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You are here: Home / Side Dish / Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Last updated on November 21, 2020. Originally published October 18, 2020 2 Comments

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This sweet potato casserole recipe is silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. A classic holiday side dish, this sweet potato casserole with pecans is topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and will become a family favorite! 

Overhead view of sweet potato casserole in a baking dish

Everyone has their favorite holiday side dish – you know, the one that you go back for seconds (or thirds), even if you’re full. Sweet potato casserole is definitely my mine (along with homemade dinner rolls, roasted Brussels sprouts, etc.).

This sweet potato casserole recipe is is the best of the best. It’s silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. It’s topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and is certain to become a holiday tradition! 

overhead view of sweet potato casserole with pecans in a baking dish

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions 

I recommend making this Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole as written, however here are some possible substitutions. 

  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter, you may just need to increase the salt. 
  • Eggs. I do not recommend making a substitution for the egg. 
  • Whole Milk. Half and half, heavy cream, or 2% milk can be used in place of whole milk. Fat content is important to the final outcome of this sweet potato casserole recipe. 
  • Brown Sugar.  light or dark brown sugar can be used with great results. 
  • All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour. 
  • Pecans. Walnuts are a great substitute for pecans. 

overhead view of the ingredients in this sweet potato casserole recipe

How to make Sweet Potato Casserole

This sweet potato casserole is easy to make, but as always we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video. 

Roast the sweet potatoes

To easily roast sweet potatoes, wash and pierce them with a fork. Then, individually wrap the potatoes in foil and put them on a baking sheet. You can roast them directly on an oven rack, just be sure the foil is completely closed so there’s no dripping.

Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and compress when touched. The baking time depends on how thick your potatoes are. Check at 40 minutes if they are small.

Open foil and set the sweet potatoes aside to cool.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Make the Pecan Crumb Topping

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, use a fork or pastry cutter to combine butter, brown sugar, flour sea salt and cinnamon until a coarse meal forms.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Add pecans and stir until evenly distributed in the mixture. Set aside.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with pecans

Rice (or mash) the sweet potatoes

Scoop the slightly-cooled sweet potato flesh out of the skins and transfer to a large bowl. Use a potato ricer to mash the cooked sweet potato flesh – discard any stringy pieces left in the ricer.

Note: you can use a potato masher but I don’t not recommend it, as sometimes the flesh of a sweet potato is stringy, and a ricer will remove any unpleasant texture.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Make the Sweet Potato Casserole Filling

Once the sweet potato is riced/mashed, add eggs, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and stir to combine.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Putting it together

Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8” baking dish. Pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top so it is flat and even.

Sprinkle the pecan crumb topping evenly over the top of the sweet potato mixture, gently pressing it into the mixture. 

two overhead photos showing How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Bake & Cool

Bake in preheated oven until the sweet potato casserole is slightly puffed and the topping is lightly browned. Let cool slightly and serve!

Serve

Serve warm with your favorite main dishes and sides. Here are some recipes that pair really well with this sweet potato casserole recipe!

  •  
  • Serve it as a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish alongside this Roast Turkey and the best Turkey Gravy! 
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts are a great green vegetable side dish to serve with this Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole, also this Brussel sprouts salad. 
  • Green beans: these roasted green beans are so delicious, as well as these sautéed green beans (in apple cider – yum)!
  • You can’t forget the stuffing – this sausage stuffing is the best ever!
  • These herb-infused garlic mashed potatoes are the best you’ll ever eat, no joke. 
  • Have guests who to roast their sweet potatoes? Try these roasted sweet potatoes and apples or cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes. 
  • 5-minute stovetop cinnamon apples are a great pair to this sweet potato casserole. 

overhead view of a sweet potato casserole in a baking dish

How to store sweet potato casserole

Store any leftovers of this sweet potato casserole with pecans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. 

Can you freeze sweet potato casserole? 

Yes! Let it cool and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. 

More sweet potato recipes

If you love this sweet potato casserole, try these recipes!

  • For an even healthier twist, try this healthy sweet potato casserole that’s paleo and vegan. 
  • These maple cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes and apples are delicious side dishes for those who love their sweet potatoes a little crispier! 
  • I make these sweet potato tacos weekly!
  • This sausage and kale soup with sweet potatoes is so good even my kids love it!

up close view of a sweet potato casserole and it's layers

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Laura
This sweet potato casserole recipe is silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. A classic holiday side dish, this sweet potato casserole with pecans is topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and will become a family favorite! 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 40 mins
Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 231 kcal

Equipment

  • baking sheet
  • glass batter bowl
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • potato ricer

Ingredients
 
 

Sweet Potato Layer:

  • 3 lbs. sweet potatoes about 4 medium
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup salted butter melted
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup brown sugar dark or light
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • pinch ground nutmeg

Pecan Topping:

  • ¼ cup salted butter softened
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup pecans finely chopped

Instructions
 

Roast the sweet potatoes:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Wash and pierce sweet potatoes with a fork about 10 times. Wrap in foil and put on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender (sweet potatoes compress when touched). The baking time depends on how thick your potatoes are. Check at 40 minutes if they are small.
  • Open foil and set the sweet potatoes aside to cool.

Make the topping:

  • In a medium bowl, use a fork or pastry cutter to combine butter, brown sugar, flour sea salt and cinnamon until a coarse meal forms.
  • Add pecans and stir until evenly distributed in the mixture. Set aside.

Putting it together:

  • Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8” baking dish, set aside.
  • Scoop the sweet potato flesh out of the skins and transfer to a large bowl. Use a potato ricer to mash the cooked sweet potato flesh. (Note: you can use a potato masher but I don’t not recommend it, as sometimes the flesh of a sweet potato is stringy, and a ricer will remove any unpleasant “strings”).
  • Add eggs, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and stir to combine.
  • Pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top so it is flat and even.
  • Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potato mixture, gently pressing it into the top.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until slightly puffed and the topping is lightly browned.
  • Let cool slightly and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter, you may just need to increase the salt. 
  • Whole Milk. Half and half, heavy cream, or 2% milk can be used in place of whole milk
  • Brown Sugar.  light or dark brown sugar can be used with great results. 
  • All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour. 
  • Pecans. Walnuts are a great substitute for pecans. 

How to store sweet potato casserole

Store any leftovers of this sweet potato casserole with pecans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. 

How to freeze sweet potato casserole

Let it cool and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 292mgPotassium: 343mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 12282IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Keyword best Sweet potato casserole, Sweet potato casserole, Sweet potato casserole pecans, Sweet potato casserole recipe, Sweet potato casserole with pecans, thanksgiving Sweet potato casserole
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Photos in this post were taken by Jamie from Dishing out Health! 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

 

You might also like:

Honey Roasted Carrots Recipe
Cheesy Homemade Pretzel Bites
Best Chicken Salad Recipe

Filed Under: Fall Recipes, Recipe Videos, Recipes, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetables Tagged With: christmas, side dish, sweet potatoes, thanksgiving

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tara

    November 26, 2020 at 8:01 am

    Do you ever make this ahead of time? Would you just put it in the fridge (without baking) until the day to eat?

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 26, 2020 at 11:04 am

      That’s exactly what I did! We prepped it yesterday and will bake it today!

      Reply

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Hello I’m Laura! I am a former chemistry teacher turned wife and mom of five beautiful babies with one on the way in 2021! I’m a green smoothie addict, lover of the outdoors, and a peanut butter & nap enthusiast! Click here to read more >>

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