Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

This comforting sweet potato casserole recipe is the perfect holiday side dish. I make it with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and warm spices, then I top it with a pecan and marshmallow streusel. This casserole is incredibly delicious and wonderful for pairing with your main dishes.

I have to say, sweet potato casserole is one of my all time favorite side dishes to cook and serve for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I love how versatile this vegetable is because I can make this side dish casserole while I also prepare an indulgent dessert like my sweet potato pie, which is one of the most requested pies in my house.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole is a baked dish with mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter served with a crumb topping. And it is very popular to serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas, even though I think you can find sweet potatoes all year round at the market and enjoy this dish whenever you want.

For my recipe, I stick with classic ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, and warm spices, but I decided to make it extra indulgent. As I mentioned in my pecan pie recipe post, we are huge fans of pecans, so I add a pecan streusel tossed with mini marshmallows, which is my daughters favorite, and it makes this side dish sweet, salty, and savory.

And to be honest, I believe sweet potato casserole can be whatever you want it to be, a dessert or a side dish. I prefer it as a side dish because during the holidays there are so many salty and savory dishes on the table, and this brings a sweet touch that balances everything on the table spread.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Making this Sweet Potato Casserole is very easy, and here are the ingredients I use along with some substitutions that I have tested and that work great too.

• Sweet Potatoes – I like using medium to large size sweet potatoes. You can also use yams.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content and not a butter company.
• Sugar – This sweet potato casserole will need some light brown sugar. You can substitute it with dark brown sugar or regular granulated sugar.
• Spices – I use ground cinnamon with the mashed sweet potatoes. You can also add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg if desired.
• Eggs – Large eggs that are chilled or at room temperature are perfect.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is what I use for the pecan streusel.
• Nuts – I use pecans in the topping, but walnuts will also work well.
• Marshmallows – There are some mini marshmallows mixed in with the streusel topping. You can skip them if you prefer, and the casserole will still be exceptionally delicious.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Rinse the sweet potatoes: I place the sweet potatoes in a colander and rinse them well under cold water.

Bake: I place the sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper or foil and bake them at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. The parchment paper or foil helps with easy clean up because the sweet potatoes release their sticky insides as they cook.

Remove the peel: I take the sweet potatoes out of the oven, pull off the outside peelings, and discard them. I place the warm insides into a large bowl and I usually use gloves or a towel because the sweet potatoes are very hot.

Mash: I use a hand masher to mash the sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and eggs. I keep mashing until everything is fully mixed. I transfer the mashed sweet potatoes into a non stick sprayed 13 x 9 casserole dish and spread them evenly.

Prepare the topping: In a separate large bowl, I cut unsalted butter into brown sugar, flour, and roughly chopped pecans with a pastry knife or a fork until the butter pieces are about the size of rice.

Add the marshmallows: I add the mini marshmallows to the pecan mixture and fold them in until they are fully incorporated. I set this bowl aside until I am ready to add the topping to the sweet potato casserole.

Add the topping: I evenly sprinkle the pecan and marshmallow streusel over the mashed sweet potatoes until the entire surface is covered.

Bake the casserole: I bake the sweet potato casserole for 30 minutes or until the streusel is cooked and the marshmallows are lightly browned. I serve it right away while the topping is warm and soft.

Serving Suggestions

A fantastic way to serve this Sweet Potato Casserole for the holidays is to start the meal with my Brie en Croute as an appetizer, and then for the main course I recommend pairing this casserole with my cured and smoked ham because the sweet potatoes match the savory flavor so well.

On the side, my green beans almondine works great since the crisp green beans work nicely with the softness of the sweet potatoes. And of course, you have to finish the meal with a slice of homemade pecan pie, which brings a sweet and nutty ending to the dinner.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 2 days ahead by following these instructions. Bake, peel, and mash them in a bowl with eggs, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a casserole dish, top off with the streusel, then chill it in the refrigerator. For the day the sweet potato casserole is served, pull it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and then bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes.

Storing and Freezing: The casserole can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days.  It can also be frozen and covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before cooking and serving.

How to Reheat: To reheat the sweet potato casserole, add your desired portion to a casserole dish or pan, cover it, and heat it in the oven at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until hot. In addition, you can add them to the microwave and heat them until hot.

More Potato Recipes

• Hasselback Potatoes
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Smashed Potatoes
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes