Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Oct 18, 2020, Updated Mar 18, 2024

5 from 32 votes

32 Comments

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This sweet potato casserole recipe is silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. A classic holiday side dish, this sweet potato casserole with pecans is topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and will become a family favorite!

Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (2)

Everyone has their favorite holiday side dish – you know, the one that you go back for seconds (or thirds), even if you’re full. Sweet potato casserole is definitely my mine (along with homemade dinner rolls, roasted Brussels sprouts, candied yams, etc.).

This sweet potato casserole recipe is is the best of the best. It’s silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. It’s topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and is certain to become a holiday tradition!

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

I recommend making this Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole as written, however here are some possible substitutions.

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  • Salted Butter.Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter, you may just need to increase the salt.
  • Eggs.I do not recommend making a substitution for the egg.
  • Whole Milk.Half and half, heavy cream, or 2% milk can be used in place of whole milk. Fat content is important to the final outcome of this recipe.
  • Brown Sugar. light or dark brown sugar can be used with great results.
  • All-purpose flour.For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.
  • Pecans.Walnuts are a great substitute for pecans.
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How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

This sweet potato casserole is easy to make, but as always we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Roast the Sweet Potatoes

To easily roast sweet potatoes, wash and pierce them with a fork. Then, individually wrap the potatoes in foil and put them on a baking sheet. You can roast them directly on an oven rack, just be sure the foil is completely closed so there’s no dripping.

Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and compress when touched. The baking time depends the potatoes’ thickness. Check at 40 minutes if they are small.

Open foil and set the sweet potatoes aside to cool.

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Make the Pecan Crumb Topping

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, use a fork or pastry cutter to combine butter, brown sugar, flour sea salt and cinnamon until a coarse meal forms.

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Add pecans and stir until evenly distributed in the mixture. Set aside.

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Rice (or Mash) Cooked Sweet Potatoes

Scoop the slightly-cooled sweet potato flesh out of the skins and transfer to a large bowl. Use a potato ricer to mash the cooked sweet potato flesh – discard any stringy pieces left in the ricer.

Note: you can use a potato masher but I don’t not recommend it, as sometimes the flesh of a sweet potato is stringy, and a ricer will remove any unpleasant texture. Or you can put the sweet potato, along with the other filling ingredients, in the container of a blender and blend until smooth.

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Make the Filling

Once the sweet potato is riced/mashed, add eggs, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and stir to combine.

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Assemble the Sweet Potato Casserole

Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8” baking dish. Pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top so it is flat and even.

Sprinkle the pecan crumb topping evenly over the top of the sweet potato mixture, gently pressing it into the mixture.

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Bake & Cool

Bake in preheated oven until the top is slightly puffed and the topping is lightly browned. Let cool slightly and serve.

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Serve

Serve warm with your favorite main dishes and sides. Here are some recipes that pair really well with this sweet potato casserole recipe. Check out all my favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

  • Serve it as a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish alongside this Roast Turkey and the best Turkey Gravy.
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts are a great green vegetable side dish to serve with this Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole, also this Brussel sprouts salad.
  • Green beans:these roasted green beans are so delicious, as well as these sautéed green beans (in apple cider – yum)!
  • You can’t forget the stuffing – this sausage stuffing is the best ever or try this cornbread dressing.
  • These herb-infused garlic mashed potatoes are the best you’ll ever eat, no joke.
  • 5-minute stovetop cinnamon apples are a great pair to this sweet potato casserole.
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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe FAQs

How do you store sweet potato casserole?

Store any leftovers of this sweet potato casserole with pecans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?

Yes! Let it cool completely, cover and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Why are there eggs in sweet potato casserole?

Eggs are used to bind and lighten up this casserole. They are an important part of the dish!

How far ahead can you make sweet potato casserole?

I prefer to make/assemble this recipe a day in advance and then bake it on the day I want to serve it (like Thanksgiving). You can make it up to 2 months in advance if you store it in the freezer. Just let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before baking.

How do you know when sweet potato casserole is done?

You know this sweet potato casserole is done when the top is slightly puffed and set and the topping is lightly browned.

Can I cook sweet potatoes ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can cook and mash the sweet potatoes a day or two before making this recipe.

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Laura

This sweet potato casserole recipe is silky smooth with rich fall spices and perfectly sweetened. A classic holiday side dish, this sweet potato casserole with pecans is topped with a buttery, nutty crumb topping (no marshmallows) and will become a family favorite!

5 from 32 votes

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 231

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook Time1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Total Time1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Layer:

Pecan Topping:

Instructions

Roast the Sweet Potatoes

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

  • Wash and pierce sweet potatoes with a fork about 10 times. Wrap in foil and put on a baking sheet.

  • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender (sweet potatoes compress when touched). The baking time depends on how thick your potatoes are. Check at 40 minutes if they are small.

  • Open foil and set the sweet potatoes aside to cool.

Make the Topping

  • In a medium bowl, use a fork or pastry cutter to combine butter, brown sugar, flour sea salt and cinnamon until a coarse meal forms.

  • Add pecans and stir until evenly distributed in the mixture. Set aside.

Assemble

  • Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8” baking dish, set aside.

  • Scoop the sweet potato flesh out of the skins and transfer to a large bowl. Use a potato ricer to mash the cooked sweet potato flesh. (Note: you can use a potato masher but I don’t not recommend it, as sometimes the flesh of a sweet potato is stringy, and a ricer will remove any unpleasant “strings”).*

  • Add eggs, milk, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and stir to combine.

  • Pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top so it is flat and even.

  • Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potato mixture, gently pressing it into the top.

Bake

  • Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until slightly puffed and the topping is lightly browned.

  • Let cool slightly and serve.

Video

Notes

*Or put the sweet potato, along with the other filling ingredients, in the container of a blender and blend until smooth.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Salted Butter.Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter, you may just need to increase the salt.
  • Whole Milk.Half and half, heavy cream, or 2% milk can be used in place of whole milk
  • Brown Sugar. light or dark brown sugar can be used with great results.
  • All-purpose flour.For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.
  • Pecans.Walnuts are a great substitute for pecans.

Store

Store any leftovers of this sweet potato casserole with pecans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Freeze

Let it cool completely, cover and freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Prepare in Advance

You can make this sweet potato casserole in advance in a few ways:

  1. Make and assemble the casserole the day before. Store in tightly covered in the refrigerator and then bake it the next day.
  2. Make and assemble the casserole, tightly cover it and freeze it for up to 2 months. To bake, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature – then bake according to the recipe.
  3. Roast and mash the sweet potatoes the day before you want to serve this dish. Then mix it together and bake.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 12282IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Try these Delicious Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Soup

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Best Thanksgiving Recipes

Candied Yams

Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a sweet potato casserole not runny? ›

Eggs and cream help stabilize the dish and prevent it from becoming too runny (a common complaint with many sweet potato casserole recipes). Make it as smooth or chunky as you like!

Why put egg in sweet potato casserole? ›

The egg is the all-important binder in a sweet potato casserole: it enriches and stiffens the mixture without making it heavy. Make sure to cool the mash slightly before adding the egg so it doesn't scramble, and to stir well so there are no streaks of cooked egg white in the finished dish.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

What variety of sweet potato is best for casserole? ›

Jewel. With copper skin and deep-orange flesh that's moist and tender when cooked, the jewel is a go-to potato for traditional baking and casseroles.

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

Why is my sweet potato casserole soggy? ›

(Another hot tip if you're boiling your sweet potatoes: Don't overcook them! They tend to absorb water, which could make the filling watery.) So, say you do have some undercooked bits of sweet potato. You have two choices: Pick them out or bake your sweet potato casserole long enough to soften the underdone pieces.

How can I thicken my sweet potato casserole? ›

If you bake the sweet potatoes and don't add liquid, you will not have watery sweet potato casserole. Add more potato and no liquid also you could use potato flakes to thicken them to the texture you like.

Can I leave eggs out of sweet potato casserole? ›

Eggs (or not!)

– I've made this sweet potato casserole with and without eggs, both ways are delicious. The eggs act as a binder and gives the casserole a light and fluffy texture. Without eggs, the casserole doesn't have as much structure but it still silky smooth and tastes delicious.

Why do Americans put marshmallows on sweet potato casserole? ›

Most people point to a 1917 pamphlet by the Angelus Marshmallow Company as the first time sweet potatoes and marshmallows came together. This company is believed to be the first to commercially-produce and sell the squishy white marshmallows we know, roast, and snack on today.

Should you boil sweet potatoes before baking? ›

In other words… do sweet potatoes need parboiling before roasting? Absolutely not. While many might choose to parboil the sweet potatoes before cooking for a shorter cooking time, we advise against it. Roasting sweet potatoes bring out their caramelized flavor yet leave the inside soft and custardy.

Should you soak potatoes in salt or sugar water? ›

Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.

Is it better to peel sweet potatoes before or after boiling? ›

There is not much difference between boiling sweet potatoes with the skins on versus peeling them, but you will get a boost of fiber and potassium if you keep the skin on. The skin also adds a subtle texture to each bite. If you're looking for a smoother mash, peel the potatoes first before boiling.

Is it better to roast or boil sweet potatoes for casserole? ›

We'll roast the sweet potatoes whole in the oven until they're tender and cooked through. The sweet potato condenses and caramelizes in the oven, producing superior flavor. Boiling chunks of sweet potatoes just adds more moisture. Baking takes longer than boiling, but it's easy and worth the wait.

How many sweet potatoes make 4 cups? ›

Depending on the size of your spuds, you'll need four to six sweet potatoes to get four cups.

Why is my potato casserole runny? ›

My sauce is watery

If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole. Some of the waxier potatoes can release more water than starchier ones, so look for good baking potatoes like russet or Yukon golds.

What do I do if my potato bake is too runny? ›

Try letting the dish rest for 10 minutes or so to let the water get absorbed and let the sauce thicken. Try cooking your recipe longer.

Should sweet potato casserole be firm? ›

you should see it firm, but still paste like. Once it bulges and you start to see cracks, it will be overcooked. You don't need anything of those fancy gadgets for casserole! You can grab a potato masher or whisk and mash them up.

How do you remove excess water from sweet potatoes? ›

Completely dry the sweet potatoes with a tea towel or paper towel. Before starting to peel, let the potatoes sit on a towel, so it absorbs the excess water.

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