
Aw thanks, Lauren! I’m SO happy that everyone loved them (and finished the whole pan!!!)
Are russet potatoes an option here? The flavor combination sounds good but I don’t like sweet potatoes.
Sure!
These were SO GOOD! We added add’l seasoning and used heavy cream — delicious! Definitely our new “party trick”
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
I just made this this… It is so delicious that I am speechless!
Thank you for this recipe!
Love it! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I have been making a very similar recipe as yours for decades on Thanksgiving. I add fresh cranberries and chopped walnuts on top. The cranberries add a bit of sweet tart and the walnuts add some crunch factor (along with all the goodness of walnuts). It’s been my alternative to those overly sweet candies yams everyone makes and became a hit Friendsgiving potluck dish over the years (I’ve been designated the sweet potatoes and the turkey person every year).
Love that! Sounds delicious 🙂
Can this be made a day ahead and placed in fridge overnight? Can’t wait to try
Yep! Check out the full blog post for instructions on how to do so 🙂
OMG! Absolutely incredible… makes me want to lick the plate. We put both white and sweet potatoes in as we have not really been big sweet potato fans… until now
Love that! So happy it was a hit!
This sounds amazing. I would like to fix it for dinner but not sure what to pair with it protein wise. It wouldn’t be for breakfast or a holiday.
Thanks
Check out the dinner category for some great options! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/dinner/
Had for dinner tonight and everyone devoured them! I did use extra chipotle sauce and added chopped peppers as well as everyone likes a kick!
Perfect! So good!
FLAVOR EXPLOSION! Growing up, I had never been a fan of the sweet potato… even with marshmallows…NO. While looking through Pinterest for side dishes, I came across this and knew I had to make it on Easter. It was seriously… LOVE AT FIRST BITE! The appearance, texture, and the TASTE were better than I could have imagined. Thank you for blessing our taste buds with this recipe!
So delicious! Glad you loved these!
I made some modifications to make this Plant Paradox compliant. This is so delicious and a major crowd pleaser. I’ve served this at two special occasions so far, and everyone raves.
Perfect! I’m glad everyone loves it!
We’re making these today to bring to dinner with friends! They love experimenting with new recipes on us, and we love doing it to them. We don’t know what they’re making but I’m sure it will be good and how could anyone hate these potatoes? Our meals end up pretty random sometimes but that’s the fun quirk of this friendship.
Such a great idea! I hope everyone loved these 🙂
My husband and I absolutely loved this recipe! It’s definitely going to be a staple around here for sure! Definitely not using skim milk next time because they came out a little watery but it was to be expected.
So easy and delicious 😀 Turned out perfectly. Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
Im going to try to make this for Easter brunch! Can I use any other form of gluten free flour (coconut flour, almond flour) or will it affect the flavors?
Sorry for the delay! I recommend using an all purpose gluten free flour such as Bob’s 1:1 flour. Coconut or almond flour will not work the same.
Thank you!