This classic sweet potato casserole vanishes in minutes! Smooth sweet potato filling gets topped with a buttery pecan topping and toasted marshmallows. It's perfect for the holidays and it's easy to make ahead!
Why You'll Love it:
Sweet potato casserole has always been my favorite side dish at Thanksgiving!
Pillowy soft sweet potatoes covered in a buttery crumble with toasty marshmallows. Yes, please! The only person in my fam-bam who loves it more than me is my 4 year old son. He comes back for 4ths and 5ths.
I make this sweet potato side dish for the holidays, but I've been known to make it in the summer too. It's just TOO good to wait all year to make it.
Key Ingredients:
- Sweet potatoes - I used 5 very large sweet potatoes. If yours are on the smaller side, increase the amount to 6 or 7.
- Unsalted butter - For the topping and filling! This is no time for cutting calories. Butter creates a smooth, creamy filling and buttery crumble.
- Brown sugar - The filling is subtly sweet, which I find the perfect contrast to the very sweet topping!
- Eggs - Eggs are essential for a light, smooth, and creamy filling!
- Pecans - For a nutty crunch. Optional, but delish!
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole:
This sweet potato casserole is easy to make, but it does take a minute. Why? Because the sweet potatoes bake for over an hour. You can bake them the day before!
1. Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Place the sweet potatoes on the sheet pan and poke them with a fork.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until easily pierced with a fork.
2. Make the topping
I used a large food processor to make things easy! You can use a bowl and your hands if that's what you have.
- In a large food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine.
- Add the butter chunks and pulse until the mixture looks sandy.
- Add the pecans and pulse to chop/disperse throughout the mixture.
- Remove the blades and use your hands to squeeze the mixture into clumps.
- Store in the fridge.
3. Make the filling
Let the sweet potatoes cool a few minutes before you start. You don't want to burn your fingers AND you don't want to accidentally cook your eggs.
- Scoop the flesh from the sweet potatoes into a large bowl.
- Add the brown sugar, melted butter, and kosher salt. Use a hand mixer to beat together.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
4. Assemble and bake
Now for the fun part!
- Pour the sweet potato filling into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the crumb topping over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Carefully remove the casserole, top with mini marshmallows, and bake for 5 to 7 more minutes.
- The top should of the marshmallows should turn a light golden, toasty brown.
Can I boil the sweet potatoes instead?
Technically, yes, you can, but I highly recommend baking them. Boiling sweet potatoes doesn't do anything for them. A boiled sweet potato tastes plain and flavorless.
When you bake a sweet potato, it brings out it's natural sweetness! It's starch converts to sugar and transforms into a sweet and creamy potato.
Recipe Tips:
- Bake the sweet potatoes! The flavor and texture is far superior to boiled sweet potatoes. See above for more information.
- Don't add eggs to hot sweet potatoes. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes. If you add the eggs to steaming hot potatoes, the eggs may cook before you can mix them in. Yuck.
- You don't have to use a food processor. You can use your hands (and a few muscles) to work the butter into the flour mixture.
- Don't over-bake the sweet potatoes. If you bake them too long, they get too soft/watery. A fork should easily slide right through them, but they shouldn't look shriveled.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You can make the sweet potato casserole up to 2 days ahead of time so all you have to do is bake it.
- Make the filling and pour it into the baking dish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate.
- Make the crumb topping and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Assemble just before baking, then bake as directed.
Storage Tips:
- Store leftover sweet potato casserole in the refrigerator. You can just cover the baking dish with saran wrap or transfer the mixture to an airtight container.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed throughout. Or you can reheat the entire dish in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, until hot.
FAQs:
Eggs create a light and fluffy filling! They add volume like in a custard or souffle. Without eggs, the filling comes out too dense.
Yes! It's super simple and you won't even notice the difference. Swap the all-purpose flour with Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I don't recommend picking up a random gluten-free flour off the shelf. Not all brands taste great!
More Holiday Side Dishes:
- Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Easy Candied Brussels Sprouts
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Maple Butter & Pecans
Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Sheet pan
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
For the sweet potato filling:
- 5 large sweet potatoes
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick), melted but cool
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled See notes for gluten free option
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick/8 tablespoons), cut into chunks
- 1 cup pecan halves
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place the sweet potatoes on the sheet pan. Carefully poke each one with a fork a couple times.
- Bake the sweet potatoes until fork tender, about 60 to 70 minutes. A fork should easily glide into the sweet potatoes.
- While the sweet potatoes cook, make the topping. In a large food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine.
- Add the butter chunks to the flour mixture. Pulse until the butter is incorporated into the flour and it looks sandy.
- Add the pecans and pulse again, just until combined. Remove the blades and use your hands to squeeze the mixture into clumps. Place the mixture in the fridge until ready to use.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool for a while, then scoop the insides into a large bowl. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Use a hand mixer to beat until combined.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
- Scoop the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread it around evenly. Top with the crumb topping. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Top with mini marshmallows. Bake for 5 to 7 more minutes, or until the tops of the marshmallows turn slightly golden.
- Serve warm!
Notes
- If your sweet potatoes are on the smaller side, you may not need to bake them as long. A fork should glide right through them, but they shouldn't look shriveled/over-baked.
- You can make the filling and topping up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover both with saran wrap. When you're ready, top the sweet potato filling with the topping and bake as directed.
- Gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour with Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
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