This sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans toppings is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. A classic dish with warming fall-flavored spices and topped with delicious pecan streusel and gooey mini marshmallows.
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About sweet potato casserole recipe
- Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole is perfect for any holiday meal. This casserole is a perfect pair of poultry and beef.
- If you are looking for outstanding sides for your holiday table, then this casserole is what you need to make. It’s sweet, salty, nutty, gooey, and warming and all the way delicious!
- It’s easy to make.
- A true crowd pleaser! Even fussy kids would love this, I tell this from experience.
- This casserole recipe has two toppings. Most families either have a tradition of making sweet potato casserole with plain brown butter (and pecan) streusel topping or stick to gooey marshmallow toppings.
- I love both – the nutty goodness of a pecan streusel toppings and gooey deliciousness of marshmallows. While you can stick to one topping of your choice, do consider trying adding both toppings. You’re in for a real treat! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
- With two delicious and irresistible toppings – brown sugar pecan streusel and mini marshmallows this casserole tastes out of the world delicious!
- the Best part is yet to come! This recipe is easy to make ahead. Just assemble sweet potatoes in a casserole dish, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Streusel topping can also be made ahead and stored separately in zip lock bags refrigerated. Just before serving, sprinkle streusel topping, bake and serve.
- Let’s talk about the taste – it’s sweet and crunchy, salty from pecan nuts, and gooey! It’s so delicious, you’re sure to reach for second and third servings!
- This casserole tastes practically like a dessert but is traditionally served as side dish! How would you feel if you can eat dessert for side dish! You will like it so very much!
- Not a sweet potato fan?! This just might be the recipe that will convert you! Try it!
Ingredient’s needed
Here’s what you’ll need for the sweet potato filling –
- 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
- ½ cup water
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon butter, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon clove powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- â…› teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
For the toppings –
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon plain flour
- ½ cup butter, chilled cut into cubes
- ¼ teaspoon clove powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- â…› teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- And
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
How to make sweet potato casserole
It’s one of the easiest casseroles to make. Simply cook sweet potatoes, mash them with spices, and rest of the ingredients. Spread on casserole dish.
Make streusel topping with brown sugar, chilled butter, pecans, and spices. Sprinkle over the sweet potato layer, and bake! Serve it as it is or make it a double topping with mini marshmallows spread on top to cover the whole casserole. Bake for a few minutes until the marshmallows are roasted and gooey.
To make potato filling
- Start by peeling sweet potatoes. Dice into small cubes. Add diced sweet potatoes into a pan, pour ½ cup water and bring it to a boil. Once starts boiling cover and cook on low flame until sweet potatoes are cooked through and tender. Will take around 12 to 15 minutes for the potatoes to cook.
- Drain off any liquids left in the pot. Rest in sweet potatoes for a few minutes. This will help remove any excess water from the potatoes.
- Transfer cooked sweet potatoes into a bowl. Mash it using a potato masher.
- Add all ingredients – eggs, brown sugar, spices, vanilla, and chopped pecans to the bowl.
- Beat using a hand blender or mash until fluffy and well blended.
- Grease the casserole dish with butter on all sides. You can use cooking oil instead of butter to spray over the casserole dish.
- Transfer potato filling into prepared casserole/baking dish. Set aside.
Sweet potato casserole topping
To Make Streusel Topping (pecan crumb):
- Into a food processor add pecans, light brown sugar, chilled butter(cubed), plain flour, spice powder, and vanilla extract.
- Pulse a few times until the crumble mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Bake:
- Spread pecan crumb topping evenly over potato filling.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
Marshmallow Topping:
- Remove the baked sweet potato casserole from the oven. Spread mini marshmallows in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired you can broil for 1 or 2 minutes. Make sure not to broil longer, marshmallows will burn quickly.
- Serve immediately.
Pro Tips For Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
- Do not use too much water while cooking sweet potatoes. ½ cup would do and remember to drain off all excess water before mashing sweet potatoes. Any liquids left in sweet potatoes will make the potato filling runny.
- Rest cooked potatoes for few minutes to get rid off excess water before mashing.
- You can use canned sweet potatoes for convenience, but I haven’t experimented with it!
- Feel free to use any of your favorite spice. Choose one or use a mix. I love cinnamon, clove and nutmeg spice mix. It gives the casserole a nice warming fall flavors!
- Choose one topping either streusel crumb or mini marshmallows. Double topping is highly recommended if you in mood for holiday indulgence.
- If you choose to broil marshmallows, broil only for 1 or 2 minutes. Marshmallows will burn quickly.
FAQS
Yes, you can! Make everything the night before, pop it into the refrigerator and it’s ready to bake the next day or the day after.
Make potato filling, and set it on a casserole dish. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. The streusel topping or pecan crumb can also be made ahead and stored separately and refrigerated. When you are ready to serve, bring both potato filling and streusel crumb out of the fridge. Sprinkle pecan crumbs on top and bake in a pre-heated oven. If the user wants to add mini marshmallows spread in a single layer, bake for 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, you can. If you want to prep ahead you can, just assemble sweet potatoes in a casserole dish, cover it with cling film and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Streusel topping can also be made ahead and stored separately in zip lock bags refrigerated. Just before serving, sprinkle streusel topping, bake and serve.
If you want to prep it much before and store it for longer you can freeze it. Prep sweet potato filling spread into a casserole dish, cover it tightly, and pop it into the freezer. The crumble topping should be stored separately in a freezer-proof airtight container or tightly sealed in a freezer bag.
When ready to bake, remove from the freezer and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Next morning sprinkle with a crumble topping and bake.
Sure, you can!
Canned sweet potatoes or yams are perfect for making a casserole. It reduces prep work by a great deal. By all means, use canned sweet potatoes in this recipe to make sweet potato casserole.
Here’s a list of 35+ best Thanksgiving side dishes to choose from.
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📋Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows And Pecans
Ingredients
For Potato Filling:
- 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and diced into small cubes
- ½ cup water
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon clove powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- â…› teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
For Pecan Crumb & Marshmallow Toppings:
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon plain flour
- ½ cup butter chilled cut into cubes
- ¼ teaspoon clove powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- â…› teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- And
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
To Make Potato Filling:
- Peel sweet potatoes. Dice into small cubes. Add diced sweet potatoes into a pan, pour ½ cup water and bring it to a boil. Once starts boiling cover and cook on low flame until sweet potatoes are cooked through and tender. Will take around 12 to 15 minutes for the potatoes to cook.
- Drain off any liquids left in the pot. Rest for a few minutes. This will help remove any excess water from the potatoes.
- Transfer cooked sweet potatoes into a bowl. Mash it using a potato masher.
- Add all ingredients – eggs, brown sugar, spices, vanilla, and chopped pecans to the bowl.
- Beat using a hand blender or mash until fluffy and well blended.
- Grease the casserole dish with butter on all sides. You can use cooking oil instead of butter to spray over the casserole dish.
- Transfer potato filling into the prepared casserole/baking dish. Set aside.
Sweet Potato Casserole Topping – To Make Streusel Topping (pecan crumb):
- Into a food processor add pecans, light brown sugar, chilled butter(cubed), plain flour, spice powder, and vanilla extract.
- Pulse a few times until the crumble mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Bake:
- Spread pecan crumb topping evenly over potato filling.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
Marshmallow Topping:
- Remove the baked sweet potato casserole from the oven. Spread mini marshmallows in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired you can broil for 1 or 2 minutes. Make sure not to broil longer, marshmallows will burn quickly.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
- Do not use too much water while cooking sweet potatoes. ½ cup would do and remember to drain off all excess water before mashing sweet potatoes. Any liquids left in sweet potatoes will make the potato filling runny.
- Rest cooked potatoes for a few minutes to get rid of excess water before mashing.
- You can use canned sweet potatoes for convenience, but I haven’t experimented with it!
- Feel free to use any of your favorite spice. Choose one or use a mix. I love cinnamon, clove and nutmeg spice mix. It gives the casserole a nice warming fall flavors!
- Choose one topping either streusel crumb or mini marshmallows. Double topping is highly recommended if you are in mood for holiday indulgence.
- If you choose to broil marshmallows, broil only for 1 or 2 minutes. Marshmallows will burn quickly.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Comments & Reviews
Tom says
Due to cinnamon allergy is there a recommended substitute or just omit and use only cloves and nutmeg?
Jyothi Rajesh says
You can omit cinnamon if you are allergic