So, what is the surprise in this Sweet Potato Surprise Bake? It’s actually nourishing and nutritious! Seriously! It’s much lower in fat than almost any other Christmastime dish, but without losing out on the holiday cheer when it comes to flavor! Delicate, mild cauliflower in a simple, rich parmesan sauce, mingles with the caramel-sweet and vitamin-packed sweet potatoes for a casserole that tastes like holiday indulgence without the delight-dampening drawbacks! You’ll surprise yourself with how much you love this Sweet Potato Surprise Bake!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
- 1 tablespoon sage, chopped, plus 20 whole fresh sage leaves, divided
- coarse salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- 1 head cauliflower, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- vegetable oil, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a small pot over medium heat, add the olive oil.
Step 3 –Add the flour and cook, while stirring, until the raw flour smell disappears and the flour is golden, about 1 minute.
Step 4 –Slowly add in the milk and the water while whisking and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes.
Step 5 –Transfer the pot from the heat.
Step 6 –Add 1/4 cup of the parmesan and 1 tablespoon of the chopped sage to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
Step 7 –Season the sauce mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 8 –In a 9×13-inch casserole dish, add 1/3 of the sauce.
Step 9 –Arrange 1/3 of the sweet potatoes and 1/3 of the cauliflower along the bottom of the dish, on top of the sauce layer.
Step 10 –Season the sweet potatoes and the cauliflower with the salt and the pepper.
Step 11 –Repeat the layers twice.
Step 12 –Cover the dish with parchment-lined foil and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.
Step 13 –Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Step 14 –Remove the foil and sprinkle the casserole with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 15 –Bake until the top is golden-brown, about 20 minutes.
Step 16 –Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes.
Step 17 –In a small pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 inch of the vegetable oil until it is shimmering slightly.
Step 18 –Add the remaining 20 whole sage leaves, a few at a time, to the hot oil cook until crisp but bright green, about 10 seconds.
Step 19 –Transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel to drain.
Step 20 –Repeat the frying process until all of the sage leaves are fried.
Step 21 –Season the sage leaves with the salt.
Step 22 –Serve the bake garnished with the fried sage leaves.
