Sweet Potato Casserole

Why This Is A Great Recipe

Just the right sweetness: Sweet potatoes already have plenty of natural sweetness, so this recipe keeps the added sugar balanced — cozy, not candy-like.

Creamy, smooth texture: Boiling the potatoes (instead of baking) keeps the filling soft and mashable without becoming overly sweet or stringy.

Two topping options: Whether you love the crunchy pecan crumble or the classic layer of gooey toasted marshmallows, this recipe lets you choose — or do both.

Foolproof and family-friendly: The steps are simple, the ingredients are easy to work with, and the casserole turns out beautifully every time.

Perfect for make-ahead: This dish holds up wonderfully in the fridge, making holiday prep feel a whole lot calmer.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Sweet Potatoes: Fresh sweet potatoes give the best flavor and you have a way to take some sweetness out since this is not a dessert. I don’t recommend canned because canned sweet potatoes retain a lot of sweetness without a way to reduce that.

Milk/Cream: Whole milk keeps the filling creamy, but to make it more rich, you can substitute half-and-half. Use what you have on hand, even reduced fat milk will work (but maybe add a tiny bit less since it’s thinner).

Eggs: Eggs help the casserole set and keep the texture light and smooth.

Brown sugar: use light or dark brown sugar, the only difference is amount of molasses. Dark brown sugar has more molasses to has a stronger and more robust flavor (but it’s not extremely noticeable).

Pecans: Pecans add that classic crunchy topping, but if you need, substitute other nuts like walnuts or almonds and for a a nut-free option, use the streusel topping and omit nuts.

Gluten free substitution – the sweet potato casserole itself is gluten free naturally but the streusel topping contains flour. You can substitute all purpose gluten free flour for streusel topping. Marshmallows are also gluten free.

What Are Topping Options For Sweet Potato Casserole

Two most popular and my personal favorites are streusel and marshmallows:

• Streusel topping: streusel is a sweet crumble topping made with sugar, flour, and melted butter. I also add crushed pecans to mine because pecans are the perfect combination with sweet potatoes. You can always omit or use another nut. Streusel topping provides a great texture variation to smooth sweet potatoes.
• Marshmallow topping: this is an even more classic topping and I add a layer of toasted pecans underneath the marshmallows to provide a great texture variation between soft and smooth. You can also use different nuts or omit nuts altogether.

How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Crumble Topping

Why we boil potatoes for casserole: For sweet potato casserole, it’s best to boil sweet potatoes rather than baking it. When sweet potatoes are baked, they retain and even release more of the natural sweetness. If you add sugar to baked sweet potatoes, it would just be too sweet. (If you do happen to bake them, or have some leftover, use much less sugar in a casserole or omit it.)

Peel sweet potatoes and chop them into 4-6 cubes. Place sweet potato chunks into a pot and fill it with cold water, just enough to cover the potatoes. (Remember, all potatoes start cooking with cold water when boiling.) Bring water to boil and cook potatoes until fork-tender.

Strain all the water out of the pot and let potatoes cool for a few minutes. (If you add egg to hot potatoes, you will end up with partially scrambled eggs.)

Add butter, eggs, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla extract and mash it all together using a potato masher. I do not like using a mixer because it whips the potatoes and leaves it with a completely different texture. That’s why I recommend to mash sweet potatoes by hand, and get a little workout in a process. 

Grease a 9×9 casserole pan with some butter all over the bottom and up the sides. Spread potato mixture evenly in the pan.

For Pecan Topping:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans in a mixing bowl and mix until all evenly incorporated. Pour in melted butter while stirring and cutting with a fork. Continue to cut and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form. The topping should look like crumbs, not paste. 
• Spread the pecan topping over sweet potatoes evenly and bake the casserole for 40-45 minutes.

How to Make It With A Marshmallow Topping

PRO TIP: Either way, make sure to wait to add the marshmallows until the last 10 or so minutes of baking or they will overcook!

Marshmallows make a beautiful presentation and a tasty, creamy addition to the casserole. You can choose to add marshmallows on top of the crunchy pecan topping or just stick to marshmallows.

• Follow the same instructions to make the sweet potato filling mixture as above through the step of spreading the mixture in the greased casserole pan.
• After you spread the filling in a greased baking dish, simply spread 1.5 cups of chopped pecans over the sweet potato filling and bake it for about 30 minutes.
• Take the casserole out and spread mini marshmallows over the top. If you want to get super creative, sprinkle a little bit of coarse salt on top and a few more pecans as well. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden brown.

Make Ahead Instructions

It’s very easy to make the casserole ahead of time either part of the way of completely. 

• Prep the casserole and store before baking: Prepare sweet potato filling and spread it in the casserole dish. Cool and cover the dish air-tight with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate until ready to bake. When ready, prepare the topping, spread it over the sweet potatoes and bake at 350°F for about 40-45 minutes. 
• Prep the casserole, bake, and store: Casserole can also be completely baked and stored in the refrigerator. Bake the casserole as directed in the recipe and let it cool to room temperature. As soon as it’s cooled, cover it air-tight and store in the refrigerator. 
• When ready to reheat the casserole: preheat the oven to 325°F and take off all plastic wrap. Cover with aluminum foil and reheat for about 20 minutes. Take off the foil and finish reheating for another 10 minutes. 

Troubleshooting Your Sweet Potato Casserole

Casserole turned out watery:

• This usually means you’ve added too much liquid. Make sure they’re fully drained. When boiling fresh sweet potatoes, cook them until fully tender so the excess water cooks out.
• Remember, it’s easier to add more liquids and it’s impossible to take any out after mixing. So you can mix everything but the whole milk and gradually add whole milk at the end. That way you can judge if your sweet potato filling is getting too wet.

Texture too loose / not setting:

• The casserole needs a few minutes to cool after baking — it firms up as it rests. If you skipped the eggs, the filling will be softer, so expect a looser texture.

Too sweet for your taste:

• Sweet potatoes vary in natural sweetness. You can reduce the brown sugar to balance things out. When mixing the filling, add half the amount of sugar and taste. If you feel like adding more will make it too sweet, don’t add any more sugar.

Marshmallows browning too fast:

• Add them during the last 10–12 minutes of baking. Adding them at the start will cause them to melt and burn before the casserole is cooked through.

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More Must-Have Thanksgiving Dishes

If you’re planning your holiday menu, here are a few more dishes that always get great reviews:

• Roasted Turkey Breast – Tender, juicy, and perfect for Thanksgiving.
• Classic Stuffing – Flavor-packed and easy to make ahead.
• Homemade Mashed Potatoes – Creamy, buttery, and always a crowd favorite.
• Green Bean Casserole – Made from scratch with the best crispy topping.
• Potato Dinner Rolls – Light, fluffy, and perfect for soaking up gravy.
• Sweet Potato Pie – A cozy dessert to match the casserole on your table.
• Sweet Potato Cakes – great ideas to use up leftovers.

Originally published Will Cook For Smiles in October 2019.