Description
This Sweet Potato Casserole is a comforting and delicious holiday side dish featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a buttery, crunchy pecan streusel. Sweetened with brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon, this dish balances sweet and savory flavors, making it a Thanksgiving favorite or a cozy addition to any meal. The crunchy pecan topping adds the perfect texture to complement the smooth sweet potato filling.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Sweet Potato Filling:
- 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- For the Pecan Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- Boil Sweet Potatoes: In a large pot, add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Mash & Mix: Using a potato masher or hand mixer, mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. Add melted butter, brown sugar, beaten eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare the Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, melted butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Add Topping: Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
- Serve & Enjoy: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Make-Ahead Option: Assemble the casserole a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
- Nut-Free Option: Omit pecans and substitute with an oat-based crumble or marshmallows for a different texture.
- Marshmallow Topping Alternative: If preferred, replace the streusel with a layer of mini marshmallows and bake until golden brown.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use almond milk or coconut milk instead of regular milk and replace butter with vegan butter.
- Gluten-Free Version: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: ~320 kcal
- Sugar: ~18g
- Sodium: ~180mg
- Fat: ~16g
- Saturated Fat: ~7g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~8g
- Trans Fat: ~0g
- Carbohydrates: ~42g
- Fiber: ~4g
- Protein: ~4g
- Cholesterol: ~55mg