Sweet Potato Casserole
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Fork-mashed sweet potatoes topped with a crisp, buttery pecan streusel—this sweet potato casserole is the dish everyone will be asking you to make again next year.
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 exactly what this sweet potato casserole does. The filling is creamy and lightly spiced, with just enough brown sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of the potatoes, and instead of the usual marshmallows, it’s topped with a buttery brown sugar-pecan streusel. It’s crunchy, nutty, and, in my opinion, a major upgrade.
In my house, it’s “that dish”—the one everyone keeps sneaking forkfuls of long after the meal is over. Best of all, the casserole can be assembled ahead of time, so there’s one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving Day. Serve it alongside your Thanksgiving turkey and turkey gravy for the complete holiday spread.
“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. If you’re in a pinch, canned sweet potatoes (well-drained) can be substituted, though fresh gives the best texture and flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a warm, caramel-like sweetness to both the filling and the streusel topping without overpowering the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
- Butter: Adds richness to the sweet potato filling and gives the streusel its buttery, crumbly texture.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: A cozy mix of spices that brings out the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
- Eggs: Bind and add moisture to the sweet potato mixture, and help it set as it bakes.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the streusel topping structure and helps it bake up crisp and crumbly.
- Pecans: Add nutty flavor and plenty of crunch to contrast with the creamy filling.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole
Step 1: Boil the sweet potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil—no need to salt it, since the potatoes will be salted later in the mixture. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until they’re soft enough to pierce easily with a fork. They should be very tender so they’re easy to mash. Drain well and let cool slightly before handling.
Step 2: Make the topping. Melt the butter in a medium bowl the microwave, then add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined (it will be a bit clumpy), then mix in the chopped nuts.
Step 3: Make the sweet potato filling. Place the cooked, drained sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until very smooth. Mix in the melted butter, salt, brown sugar, and nutmeg, then stir in the eggs. It’s fine if there are few lumps—it’s impossible to get rid of all of them.
Step 4: Assemble. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. At this point, you can refrigerate it overnight until you’re ready to bake it or freeze it for longer storage.
Step 5: Bake. Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden brown and the filling is set. Let the casserole cool slightly before serving; it holds its shape better once it’s had a few minutes to rest. If you have leftovers, they’re likely to disappear before the dishes are done. If not, they’re just as good the next day.
Making It for Marshmallow Fans Too?
If you’ve got marshmallow loyalists in the family, you don’t have to choose sides. Make half the streusel topping and spread it over half the casserole, then top the other half with mini marshmallows during the last 20 minutes of baking. Keep an eye on them near the end, as marshmallows can go from golden to burnt quickly.
More Holiday Side Dishes You’ll Love
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Mixture
- 3 lb sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) 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 all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) 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-qt (2L) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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These were quickly gobbled up at our thanksgiving table this year. The sweet potato texture was out of this world! The crispy topping was perfection. I have tried several of your recipes and have never been disappointed!
Made these for Thansgiving. They were delicious. Next time, I’m going to cut back on the topping by half. It was a little too much for our taste. The spices & creamy potatoes were perfect though.
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a great hit! I made it vegan by leaving out the eggs and using Earth Balance instead of butter and had people asking for the recipe. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
OK this is the third dish I made for Thanksgiving this year from your website. I have made a version of this for years but your is even better! Everyone loved it. Another go to recipe for Thanksgivings to come. Thanks for your great recipes and website. I tell everyone about them.
Hi Jenn – Is there anyway to do this recipe with marshmallows instead of or in additional to the pecans? This is the first time I am hosting the holiday and my family loves the sweet potatoes with marshmallows one them. Thanks so much!
Hi Karen, Yes, you can do a marshmallow topping over the mashed sweet potatoes. I would just omit the pecan topping; it won’t cook properly if you top it with marshmallows. Happy Thanksgiving!
Would I need to double recipe or 1.5x’s recipe to cook it in a 13X9 pan?
Hi Debbie, I would double it 🙂
This sweet potato recipe calls for two large eggs, but I don’t see them mentioned in the preparation directions.
Hi Gloria, They are mentioned where it says “add the remaining sweet potato mixture ingredients.” Hope that helps!
Did you use sweet potatoes or Yams?
Hi Linda, I use sweet potatoes. For some reason, most grocers use the words “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. This is 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 supermarket, so if you see “yams,” you’re probably looking at sweet potatoes.
Are your sweet potatoes the orange ones or white ones (inside)? Our grocer calls the white ones sweet potatoes.
Hi Maryanne, They are orange.
I’m having a vegan guest for Thanksgiving. I can substitute Earth Balance for the butter, but would it hurt this recipe to leave out the eggs? Or can you recommend a substitute for the eggs?
Hi Becky. You can leave out the eggs; just won’t be quite as light and fluffy 🙂
Have made this type of dish for years. I use i large can of crushed pineapple with its own juice. Use half in sweet potatoes and half dotted over top instead of so much sugar & butter. I prefer to bake my sweet potatoes after running in microwave for 6+ minutes I then coat with olive oil spray and bake at 375 on foil until the potatoes start to ooze (20 min.). This makes them sweeter; learned this trick from a restaurant that serves sweet potatoes every night. My family is split on pecan topping vs marshmallows so I put half with pecan topping and bake then add the mini marshmallows on the other half and run under broiler so all are happy.