Sweet Potato Casserole
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Posted: 11/23/19
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Planning Thanksgiving? You can’t forget Sweet Potato Casserole! It’s a classic side dish that every Thanksgiving meal needs. Mashed Sweet Potatoes loaded with cinnamon and pecans then topped with marshmallows.
If you are looking for more classic side dishes for the holidays, we have you covered. Every holiday meal needs Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Stuffing if you ask me. All of these recipes are super simple with tons of tips for making them perfectly!
The holidays are here and that means it’s time to make all of your favorite traditional dishes to serve to family and friends. This Sweet Potato Casserole is one of those signature dishes that I remember Grandma pulling out of the oven every Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately, I didn’t grab her recipe, but I think I came pretty close to replicating it! It was a hit with my kids. One of them had four servings. I mean, what’s not to love about a side dish that is basically a dessert?
The combination of sweet brown sugar, Land O’Lakes butter, vanilla, cinnamon and pecans with mashed sweet potatoes is unbelievable. Remember, it kind of tastes like dessert. I used my favorite Land O’Lakes butter that never fails me when I’m making my favorite recipes!
If you prefer the pecans for a topping instead of marshmallows I’ve included an alternative topping recipe below just for you.
Oven space is always tight at the holidays, so make sure to check out our Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole to free that precious space up for your turkey!
Contents
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How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
There are only a few steps to making this side dish which makes it really easy and a dish that any cook can serve no matter their skill level. Here is a basic overview of the steps to making it.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes – First, you will want to clean and peel the sweet potatoes. Then place them in a pot of cold water and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender.
- Mash Potatoes – Drain off the water and place sweet potatoes in a large bowl. I recommend mashing with a potato masher, but in a pinch you can use an electric mixer.
- Mix Filling – Add the brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and half the pecans to mashed sweet potatoes and combine.
- Assemble – Spray a 1 quart baking dish with non-stick spray and then place mashed sweet potatoes in the baking dish. Sprinkle on remaining chopped pecans then top with marshmallows.
- Bake – Place baking dish in preheated oven at 375 degrees F and bake for 25 minutes or until warmed through and marshmallows are golden brown.
Make-Ahead Tips!
You can make your casserole a few days in advance. I’m all about cutting stress out of hosting the holidays and this is a quick and easy tip! Another one of my favorite holiday sides to make ahead is this 7 Layer Salad.
When you make the casserole in advance I recommend leaving the marshmallows off of it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When you are ready to serve the casserole simply remove the plastic wrap and place in the oven for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove the casserole, sprinkle with marshmallows and then bake for an additional 25 minutes until warmed all the through and marshmallows are golden brown on top.
If you want to make this well ahead of time you can also freeze it. You will want to assemble the casserole, but skip topping it with marshmallows. Then lay a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil directly on top of the dish. Wrap with 2-3 more layers of foil and place in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking. We recommend baking for 15 minutes then adding the marshmallows and bake for an additional 25 minutes since the potatoes will be cold.
Making this ahead of time saves a lot of stress when you are hosting a holiday!
Tips for making the best Sweet Potato Casserole
- If starting from cold remember you will need additional time for baking. We recommend baking it for 15 minutes before adding the marshmallows.
- Different types of pans will vary the baking times (glass or ceramic baking dishes will require a longer baking time than metal pans), your oven, climate and elevation will also vary the baking time. Please be aware of that.
- If the marshmallows start to brown too quickly, simply spray one side of a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Place the sprayed side down and cover casserole, trying to avoid touching marshmallows and continue to bake.
- Weigh your sweet potatoes at the grocery store so that you have 2 1/2 lbs. to start with. The number you need varies depending on the size of your sweet potatoes.
- You can substitute Bob Evans Mashed Sweet Potatoes for the fresh sweet potatoes to save on prep time if you’d like. You would need two 22 oz packages of sweet potatoes. I would recommend cutting the brown sugar back to 1/2 of cup because these mashed sweet potatoes are already sweetened.
Alternative Pecan Streusel Topping
Instead of marshmallows some of you might prefer the streusel topping. Here’s how to make that instead!
Here’s the ingredients you will need:
- 1/2 c. melted Land O’Lakes butter
- 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1 c. chopped pecans
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle them over the top of your casserole. Then bake according to directions!
How to store leftover Sweet Potato Casserole
Place the leftover sweet potato casserole in a resealable container after it has cooled off. Then place in the refrigerator for up to four days.
If you would like to freeze your leftovers, first allow them to come to room temperature. Place in airtight container and place in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use frozen leftovers thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the oven or microwave.
If you are planning your holiday meal make sure to check out our full Thanksgiving recipes!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Traditional sweet potato casserole is a must make at the holidays! Mashed Sweet Potatoes with pecans, cinnamon and marshmallows!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- ¾ c. packed brown sugar
- ¼ c. Land O’Lakes butter softened
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ c. finely chopped pecans divided
- 2 c. miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a dutch oven or large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until very tender.
- Drain water off potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and vanilla to potatoes.
- Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or electric mixer. Fold in ¼ c. of chopped pecans.
- Place potato mixture in a 1 quart baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans and then top with marshmallows.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until warmed through and marshmallows are golden brown.
Tips
Make-Ahead Tips!
When you make in advance I recommend leaving the marshmallows off of it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When you are ready to make the casserole simply remove the plastic wrap. Place in the oven for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove the casserole and sprinkle with marshmallows and then bake an additional 25 minutes until warmed through and marshmallows are golden brown on top.
If you want to make this well ahead of time you can also freeze it. You will want to assemble the casserole, but skip topping it with marshmallows. Then lay a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil directly on top of the dish. Wrap with 2-3 more layers of foil and place in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking. We recommend baking for 15 minutes then adding the marshmallows and baking an additional 25 minutes since the potatoes will be cold.
Tips for making the best Sweet Potato Casserole
- If starting from cold remember it will add additional time for baking. We recommend baking for 15 minutes before adding the marshmallows.
- Different types of pans will vary the baking times (glass or ceramic baking dishes will require a longer baking time than metal pans), your oven, climate and elevation will also vary the baking time. Please be aware of that.
- If the marshmallows start to brown to quickly simply spray one side of a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Place the sprayed side down and cover casserole, trying to avoid touching marshmallows and continue to bake.
- Weigh your sweet potatoes at the grocery store so you have 2 1/2 lbs to start with. The number you need varies depending on the size of your sweet potatoes.
- 1/2 c. melted Land O’Lakes butter
- 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1 c. chopped pecans
Nutrition Information
Calories: 551kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 101g (34%), Protein: 5g (10%), Fat: 17g (26%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Cholesterol: 16mg (5%), Sodium: 330mg (14%), Potassium: 568mg (16%), Fiber: 6g (25%), Sugar: 62g (69%), Vitamin A: 20303IU (406%), Vitamin C: 4mg (5%), Calcium: 75mg (8%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
Ashley says
We love this sweet potato casserole, even my kids ask me to make it!
Julie says
That’s amazing! Glad it’s a hit with the whole family!
Allison says
One of my favorite holiday sides! Everyone loves it!
Julie says
Same here! Glad you loved it!