In my opinion, sweet potato casserole deserves a real-deal spotlight shining bright on it during Thanksgiving dinner. How it ever made its way onto the table during the main course as a vegetable, I 'm not entirely sure, but I 'm not mad about it either. It's creamy and delicious and I believe marshmallows are a MUST and would honestly consider it a Thanksgiving catastrophe if the sweet potato casserole arrived without marshmallows on top. Others aren't as dramatic as me and like their sweet potato casserole without marshmallows (this recipe has a crumble topping instead that's INSANE). Here are our tips to ensure all Thanksgiving catastrophes are avoided.
1. Use dark brown sugar.
Using dark instead of light brown sugar will provide a deeper molasses and caramel flavor. It will ensure your sweet potato casserole is the one asked for year after year and will give you a more intensely caramelized topping.
Does your brown sugar always harden in the box? A marshmallow is your friend here: Place one in the bag with the sugar, and the marshmallow will help retain moisture in the sugar. (Read more tips on keeping brown sugar soft here.)
2. Roast the sweet potatoes.
Instead of boiling your sweet potatoes, try roasting them. It will take a little longer but not extra work necessarily. Roasting concentrates their flavor and makes them sweeter. The bake will dry them out slightly (which is a good thing!) and give your casserole a thicker texture instead of a soupy one.
3. Mix it up with a little sweetness.
Once you roast and mash your sweet potatoes, mix them up with brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Don't forget the salt-it will help bring out the sweetness!
4. Top with pecans AND marshmallows.
Most casseroles only have one or the other. Don't even think about making this mistake. Topping with a pecan streusel and then marshmallows will help this casserole stand out above all the rest. Chopped pecans add a necessary texture to the casserole and the rest of the streusel partially melts into the sweet potatoes for a fusion of flavor. Marshmallows ensure a beautiful presentation with their golden tops and their melty sweetness, an essential element to any sweet potato casserole.
If you want super extra credit, make these candied pecans to accompany your already-glorious casserole.
Can you make sweet potato casserole in advance?
Yes! You can cook and mash the sweet potatoes and assemble the casserole (including the pecan topping) up to a day in advance. Keep the whole thing in the refrigerator until ready to top with mini marshmallows and bake.
If you've made this recipe, be sure to drop a comment down below to let us know how you liked it and what tweaks you made to your version!
Can you freeze sweet potato casserole?
This type of casserole is best made and eaten right away. If you want to freeze it before or after baking with the marshmallows that can do! You can prepare both the casserole and the streusel topping and store them separately. Once you are ready to bake assemble them together.
What are ingredient substitutions that I can use?
Starch: You can actually replace a portion of the ingredients in this recipe for dietary reasons or other. Use purple sweet potatoes, yams, or white sweet potatoes instead. They will all taste a bit different but go ahead and try!
Dairy: if you can't consume or don't want milk use oat milk, almond milk, hemp milk, soy milk, or any other milk that suits you. You could even replace the butter with olive oil too.
Nuts: omit nuts if allergic or don't like consuming. You can also replace with walnuts, sliced almonds, crushed hazelnuts, or whatever you prefer.
How to make sweet potato casserole vegan?
What's the difference between yams and sweet potatoes
It's very easy to get the two tubers confused although they aren't much alike. Sweet potatoes have less starch and tend to have more moisture. The yam is dry and starchy which makes it good for pies or anything that needs less moisture. Sweet potatoes have a firm and softer variety and can be seen with orange, white, yellow, or reddish flesh.
Editor's note: This intro was updated to add more information about the dish on September 12, 2022.
Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Calories per Serving: 579
Cooking spray
large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
packed brown sugar
(1 stick) butter, melted
pure vanilla extract
milk
large eggs
kosher salt
packed dark brown sugar
all-purpose flour
butter, melted
chopped pecans
mini marshmallows
Nutrition (per serving): 579 calories, 6 g protein, 78 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 56 g sugar, 29 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 329 mg sodium
31.55
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