Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin

An enameled cast iron pan filled with sweet potatoes and cheese.

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin

Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin fuses Southern warmth with French elegance, creating a side dish brimming with rich flavors.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

Resting Time15

Total Time1 50

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $1.44 per serving

Equipment

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes peeled, black spots removed, sliced 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick on a mandoline
1 cup Muenster cheese shredded or finely cubed from a single, large block
1 tablespoon nutmeg fresh; plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic minced
4 tablespoons salted butter softened; divided
¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons herbs fresh; minced; any combination of thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, and rosemary
Kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a shallow enameled cast iron braiser with 1 tablespoon of salted butter.
To a saucepan, add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, cream, milk, chopped herbs, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the mixture is heated through. Cut the heat but leave atop the warm burner.
Begin a layering process using overlapping sweet potato rounds in the bottom of the braiser. Make sure the entire surface of the cast iron bottom is covered. Next, sprinkle with 1/3 of the nutmeg followed by 1/3 of the Muenster and 1/3 of the warm cream mixture. In the skillet, arrange the potatoes in an even layer.
Repeat with the remaining potatoes, nutmeg, Muenster cheese, and cream mixture to form 3 layers. Press down on the layers to completely submerge the sweet potatoes in the cream mixture and top with additional cheese and a very small final grind of nutmeg.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking until the cream has been absorbed, the potatoes are cooked through, and the top is browned, another 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Allow the gratin to stand for 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional fresh minced herbs if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead by several hours and cover with plastic film. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove from refrigeration 30 minutes before placing into fully preheated oven. Drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream over the potatoes if they have absorbed most of the original liquid. Continue with directions for baking as indicated in the recipe card.

Store Leftovers in an airtight container under refrigeration for up to 4 days. Reheat Leftovers in the microwave in one-minute increments or until heated all through.

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