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Metal spoon scooping sweet potato casserole out of the baking dish
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5 from 6 votes

Sweet Potato Casserole

Traditional sweet potato casserole is a must make at the holidays! Mashed Sweet Potatoes with pecans, cinnamon and marshmallows!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 551kcal
Author: Julie Evink

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.

Notes

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.
Alternative Pecan Streusel Topping
Skip the marshmallows if you are using this topping.
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 baked according to directions!
How to store leftovers
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 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 then reheat in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 20303IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg