Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (2024)

Jump to Recipe

Savor every spoonful of pure comfort with our mouthwatering Sweet Potato Casserole. With its golden, vegetarian marshmallow-kissed topping and a velvety, cinnamon-infused sweet potato base with crunchy pecans, this classic dish is the epitome of cozy indulgence, bringing warmth and nostalgia to your table in every bite.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (1)

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a small commission. Thank you!

Let’s face it, space on your Thanksgiving table is limited, and you want only the best for your special occasion; the good news is that you’ve just stumbled across the best sweet potato casserole recipe ever, and here’s why.

Why you’ll love making sweet potato casserole

  • This sweet potato casserole recipe is so simple! Make the filling, top it, and bake. That’s all there is to it!
  • Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a dessert-like side dish. With a pecan, brown sugar, and melted butter topping, it’s hard to believe this sits on your dinner plate right next to green beans. Dessert for dinner? Yes, please!
  • Everyone loves sweet potato casserole, especially with gooey marshmallow topping; it’s a real family favorite. This recipe is perfect for vegetarian diets as well, by using vegetarian marshmallows. You can’t even tell they’re vegetarian!
  • Perfect for meal prep, make sweet potato casserole ahead of Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You can either refrigerate it or freeze it.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (2)

How to make sweet potato casserole with step-by-step instructions

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

For the Topping

In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, white sugar, all-purpose flour, and optional cinnamon.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (3)
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (4)

Add cold salted butter cubes and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the sugar-flour mixture until it becomes a coarse mixture.

Pro Tip: If the butter melts and becomes soft, pop the bowl back in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden it back up.

For the Filling

Either bake or boil your fresh sweet potatoes as you prefer until fork tender.

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C and grease a medium baking dish.

Place the cooked sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl (separate bowl from the topping), along with the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and butter.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (5)
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (6)
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (7)

Using a handheld electric mixer, food processor, or potato masher, beat or mash until the sweet potato filling is smooth and fluffy, then fold in half the pecans.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (8)
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (9)
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (10)

Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the baking dish in an even layer, scatter the streusel topping evenly, and add the remaining chopped pecans over the potato mixture.

For extra sweetness, add vegetarian mini marshmallows, place the baking dish on a baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes until the marshmallows begin to turn golden brown.

Remove the casserole dish from the oven, serve, and enjoy.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (17)

Recipe notes and expert tips

  • Sweet potatoes: Baked or boiled will both work well; however, they may taste different. Baked sweet potatoes will taste even sweeter than boiled as the sugars caramelize in the oven. On the other hand, boiled sweet potatoes cook a little quicker than baking. Ensure the large sweet potatoes are diced into small pieces to help them cook quicker.
  • Leftover mash: If you have leftover mashed sweet potatoes, this is a great way to use them! You may need to add an extra sweet potato or two, depending on how much mash you have.
  • Canned sweet potatoes: You can easily use canned yams or sweet potatoes instead of fresh ones. We recommend using 3-4 cans.
  • Too sweet: If you find sweet potato casserole overly sweet, skip the marshmallows. The pecan topping tastes delicious on its own!
  • Maple: Replace the sugar in the filling with maple syrup to make a maple pecan version. It’s really tasty!
  • Marshmallows: If you can’t find mini marshmallows, regular-sized marshmallows work perfectly as well! Make sure to spread them evenly so that they melt over the whole casserole.
Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (18)

How to store leftover sweet potato casserole

It makes delicious leftovers the next day!

Store sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat the sweet potato casserole in the microwave or oven until piping hot.

You can also freeze sweet potato casserole! This is a great option for preparing Thanksgiving dinner early.

Store the casserole, either baked or just assembled, in an airtight container, covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, for up to 3 months.

Allow it to thaw overnight before baking as per the recipe.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (19)

What to serve with sweet potato casserole

This is the perfect side dish for the holiday season! With its warm spices and brown sugar pecan streusel topping, It’s such a cozy side dish.

At Thanksgiving or Christmas, we love to serve this with a few more sides like mashed potatoes, chestnut stuffing, brussels sprouts, and honey-roasted carrots.

For the main dish, we have a few veggie options! Our Nut Roast is a reader favorite, as well as our lentil loaf. Our Christmas special is Vegan Ham which can also be made in an air fryer!

For dessert, we love making sweet pies for the holidays. Try our Cinnamon Pie, Apple Pie, or Reese’s Pie, and if you can’t get enough sweet potato recipes, our Sweet Potato Pie is heavenly!

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (20)

More easy vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes for you to try

  • Broccoli Cheese Casserole
  • Potato Casserole
  • Yellow Squash Casserole
  • Mushroom Wellington
  • Air Fryer Green Beans
  • Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (21)

Print Pin Recipe

5 from 37 votes

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (With Streusel & Marshmallow)

Savor every spoonful of pure comfort with our mouthwatering Sweet Potato Casserole. With its golden, vegetarian marshmallow-kissed topping and a velvety, cinnamon-infused sweet potato base with crunchy pecans, this classic dish is the epitome of cozy indulgence, bringing warmth and nostalgia to your table in every bite.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings12

Calories387

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: Mandy Applegate | Splash of Taste

Ingredients

For the Topping

  • ½ cup Granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Brown sugar
  • ½ cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon optional
  • ¼ cup Butter cubed and cold

For the Filling

  • 4 large Sweet potatoes baked or boiled
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • ½ cup Butter melted
  • 1 cup Pecans roughly chopped, divided
  • Mini marshmallows (vegetarian) optional – 2 cups

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

For the Topping

  • In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and optional cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the sugar-flour mixture until it becomes a coarse mixture.

    ½ cup Granulated sugar, ½ cup Brown sugar, ½ cup All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Cinnamon, ¼ cup Butter

For the Filling

  • Either bake or boil your sweet potatoes as preferred.

    4 large Sweet potatoes

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C and grease an 8"x 8" baking dish.

  • Place the cooked sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl, along with the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Using a handheld electric mixer or a potato masher, beat or mash until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, then fold in half the pecans.

    ½ cup Sugar, 2 large Eggs, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, ½ cup Butter, 1 cup Pecans

  • Transfer the mixture to the baking dish in an even layer, scatter the topping evenly, add the remaining pecans over the potato mixture (for extra sweetness, add mini marshmallows), and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy.

    1 cup Pecans, Mini marshmallows (vegetarian)

Notes

  1. Sweet potatoes: Baked or boiled will both work well, however, they may taste different. Baked sweet potatoes will taste even sweeter than boiled as the sugars caramelize in the oven. On the other hand, boiled sweet potatoes cook a little quicker than baking. Ensure the large sweet potatoes are diced into small pieces to help them cook quicker.
  2. Canned sweet potatoes: You can easily use canned yams or sweet potatoes instead of fresh ones. We recommend using 3-4 cans.
  3. Leftover mash: If you have leftover mashed sweet potatoes, this is a great way to use them! You may need to add an extra sweet potato or two depending on how much mash you have.
  4. Too sweet: If you find sweet potato casserole overly sweet, skip the marshmallows. The pecan topping tastes delicious on its own!
  5. Maple: Replace the sugar in the filling with maple syrup to make a maple pecan version. It’s really tasty!
  6. Marshmallows: If you can’t find mini marshmallows, regular-sized marshmallows work perfectly as well! Make sure to spread them evenly so that they melt over the whole casserole.
  7. Leftovers: Store sweet potato casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  8. Freeze: You can also freeze sweet potato casserole! This is a great option for preparing Thanksgiving dinner early. Store the casserole either baked or just assembled in an airtight container or covered in aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight before baking as per the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 16483IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (22)

Did you make this recipe?

We love hearing how you went with ours recipes! Tag us on Instagram at @splash_of_taste_uk

You may also like…

Crispy Chickpea Nuggets Recipe

A healthy, protein-packed alternative to traditional chicken nuggets, Chickpea Nuggets are a dream come true! Whether you’re vegetarian, looking for gluten-free options, or simply want…

Perfectly Fluffy Thai Jasmine Rice

Thai Jasmine Rice is the quiet hero of meal times, effortlessly turning the ordinary into something special with its lovely aroma and soft texture. This…

Forget Grandma's Recipe: This Sweet Potato Casserole Wins! (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep sweet potato casserole from being 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 do you put eggs 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 Americans put marshmallows on sweet potato casserole? ›

According to an article from Saveur Magazine documented by the Library of Congress, the first recipe of mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows dates to 1917, when "marketers of Angelus Marshmallows hired Janet McKenzie Hill, founder of the Boston Cooking School Magazine, to develop recipes for a booklet designed to ...

How does Ina Garten bake sweet potatoes? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425*F.
  2. Cut sweet potatoes in wedges or like french fries.
  3. Place wedges on large baking pan or cookie sheet. ...
  4. Now sprinkle over brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. ...
  5. Spread out in a single layer. ...
  6. Place back in oven and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

How do you make a casserole less runny? ›

Simply whisk equal parts butter and flour together. Then, roll the thick paste into little teaspoon-sized balls. Add one ball to your casserole at a time, waiting about a minute before adding another one, until you get the right thickness.

How do I thicken up my sweet potato casserole? ›

If it cooks, but doesn't thicken enough, you can make up a slurry of cornstarch & cold water & mix that in (before putting on the marshmallow topping). Let it cook a bit longer for the heat to activate the cornstarch & thicken it, then add your topping.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

How to tell when sweet potato casserole is done? ›

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it's done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.

How many sweet potatoes is 4 cups? ›

For cooking purposes, 1 pound of sweet potatoes equals about three medium whole, 2 cups mashed or 3½ to 4 cups chopped.

Why do African Americans eat sweet potato pie? ›

After emancipation, when African American cooks gained more access to their own equipment and refined ingredients, they continued the tradition of baking with yams and sweet potatoes — especially the pie. These deep roots became the foundation of a strong tradition in African American food culture.

Are candied yams and sweet potato casserole the same thing? ›

You may not want to substitute true yams in your Candied Yams recipe since their flavor isn't the same as the sweet potatoes in the dish. They can be substituted for sweet potatoes in more savory dishes.

What culture eats the most sweet potatoes? ›

China is the world's biggest producer and consumer of sweetpotato, where it is used for food, animal feed, and processing (as food, starch, and other products).

How do you make Patti Labelle sweet potatoes? ›

Boil the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot until soft, about 25 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, add the butter, cream, agave, cinnamon and salt, and mash until smooth. Sprinkle with the orange zest.

Why do you put oil on sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The perfect baked sweet potato is simpler than you think! Lightly oiling the skin and sprinkling with a bit of salt makes for crisp skin and a tender inside. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

How to bake sweet potato in oven Martha Stewart? ›

Pierce potatoes all over with the tines of a fork and bake in oven, directly on rack, until soft and caramelizing, 1 1/2 hours. Slash the tops of potatoes open with the tip of a sharp knife and push ends of each potato toward each other to open. Divide butter, salt, and pepper among potatoes and serve.

How do you keep sweet potato mash from getting watery? ›

How Do I Make Sure My Mashed Sweet Potatoes are Not Watery? To make sure your potatoes aren't watery, don't overcook the potatoes. It's also important to drain the potatoes completely once you're done boiling them to avoid having unwanted water lingering in your pot.

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.

Is sweet potato casserole supposed to be jiggly? ›

Sprinkle the pecan topping mixture over the top of the sweet potato filling. Bake the casserole for 35 to 45 minutes, until the filling is hot, does not jiggle when you shake the dish, and the topping has browned.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carlyn Walter

Last Updated:

Views: 5723

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carlyn Walter

Birthday: 1996-01-03

Address: Suite 452 40815 Denyse Extensions, Sengermouth, OR 42374

Phone: +8501809515404

Job: Manufacturing Technician

Hobby: Table tennis, Archery, Vacation, Metal detecting, Yo-yoing, Crocheting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.