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!
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.