Sweet Potato Casserole

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Take your sweet potato casserole up a notch by replacing the traditional marshmallow topping with a crunchy brown sugar and pecan streusel.

Sweet potato casserole with a scoop missing.

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 is always a big hit. It’s an old Southern specialty 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!”

Phyllis L.

What You’ll Need To Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole ingredients including butter, eggs, and pecans.
  • 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 together, creating a crumbly texture.
  • 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 soft, 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.

Sweet potatoes boiling on a stovetop.

In the meantime, make the 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.)

Melted butter in a glass bowl.

Add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

Butter, brown sugar, flour, and seasoning combined in a bowl.

Mix until well combined. It should look a little clumpy.

Spatula in a brown sugar and butter mixture.

Add the chopped nuts, and stir to combine.

Chopped nuts in a bowl with a brown sugar mixture.

Place the cooked and drained sweet potatoes in a large bowl.

Pieces of cooked sweet potato in a glass bowl.

Mash with a potato masher or large fork until very smooth.

Fork mashing sweet potato in a bowl.

Add the melted butter, salt, and brown sugar and nutmeg.

Mashed sweet potato topped with butter and other toppings.

Mix well, then add the eggs.

Eggs in a bowl with mashed sweet potatoes.

Stir to combine. It’s okay if it is not completely smooth.

Fork in a bowl of sweet potato mixture.

Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly.

Casserole dish full of mashed sweet potato mixture.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.

Streusel topping on mashed sweet potatoes in a casserole dish.

Bake for about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until the topping is nicely browned. Let cool slightly before serving.

Sweet potato casserole with a scoop missing.

If you’d like to break up the preparation of this dish a bit, feel free to make and refrigerate the streusel a few days ahead. Or, if you really want to get a head start, assemble and refrigerate the whole casserole up to two days ahead of time. Bake right before serving for best results.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Take your sweet potato casserole up a notch by replacing the traditional marshmallow topping with a crunchy brown sugar and pecan streusel.

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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

  • For the streusel topping, if someone has nut allergies, can the pecans be omitted and would it change the amounts of the other ingredients for the topping?

    If people prefer marshmallows, can that be used instead of the streusel topping? Would that work with this recipe?

    • — Heather on June 6, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Heather, you can just omit them or replace them with oats. And yes, you can use marshmallows in place of the streusel topping. I’d bake the sweet potato portion for 20 minutes, top it with marshmallows, and then bake for another 20 minutes. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on June 7, 2024
      • Reply
  • I made the sweet potato casserole. It was a huge success! I doubled the recipe and it was delicious. The recipe was easy to follow. Thank you! 👍🥰

    • — Grace on April 1, 2024
    • Reply
  • You don’t seem to give a oven temperature!!!

    • — Debbie on March 30, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Debbie, the oven should’ve been set to 350°F/175°C. Hope you were able to find it!

      • — Jenn on April 1, 2024
      • Reply
  • I’ve made this recipe twice now. I found that the amount of topping was just right but that there weren’t enough potatoes to fill up my casserole dish. (9x12x2). So I increased the potatoes to 4 1/2 pounds and the other ingredients proportionally, except for the sugar. I found it too sweet the first time. The second time it came out perfect!

    • — Helen Honse on December 25, 2023
    • Reply
    • Liked the outcome very much!
      …… I added golden raisins ( soaked, patted dry minced) for an added depth of flavor.
      Color me a chef ……lol

      • — Harley on March 30, 2024
      • Reply
  • This recipe was thoroughly enjoyed by my family that i had to make a second batch the day after Thanksgiving to enjoy with the leftovers.
    We want to have it again for Christmas so i prepared a double batch and froze it.
    Question….. Do i put it in the oven straight from the freezer or should i thaw it in the fridge before baking it? Thank you!

    • — Gloria on December 21, 2023
    • Reply
    • So glad it was a hit! I’d thaw it prior to baking it.

      • — Jenn on December 22, 2023
      • Reply
  • Question: I’d like to bake this casserole on Christmas Eve and then reheat it for Christmas Day dinner. Will the casserole still turn out well?

    • — Joanne on December 18, 2023
    • Reply
    • Yep definitely! Enjoy 🙂

      • — Jenn on December 19, 2023
      • Reply
  • Question: I’d like to make this this to serve on Christmas Day but would prefer to bake it ahead of time and then reheat it. Would it still turn out well?

    • — Joanne on December 18, 2023
    • Reply
    • Yes, it would still turn out nicely – enjoy!

      • — Jenn on December 19, 2023
      • Reply
  • question: I will need to substitute eggs and butter (due to family member’s low tolerance of these items)in this recipe. What do you suggest I use instead of eggs and butter?
    Thank you –

    • — Sandy on December 14, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Sandy, you can use a plant-based butter and just omit the eggs. The casserole won’t be quite as light and fluffy, but it will still be delicious. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on December 14, 2023
      • Reply
  • I am confused about the freezing instructions. Do I freeze it before or after I bake the casserole? I am going to serve it for Christmas and I would like to have it prepared in advance.

    • — Diane Buckley on December 10, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Diane, You can freeze the assembled casserole for up to 3 months. Sorry for the confusion; I have clarified the instructions. Hope you enjoy it!

      • — Jenn on December 11, 2023
      • Reply

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