Sweet Potato Casserole

By Maria Lichty

Published on November 04, 2024

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Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic and comforting dish that is often served as a side at holiday meals. It is especially popular at Thanksgiving.

Honestly, I have never been a huge fan, until I made this sweet potato casserole recipe. It is SO good, definitely the BEST recipe out there, trust me!

The casserole features a creamy sweet potato base made from mashed sweet potatoes, that have been baked in the oven to give them the best flavor.

The potatoes are sweetened with pure maple syrup and flavored with cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, and BROWNED BUTTER. The browned butter is the secret ingredient and adds a rich, nutty flavor to the casserole.

The dish is topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan streusel that caramelizes on top when baked. The topping really makes the dish and in my opinion, it’s SO much better than marshmallows.

The combination of the sweet, creamy filling and the crunchy topping creates a delightful contrast in textures and flavors. It is the perfect side dish to serve for Thanksgiving or along side any meal! And I would even eat it for dessert, it’s that good!

Ingredient Notes

• Sweet Potatoes: Look for sweet potatoes that are firm and without blemishes. The orange-fleshed varieties are typically sweeter. I highly recommend baking the potatoes, which enhances their natural sweetness. It takes more time, but it’s easy and you can do other things while they bake in the oven.
• Browned Butter: Browned butter has a rich and nutty flavor that makes the sweet potato casserole extra special. Don’t skip this step!
• Milk: I recommend using whole milk for a super rich and creamy casserole, but if you want to lighten things up, you can use your favorite milk.
• Pure Maple Syrup: I like to sweeten the sweet potatoes with pure maple syrup so the casserole isn’t overly sweet. Plus, it adds a wonderful depth of flavor and compliments the sweet potatoes perfectly!
• Brown Sugar Pecan Topping: A brown sugar pecan topping adds a delicious crunch and sweetness to sweet potato casserole. I prefer this topping over marshmallows. Trust me and try it:)

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. With a fork, poke holes in the sweet potatoes, about 5 holes per potato. Place sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and bake for 50 to 75 minutes or until very fork tender. Remove from oven and let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

• Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a medium bowl and set aside.

• Peel the potatoes, the skins should pull right off. Discard the skins.

• Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the browned butter, maple syrup, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Use an electric mixer and mix until smooth.

• Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or a similar size casserole dish). Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the pan.

• To make the topping, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon until combined. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and use a fork to stir until combined and moistened.

• Sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish. Top with a little flaky sea salt.
• If you want to use marshmallows instead of the crumb topping, you can. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning.

• Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Storing Tips

• Make Ahead: You can prepare the casserole a day in advance. Just cover it and store it in the fridge. Store the topping separate in the fridge and add right before baking.
• Storing Leftovers: Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature. If the casserole is in a baking dish, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Cool completely. If you want to freeze it in smaller portions, divide it into individual serving sizes. Use plastic wrap to tightly wrap the casserole (or portions) to prevent freezer burn. You can also use freezer-safe airtight containers. Label, date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: To reheat, simply bake in the oven at 350°F until heated through. For frozen casseroles, it’s best to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
• The Best Cranberry Sauce
• Dinner Rolls
• Sausage Stuffing
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes

More Sweet Potato Recipes

• Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Sweet Potato Rolls

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Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the BEST sweet potato casserole recipe! It has a creamy filling that is made with mashed baked sweet potatoes, browned butter, pure maple syrup, and cinnamon. It's topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan topping that is divine! It's the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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For the sweet potatoes:

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes, about 3 large or 5 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup milk, I use whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, can use gluten-free flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. With a fork, poke holes in the sweet potatoes, about 5 holes per potato. Place sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and bake for 50 to 75 minutes or until very fork tender. Remove from oven and let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  
• Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a medium bowl and set aside.
  
• Peel the potatoes, the skins should pull right off, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the browned butter, maple syrup, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Use an electric mixer and mix until smooth.
  
• Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or a similar size casserole dish). Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the pan.
  
• To make the topping, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon until combined. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and use a fork to stir until combined and moistened. Sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish. Top with a little flaky sea salt.
  
• Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
  

Notes

You can boil the potatoes, but I recommend baking the potatoes for more flavor. If you want to boil, add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted water. Heat over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 130mg, Potassium: 357mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 12274IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 1mg

Keywords brown butter, pecan, sweet potato

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