Sweet Potato Casserole
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Give your holiday sweet potato casserole a major upgrade by swapping the marshmallows for a brown sugar pecan streusel—it’s a game changer!
When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I think most of us would say, “Don’t get fancy on me, just make the standards really special.” That’s why this down-home sweet potato casserole recipe is always a big hit. It’s an old Southern side dish that graces almost every holiday table. Instead of the traditional marshmallow topping (yes, a classic, but let’s be honest, a gourmet dish marshmallows do not make!), I cover the sweet potatoes with a crunchy brown sugar-pecan streusel. It absolutely makes the dish. Like many Thanksgiving sweet potato sides, it’s almost sweet enough to be dessert. In my house, it’s “that dish”— the one everyone reaches their fork into long after the meal is done.
“My mom and I used your recipe for Thanksgiving and loved it so much that we are making it again for Christmas. Thank you for such an easy, delicious dish that we will enjoy for years to come!”
What You’ll Need To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet potatoes – Note that most supermarkets use the names “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. This can be confusing since yams aren’t sweet potatoes at all, but rather thick white tubers with dark brown skin. Chances are you won’t find real yams at the grocery store, so if you see “yams,” you’re probably looking at sweet potatoes.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and flavor to both the sweet potato base and the streusel topping.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor of the sweet potatoes and balances the sweetness.
- Light brown sugar – Sweetens the base and adds a warm, molasses flavor to both the sweet potatoes and the crunchy streusel topping.
- Ground nutmeg – Adds a hint of warmth and spice to the sweet potatoes, complementing their natural flavor.
- Eggs – Help bind the sweet potato mixture and give the casserole structure.
- Flour – The base of the streusel topping.
- Ground cinnamon – Adds a warm, spiced flavor to the streusel topping.
- Pecans – Incorporated in the streusel topping to lend a crunchy, nutty contrast to the sweet potato base.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until soft and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and let cool.
In the meantime, make the brown sugar and pecan topping: Melt the butter in a medium bowl the microwave. (Alternatively, melt the butter in a small pan or over low heat and transfer to a medium bowl.)
Add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
Mix until well combined. It should look a little clumpy.
Add the chopped nuts, and stir to combine.
Place the cooked and drained sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
Mash with a potato masher or large fork until very smooth.
Add the melted butter, salt, and brown sugar and nutmeg.
Mix well, then add the eggs.
Stir to combine. It’s okay if it is not completely smooth.
Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until the topping is nicely browned. Let cool slightly before serving.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing Instructions
The assembled casserole can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If refrigerated, allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. For a frozen casserole, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. In either case, add a few extra minutes to the baking time. For best results, bake just before serving.
For leftovers, cover the casserole with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through. If you want a crispier topping, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of reheating. It’s also delicious as a snack cold from the fridge!
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Sweet Potato Casserole
Give your holiday sweet potato casserole a major upgrade by swapping the marshmallows for a brown sugar pecan streusel—it’s a game changer!
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Mixture
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil (no need to salt). Add the sweet potatoes and cook until soft and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- Meanwhile, make the topping: Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave. (Alternatively, melt it in a small pan over low heat and transfer to a medium bowl.) Add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon and mix until well combined. It should look a little clumpy. Stir in the chopped nuts and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the cooked and drained sweet potatoes with a potato masher or large fork until very smooth. Add the melted butter, salt, sugar, and nutmeg and mix well. Mix in the eggs. It's okay if there are some lumps. Set aside.
- Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture and bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The assembled casserole can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, allow a few extra minutes in the oven to bake.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 489
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 348 mg
- Cholesterol: 77 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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I doubled the recipe so I could make two casseroles-one with the streusel and the other with a marshmallow topping for my daughter. For the 2nd one when do I put the marshmallows on? Before I bake or after and then broil? Thx
Hi Suzanne, I’d bake it for 20 minutes, top it with marshmallows, and then finish baking another 20 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thanks for replying to my question about adding a bottom layer! Any advice or direction you can give? Would a graham cracker or pecan (like your pumpkin torte) bottom layer taste best? Would I use the same quantity of ingredients that would work for a pie crust?
Thanks again!!
You could go with either the graham cracker or pecan crust, but I may go the graham cracker route as you’ll have pecans topping the casserole. Keep in mind that this will make this dish taste even more like a dessert. And, yes, I’d use the same quantities that you would for a pie crust. 🙂
I always make this recipe for the holidays. These are the most flavorful sweet potatoes I’ve ever made. I never boil my sweet potatoes, I bake them at 425 for about 50 minutes on a parchment paper lined sheet, then I scoop out the insides. When I first made them I boiled the potatoes but found that baking them they taste the same and so much easier.
I love this idea 👍
I used your suggestion last year (2022), and had to find the post again for this year’s baking. Thanks for the tip, works perfectly.
When you bake the sweet potato, do you fork holes in it prior to the bake?
Yes 🙂
Re2 quart cssserole: is this a deep casserole or flat like a 9×9 baking pan? I have no idea which dish to use.
The baking pan should be about 2 inches deep.
Like everybody else, I love this casserole just the way it is! But I have some kids that don’t like nuts. Could I do everything as written except just put a perimeter of nuts around the edge and leave the center plain?
Sure!
Hi Jenn-
Is it possible to make this with a marshmallow top along with the streusel if I have a kid who loves the marshmallow?
Hi Suzanne, I think it would be too much with both the streusel and the marshmallow; I suppose you could cover half in the streusel and half with marshmallows.
Hi, Jenn,
Could I use half the sugar in this recipe?
Thanks!
Yep that’s fine. Enjoy!
Roast the sweet potatoes! The flavor is better.
I have a nearly identical recipe. It’s a big favorite. The one thing I do differently — I roast the sweet potatoes. Let them cool a little. Then peel with a paring knife (the peels almost fall off). Then I mash and mix everything in my standing mixer. It’s easy! You can make ahead, so don’t worry about the the roasting taking up time and space in your oven on the big day. I also used only about half as much brown sugar. It’s still plenty sweet and good.
🥰
Question: Am allergic to nuts, what can I substitute? Would pumpkin or sunflower seeds give it the crunch, or should I just leave it out?
Hi Toby, You can use sunflower seeds if you’d like but it’s perfectly fine to omit them or replace them with oats. 🙂
Could this be prepared in a crockpot?
Hi Joan, I don’t think this is a great option for a crockpot — the topping wouldn’t crisp up at all (and that’s the best part).
I love sweet potatoes/ yams, however like them more plain. I love love all your recipes! This seems like it would be really sweet? Thoughts?
Hi Calley, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, this is definitely sweet so if you prefer something more plain, you could try this recipe (which has a hint of sweetness due to the maple syrup but is definitely not as sweet as the casserole).
Thanks, that sounds like a good option!