spicy sweet potato & pineapple casserole on brown plate with blue and brown striped cloth underneath

Spicy Sweet Potato & Pineapple Casserole

Written by on in Appetizer, Recipes, Side Dish
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This spicy sweet potato & pineapple casserole is just beautiful to look at. I love bringing this to any family gathering. It always brings ooh & aah’s as people ask what that beautiful dish is. This casserole’s spice can be toned down or dialed up to your own liking. I use jalapeños from my own garden, so they are sometimes not as spicy as some you can get at the store. I also love substituting Serrano peppers which are a little spicer than jalapeños. I don’t always grow these though, and you might not either, so for this recipe, it will use jalapeños .

As I have said in my other posts with sweet potato balls and dip, sweet potatoes are so good for you. Try and find new ways to bring this wonderful vegetable into your family’s menu. They pack so many nutrients and fiber. They are easy to mash and add to soups as a thickener, and no one even needs to know! It will be our little secret. 🤫

Some may wonder if sweet potato is really the correct word for these root vegetables. I know many people call those with orange inner flesh yams(but they really aren’t), and those with a light yellow flesh or orange flesh sweet potatoes. I have used both the light yellow flesh and the orange flesh. I like the orange flesh because they look so pretty contrasting with the yellow pineapple and green onions. The nutritional content and fiber is very similar, so if you think your kids will not in a million years try this with an orange vegetable in it, then make it with the yellow flesh and tell them they are golden potatoes. 😉

This casserole is easiest if you use an Instant Pot to pre-cook the sweet potatoes. Otherwise, this casserole would take too long to bake in my opinion. Simply, peel your sweet potatoes and thinly slice them. Place them in your instant pot on top of your metal trivet. Then add 1 cup of water. Seal the lid and make sure the vent is sealed and cook on manual for 3 minutes. Let it naturally de-pressure for 2-3 minutes. Then quick release the pressure. CAREFULLY drain out the water as it is very, very hot. Then let the sliced sweet potatoes cool a little before handling for this recipe.

spicy sweet potato and pineapple casserole in a white dish with some up close on a spoon

Spicy Sweet Potato & Pineapple Casserole

A sweet and spicy casserole filled with sweet potatoes, pineapple, green onions, and cheese baked in a spicy cream sauce with jalapeños and cumin seeds and topped with Panko crumbs.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot with trivet
  • 1 medium casserole dish with tall sides
  • 1 small saucepan
  • cutting board, knives, spoons
  • measuring cups, spoons, utensils, etc

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced I like to do 3 just in case, always better to have more than not enough
  • 1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
  • 1/2 C green onions, thinly sliced I use the green tops and the bulb of the onions
  • 2/3 C Mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1/3 C Parmesan cheese, grated

Cream Sauce

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed do NOT sub cumin powder, it will not work correctly in this recipe
  • 1 C whipping cream I use normal whipping cream, not heavy
  • 1 large Jalapeños, finely chopped and de-seeded I use 2-3 small jalapeños from my garden
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Panko Crumb Topping

  • 1/3 C Panko Crumbs
  • 2 tsp olive oil I like to use a robust flavor

Instructions
 

  • In your instant pot with a trivet, place your thinly sliced and peeled sweet potatoes on the trivet. Pour in 1 C water. Seal the lid making sure the vent is also sealed. Manually cook for 2 minutes. Let naturally depressure for 2-3 minutes. Then quick release. CAREFULLY drain out the water(make sure to wear an oven mitt because the steam coming out is very hot) and set aside.
  • Cut up half of a fresh pineapple into small chunks. (Use the other half for another recipe). Set aside. Cut up the green onions and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese together. Set aside.
  • In a small sauce pan, heat the cumin seeds for about a minute on medium heat or until they are fragrant if less than 1 minute(do not add oil, just dry roast them in the pan). Pour in cream and stir. Add jalapeños, minced garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Stir until heated through. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium casserole dish that has been greased(I use butter), place half of the sweet potatoes, pineapple, and green onions. Add half the cheese mixture. Repeat.
    layers of sweet potatoes, pineapple, green onions, and cheese in a white casserole dish
  • Pour the cream sauce on top of the layers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
    spicy cream sauce pouring our of a sauce pan into layered casserole
  • In small bowl, mix panko crumbs and olive oil. After the 25 minutes is done, remove from oven and take off the aluminum foil. Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top. Return to over for another 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling all around.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

This recipe can be made with yellow fleshed sweet potatoes too.  You can also use serrano peppers, or another of your liking.
I also love eating this as leftovers for breakfast.  
Keyword appetizer, Christmas casserole, colorful, Easter side dish, easy fruit dip, pineapple, side dish, spicy sweet potato & pineapple casserole, sweet potato, Thanksgiving side dish, vegetables

I buy these Panko crumbs at Walmart. They are super cheap and taste great in lots of recipes.

I hope you enjoy making this dish for a family dinner or gathering. This makes the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and Easter dinners.

Happy Baking!

Emma

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