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.”
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.
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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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Happy Holidays
Comment from Grandkids yesterday…”Granny you always ask us what we want to eat…Don’t bother to ask about this casserole …it’s an automatic inclusion…it’s the bomb! “
I have made this recipe several times and love it! I usually do not use all the streusel topping, as I like some sweet but not too sweet. Interestingly my daughter prefers to use marshmallows and so wonder how long to cook if using marshmallows instead? Thanks so much and Happy Holidays!
Audra, Glad you like it! I’d bake the sweet potato portion for 20 minutes, top it with marshmallows, and then bake for another 20 minutes. Happy Holidays!
Hi Jenn,
I would like to triple this recipe, what size baking pan do you suggest and any extra baking time? I’ve made this a couple times before for family potluck Christmas dinners it’s been a huge it 👏😋 thank you 🙏
Hi Celeste, So glad your family enjoys! I think you could use a deep 9×13-inch baking dish. It may take just a bit longer to cook, but not much.
Made this for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I got white sweet potatoes which did not have the full flavor of the orange ones. I had some Ras el Hanout spice on hand and added about 1/2 teas. This gave it a much needed but subtle flaver boost. Will try again with orange sweet potatoes
Great recipe! I added one ripe banana to the sweet potatoes. Delicious. My nephew called it dessert. Thanks!
This was legitimately the most bland casserole recipe I have found. I really did like the topping but the casserole was missing the flavor aspect with only sugar to compensate for it. Thank you for the effort you put into this recipe but I think I will be using another in the future.
Excellent recipe. My family decided this is their favorite sweet potato recipe I’ve made.
Love your recipe. I love the pecans topping and the kids love marshmallows. If I do half pecan and half marshmallows, will the baking time still be the same
Hi Caroline, Glad you like it! I’ve never made this with marshmallows on top but I suspect the baking time should be the same. Enjoy!
Just made the filling and topping (double batch)and put them in separate containers for traveling. I’ll put it together on Thanksgiving Day. The filling appears a bit soupy right now. Will the eggs bind it a bit better once it is baked?
Hi Sandy, it should thicken up when baked. Enjoy!
Hi! I am excited to make this for Thanksgiving! To help cut back on oven time, would it be possible to cook in crock pot? Then finish in the oven to crispen up the topping? Thanks!
Hi Shawna, a crockpot would not be my first choice for baking this particularly because of the wonderfully crispy topping, but if you plan on finishing it in the oven to crisp up the top, I suspect it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!