Creamy, garlicky, and delicious scalloped sweet potato recipe that’s easy to make, while being Whole30 and paleo-friendly. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes really shines through with the help of garlic cream sauce.
I’m a huge fan of savory scalloped sweet potato recipes, and I prefer this dish over sweet potato casserole. I personally think that sweet potatoes are sweet enough, and they really don’t need any more sugar in them. For this year’s holiday season, I wanted to make a show stopping side dish that’s also a crowd pleaser, and these healthy scalloped sweet potatoes came out to be a true winner. It’s perfect for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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Easy Scalloped Sweet Potato Recipe
Because I don’t usually eat dairy, I created the best scalloped sweet potatoes without cream or cheese. You really can’t tell that they are paleo and Whole30! I decided to make a version of garlic butter scalloped sweet potatoes by using ghee instead of butter, and the result is an even more buttery flavor that really brings out the natural sweetness of this dish. All the layers are cooked tender by getting roasted in the sauce, and I just love the soft sweet texture combined with the crunchy pecan topping!
Ingredients in Dairy Free Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
While the process can take some time with the slicing and layering, the ingredients list for these Whole30 and paleo scalloped sweet potatoes are quite simple:
- sweet potatoes: You can use any type of sweet potatoes for this recipe.
- coconut milk: I recommend using full fat coconut milk for the most creamy texture.
- arrowroot starch: Tapioca starch can also be used if that’s what you have on hand.
- ghee: Make your own, or this is my favorite brand.
- garlic
- thyme
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
- pecans: You’ll need raw pecans for these healthy scalloped sweet potatoes.
How to Make Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel or clean the sweet potatoes well. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer, slice them into ⅛ inch thick rounds.
- Blend coconut milk and arrowroot starch together until the starch is dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add coconut milk, thyme, salt, and pepper, then stir until heated through and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, spoon some of the garlic cream sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
- Place the sweet potatoes in the dish in an even, overlapping layer.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the sweet potatoes. Tap the dish on the counter a few times so the sauce can seep down.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush ghee on the top layer of the potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Easy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
The point of using ghee and coconut milk is to make dairy free scalloped sweet potatoes without cream or butter. If you are fine with consuming dairy, then yes, you can use butter instead of ghee and heavy cream instead of coconut milk.
While I don’t recommend making the sauce ahead of time since it’ll separate when chilled, you can slice the sweet potatoes the night before. I would store them in water because sliced sweet potatoes dry out pretty easily.
However, if you want to make the whole dish ahead of time, that’s totally fine! You can make it up to 3 days ahead, then reheat it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
The leftovers of this savory scalloped sweet potatoes will stay good for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
If you enjoyed this scalloped sweet potato recipe, you may also like…
- Paleo & Whole30 Scalloped Potatoes (Vegan Option)
- Mini Paleo Sweet Potato Tarts
- Sweet Potato Crust Paleo Breakfast Pizza
- Candied Pecan Loaded Sweet Potatoes
- Bruschetta Sweet Potato Toast (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan)
Whole30 & Paleo Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lb sweet potatoes
- 1½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1/4 cup ghee plus more to brush (or coconut oil for vegan or AIP)
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1¼ tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper omit for AIP
- 1/2 cup chopped raw pecans omit for AIP
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel the sweet potatoes or scrub them clean if leaving the peel on. Use a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer to slice them into ⅛ inch thick rounds.
- In a blender, add coconut milk and arrowroot starch and blend until the starch is dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk mixture, thyme, salt, and pepper, then stir until heated through and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, spoon a little bit of the garlic cream sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
- Place the sweet potatoes in the dish in an even, overlapping layer until they are all nestled in.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the sweet potatoes. Tap the dish on the counter a few times so the sauce can coat the bottom layers.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush ghee on the top layer of the potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Video
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I made this for Thanksgiving. Totally prepped and cooked the day before and then reheated in the oven right before the big meal. It was great. I don’t like overly sweet dishes (that aren’t dessert). My mom agreed that it was good, so that is a win!
Amazing! Thanks so much for leaving a review!! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.