This AIP and Paleo Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin is a dairy free, grain free delight. It’s creamy, savory and sweet all at once and a delicious side dish that deserves a spot at your (holiday) table.

white squared casserole dish with sweet potato and fennel gratin with a crumb topping and garnished with fennel fronds. there is a large stainless steel serving spoon in the left corner of the dish which has removed a slice of the grain and a light beige cloth napkin to the left of the dish

Fennel and Japanese Murasaki Sweet Potatoes are the perfect pair. Like, wow. I just love the way these two ingredients compliment each other. In this recipe, caramelized onions join the two for an even more spectacular flavor combination. This Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin is actually quite simple but has such a depth of flavor that makes it seem so complex. It’s a delicious illusion and it’s sure to please.

Here are the main ingredients in this delicious Paleo Side Dish:

fennel and yellow onion – these are the base of this dish and are cooked low and slow until they are tender and caramelized before being mixed in with the coconut milk to form the sauce for the potatoes.
full fat, additive free coconut milk – you want to ensure that you’re using full fat here so that your “cheese” sauce is thick and creamy.
apple cider vinegar – this is used to add the acidity to the “cheese” sauce – don’t skip it!
dried basil, thyme, onion and garlic powder – these add a nice depth of flavor to the dish and compliment the fennel beautifully
Japanese sweet potatoes – Japanese Murasaki sweet potatoes have a reddish-purple skin with a white interior. Their texture is slightly dry and their flavor almost nutty. I recommend these over orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in this recipe for both the texture and the flavor! You can also use Hannah sweet potatoes here that also have a white flesh.
Lovebird Unsweetened Cereal – I use this to form the topping and it is delightful! The collagen in this cereal results in a crumb topping that is both crispy and gelatinous and cheese like (I know that sounds contradictory but trust me). It is so good! If you want to make this dish vegan, substitute the cereal for another topping like crushed plantain chips or AIP Sourdough Breadcrumbs. You can follow the same instructions below as for the cereal to make a crumb topping using these vegan alternatives.

mise en place for the sweet potato and fennel gratin including clear and white glass bowls with sliced sweet potatoes, sliced onion, sliced fennel, coconut milk and lovebird unsweetened cereal along with small wooden bowls with sea salt, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme and dried basil

Here’s how you make this Paleo Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin

Start by sautéing sliced onions in olive oil on medium heat until they’re caramelized – about ten minutes.
Add thinly sliced fennel, sea salt, thyme, basil, garlic and onion powder and a splash of water and allow the fennel to cook until tender.
Once fennel is tender, add in coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and bring to a simmer before adding in tapioca slurry to thicken the “cheese” sauce.
Immediately pour sauce over the sliced potatoes, using your hands to combine.
Transfer potatoes and the “cheesy” onion and fennel sauce into a large baking dish and bake in a preheated oven for an hour.
As it bakes, prepare crumb topping by adding cereal, sea salt and olive oil to a food processor and pulsing until the mixture makes a fine meal.
After an hour, remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the crumb topping on top. Bake another 10-15 minutes. Allow to set 10 minutes before serving.

white casserole dish with sliced sweet white potatoes mixed with fennel, onion, dried herbs and a coconut cheese sauce

Here are some other delicious AIP and paleo sides you might enjoy:

If you tried this Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin I would appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and short review. Also, be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious.

Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin (Grain free, AIP, paleo, dairy free)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Author: Nicole @healmedelicious
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 6 –8 servings 1x

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Potato Fennel Gratin

2 TBSP olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds Japanese sweet potatoes (about 2 very large or three medium)
2 large bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

“Cheese” Sauce

1 cup full fat, additive free coconut milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP tapioca + 1/2 TBSP water

Crumb Topping

3 cups unsweetened Lovebird cereal
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté onions until caramelized, stirring frequently, – about 10 minutes.
Add thinly sliced fennel, sea salt, thyme, basil, garlic and onion powder and a splash of water. Lower heat to low-medium and allow the fennel to cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes more.
As the fennel and onions cook, thinly slice your sweet potatoes.* Set the potatoes aside as you finish the sauce.
Once fennel is tender, add in coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and bring to a simmer.
Combine tapioca starch with water to make a slurry and pour into the pot, stirring consistently until the mixture begins to thicken.
Immediately pour mixture over the sliced potatoes, using your hands to combine. Taste and add more salt as necessary.
Transfer potatoes and the “cheesy” onion and fennel sauce into a large baking dish, using a spatula or your hands to really pack the potatoes down.
Bake for one hour.
As the dish bakes, prepare crumb topping. Add cereal to food processor and pulsing until it is crushed into a fine meal. Then add sea salt and olive oil and pulse to combine.**
After an hour, remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the crumb topping on top. Bake another 10-15 minutes.
Allow to set 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

*I recommend using a mandoline to do this as you want the potatoes to be about a 1/16 of an inch in thickness. If you have the time, patience and a sharp knife, you can go that route too!

** If you don’t have access to Lovebird cereal, you can use crushed plantain chips or AIP sourdough bread as a great alternatives.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Category: Sides

Comments

Elizabeth

November 20, 2021 at 8:38 am

I made this last night and wow, it’s delicious!! Even my husband (who is not on the AIP diet) loved it. I made it exactly according to the recipe (with white sweet potatoes) except for adding 1 TBS of nutritional yeast to the sauce. Love the crunchy Lovebird topping! I served it with roasted chicken and sautéed winter greens. This will be on repeat in our house this winter, thank you!!

- Nicole Charles
  
  November 20, 2021 at 8:40 am
  
  Thanks for your review Elizabeth. I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed!