A healthier, rustic sweet potato gratin with pears. Simply spiced and roasted to perfection, then finished with a drizzle of warmed honey and lemon juice.
Way back, I posted this simple roasted mashed sweet potato recipe. A sweet potato dish bare of the familiar marshmallow topping; it took inspiration from Batata Mashwaya (Egyptian roasted sweet potatoes of my childhood).
And today, in this sweet potato gratin, again I intentionally ditch the marshmallows!
Sweet, almost honey-like, pears marry wonderfully with earthy sweet potatoes. And as the two roast together, natural sugars are drawn out. Magic happens!
The gist of this sweet potato gratin
Pears and sweet potato slices are tossed together in extra virgin olive oil (and a little melted butter) and seasoned with rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon.
You can arrange them in a gratin dish however you like, making sure not to crowd the dish. I like to arrange them in my cast iron skillet in circles following the shape of the skillet.
Once roasted to fork tender, I finish the sweet potato gratin with a simple drizzle of warmed honey and lemon juice, crumbled Gorgonzola, walnuts, and raisins.
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Pear and Sweet Potato Gratin
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
A healthier, rustic sweet potato gratin with pears. Simply spiced and roasted to perfection, then finished with a drizzle of warmed honey and lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick-rounds
- 1 large Bosc pear, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick-rounds
- 3 tbsp Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil combined with 1 tbsp melted butter
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, more for later
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, more for later
- 3 tbsp quality honey
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- Toasted walnuts or pecans, a handful
- Raisins, a handful
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the potato and pear slices. Add the olive oil and melted butter mixture. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon. Toss to combine
- Arrange the seasoned potato and pear slices in a gratin dish or large cast iron skillet.
- Bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from oven.
- Place the honey in a small bowl and warm briefly in the microwave (about 20 seconds or so in 50% power). Stir lemon juice into warmed honey, then drizzle all over the pear and potato gratin. And if you like, sprinkle a tiny pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Add Gorgonzola cheese and a handful of toasted walnuts and raisins. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recommended for this Recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives). Organic rosemary and all-natural nutmeg.
- SAVE! Try our Greek Olive Oil Bundle and Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle, or create your own 6-pack or 3-pack of fresh, all-natural and organic spices!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Sides
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
More Recipes to Try:
Roasted Mashed Potatoes with Thyme and Molasses
Ciao Suzy, gorgonzola and pears, gorgonzola and nuts, a very yummy combination 😋, I cannot wait to try your recipe! Greetings from Arad, Romania!
Hope you love it!
Any suggestions for a substitute for the gorgonzola cheese? We have a family member who can’t have cow’s milk, but can tolerate sheep’s and goat’s milk cheese.
Thank you for sharing! Look forward to trying for the holidays!
Hi, Amy! I think either goat cheese or a sheep’s milk feta would work well here in place of the gorgonzola. If you give either a try, please stop back and share your thoughts!!
This tasted better than I could imagine. I’d never used garganzola cheese before and it added the right amount of “zip” that was needed. Excellent!
This sounds so delicious, but I’m having 10 people for Thanksgiving. Can this be doubled and made in a larger pan?
YES! Absolutely, Anne. This is such a simple recipe, you can certainly double everything and adjust things to your taste. Watch the backing time. Enjoy.
Hello, Suzy.
What a perfect timing! We have a sweet potato stocked in the kitchen right now. Hopefully, I am gonna make it tomorrow evening. Thank you for this wonderful recipe, Suzy.
Enjoy, Susana!
A delicious dish! When I’m cooking the Holiday turkey dinners my daughter would disown me if I didn’t include a very similar dish! I haven’t tried it with the pears, next time I will! The rest of the ingredients are the same.
Thanks so much, Rod! Simple dishes are always best, aren’t they?
This sounds like a very interesting combination. It would be the perfect side to brunch or dinner. Perfect flavours for the upcoming holiday season.
Thanks, Gloria. Enjoy
Yum! This sounds like the perfect warm and delicious fall comfort food. Who needs the marshmallows when you have these ingredients??!
I know, right?! Thanks, Tara
Oh, how I love sweet potatoes. And this recipe looks so delicious with the combination of spices and a pear!
Wow, perfect for fall. Love the sweet and savory combo!
Thanks, Matt!
This sounds so delicious! Great recipe for Thanksgiving
It’s on the Thanksgiving menu over here! Thanks, Serena!