Finding healthy main courses isn’t really that challenging. You simply choose a protein, season it the way you want, and cook it. But side dishes on the other hand, now that’s tricky. How do you avoid all the heavy creamed, butter-filled, sugary options that are out there while still satisfying all your cravings? We realized this was a thing so that’s why we came up with Lighter Sweet Potato Casserole. It brings you the same smooth and sweet tastes that you’re used to, but with just a little less sugar and a great big crunch! So now you can sit down at dinner and feel good about all parts of your meal because Lighter Sweet Potato Casserole brings you everything you need!
![image 21809](https://exactlyhowlong.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/image-21809.png)
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup 1% milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, divided
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and microwave them, turning halfway through, until they are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 3 –Allow the potatoes to cool enough to touch.
Step 4 –Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
Step 5 –Add the butter, the milk, the maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of the paprika to the potatoes and use an electric hand mixer to mix until they are smooth.
Step 6 –Transfer the potato mixture to an 11×7-inch baking dish.
Step 7 –In a medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, the parmesan cheese, the sage, the remaining paprika, the salt, and the pepper and sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes.
Step 8 –Bake the casserole until it is heated through and the breadcrumbs are browned, about 15 minutes.
Step 9 –Serve.