For your holiday table consideration, today I give you this absolutely divine Sweet Potato & Pineapple Gratin. It’s savory. It’s sweet. It’s even just a little spicy – it’s so perfect (in my humble opinion) and I’m really trying to campaign for it’s replacement of the sugar-shooketh marshmallow-topped version of sweet potato casserole that you so often see on our holiday tables (at least in the South you tend to).

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Now, I actually do love the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole – I mean, come on – but it’s always so so SO very sweet that I tend to see it more as a dessert than some appropriate side dish, all buddied up to the turkey and green bean casserole. So, I found a version of this sweet potato gratin in a recent publication of Better Homes and Gardens, and I wanted to give my own adaptation a spin.

And boy am I glad I did. This recipe is so great, guys. I think you’re going to love it as much as we have in my house.

What is a Gratin?

Traditionally speaking, the word “gratin” is a culinary technique/term in which a focal ingredient is topped with a crust that is browned in the oven, often consisting of breadcrumbs, grated cheese. The browning is most often accomplished via the usage of a fat, such as butter or oil, however sometimes eggs are used as well.

Gratins originated in French cuisine and are typically prepared in a shallow dish of some kind (more on this shortly).

Popular Gratin Recipes

Potatoes au Gratin is probably the most well-known iteration of gratin, however you’ll see gratin of all sorts of things, from savory to even sweet (technically, an apple crisp could be considered a gratin).

I have a FANTASTIC Hasselback Potato Gratin here that is unbeatable – such a cool way to serve a potato gratin.

Squash Gratin

Cauliflower Gratin (Like my Golden Cauliflower Gratin with Hazelnuts)

Tomato Gratin

What is the best dish to use when making a gratin?

You can actually purchase dishes that are labeled as “gratin” dishes – which are clearly a perfect choice here. But really, any relatively shallow baking dish of the appropriate size will get the job done.

Here’s the one featured in these photos …

Ingredients in a Gratin

Base: this can be ANYTHING! Truly. Here, we’re going traditional with the potato component, but then straying from the norm by adding in a fun cheese, a sweet, fruity element, and a spicy bite as well.

Creamy Liquid/Binding Component: Here, we’re using cream baby. Garlic infused cream, in fact.

Seasonings and Aromatics: These are things like herbs or veggies that act as the flavor base of the whole she-bang. In this sweet potato gratin, we’ll use green onions and garlic, salt, cumin, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Cheese: Obviously. A gratin has to have cheese! (okay fine, at least to me it does). I’m in love with the flavor that the punchy, tangy feta adds to this dish. It’s perfect here.

Crunchy Topping: PANKO! PANKO! PANKO!

How to Make this Sweet Potato Gratin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Grease or spray a 2 quart baking or gratin dish.

Place a layer of sweet potatoes down in the dish, followed by 3 or 4 slices of pineapple. Scatter half of the green onions over top, followed by half of the feta. Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes, pineapple, green onions, and feta.

Meanwhile, add the cream, garlic, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper to a small saucepan set over medium heat, stirring frequently. Allow it to come to a slight bubble (it can scald so just watch it). When it’s hot, pour the cream mixture evenly over the gratin. Combine the panko and oil in a small bowl, mix to fully moisten, and then top the gratin with the breadcrumbs. Cover with foil and bake the gratin for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes more, uncovered. You’re looking for a nicely golden brown crust and very tender, well-cooked potatoes.

So, whether you choose to serve this wonderful sweet potato and pineapple gratin on your Thanksgiving table, or just on an ordinary weeknight, it’s going to earn rave reviews from all who try it. The spice from the pickled jalapeños, the sweet bursts from the juicy pineapple slices, and the thick layers of thinly sliced sweet potato – not to mention that tangy feta – all work together in such great harmony.

I LOVE this recipe, and can’t wait to see what you guys think. Happy baking!