If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food side dish, this Fully Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole is it. Twice-baked for extra flavor and topped with crispy bacon and melted cheddar, it’s hearty enough to steal the spotlight from the main dish. One of my favorites, this sweet potato side dish is on every holiday table in my house!
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My Fully Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole combines the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes with smoky bacon, tangy sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese. The result is creamy, savory, and just a little indulgent, just like your favorite loaded baked potato but with a sweet potato twist.
Perfect for holidays, potlucks, or Sunday dinners, this dish is guaranteed to disappear fast. Serve it hot from the oven with extra green onions and a dollop of sour cream for a casserole that’s cozy, filling, and downright irresistible.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes – You need 3 ½- 4 pounds of sweet potatoes.
- Bacon – You can use thick-cut. Use plain bacon, not flavored like pepper or maple.
- Green onions
- Cheddar cheese – I almost always shred my own cheese these days. Use a rotary grater and it takes hardly any time.
- Sour cream
- Egg – An extra large egg will also work.
- Salt – I cook with kosher salt. If your bacon is salty, drop down to 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt.
- Smoked paprika – Want a bit of spice? Use hot smoked paprika.
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Place the sweet potatoes on the sheet and prick them all over with a fork or paring knife. Bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
While the sweet potatoes bake, cook the bacon. Start with a cold cast-iron skillet to render the fat evenly, then cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy, 10–12 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon fat if you’d like to save it for another recipe.
Scoop the flesh from the cooled sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl, discarding the skins. Break the potatoes into chunks with a silicone spatula. I like to leave them a bit chunky and rustic for texture.
Add half of the cooked bacon, ¾ cup of the green onions, two-thirds of the shredded cheddar, sour cream, egg, salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Mix until combined. A heavy-duty wooden spoon works great here, folding everything together without overmashing.
Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart baking dish, leaving the surface slightly textured. Sprinkle the remaining bacon and cheddar evenly over the top.
Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling around the edges. Garnish with extra green onions and a dollop of sour cream before serving.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Bake the sweet potatoes directly on the foil-lined pan for maximum caramelization. You can bake them 2-3 days ahead of time, too.
- Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for the best flavor contrast against the sweet potatoes.
- If you like spice, add a pinch of cayenne or swap in pepper jack cheese.
recommended
Make It A Meal
Pair this casserole with roasted chicken, baked ham, or grilled steaks. Add a crisp side salad or roasted green beans for balance, and you’ve got a hearty meal that’s both comforting and impressive. Or, serve it with your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and watch it get gobbled up!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or microwave individual portions for quick meals.
Chef Jenn’s Fully Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes 3 ½ to 4 pounds
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¾ cup green onions chopped, plus more for serving
- 6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- ½ cup sour cream plus more for serving
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C), and line a baking sheet with foil. Prick the sweet potatoes and bake until tender, for about 1 hour. Cool slightly.
- Cook the bacon in a cold skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Drain the fat.
- Scoop sweet potato flesh into a large bowl and break into chunks.
- Stir in half the bacon, ¾ cup green onions, ⅔ of the cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, paprika, and pepper until combined.
- Transfer the mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish, leaving the surface roughly textured.
- Sprinkle with remaining bacon and cheese over the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
- Garnish with extra green onions and a dollop of sour cream before serving.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Bake the sweet potatoes directly on the foil-lined pan for maximum caramelization. You can bake them 2-3 days ahead of time, too.
- Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for the best flavor contrast against the sweet potatoes.
- If you like spice, add a pinch of cayenne or swap in pepper jack cheese.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.