Sweet Potato Casserole

A classic sweet potato casserole with a smooth creamy filling made of roasted sweet potatoes and topped with crunchy pecans and toasted marshmallows. It's richly flavored, perfectly balanced, and can even be made in advance for easy holiday prep! Recipe includes a how-to video!

Course Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Sweet Potato Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 316kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

3 lbs (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (see note)
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
⅓ cup (76 g) salted butter melted
½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar firmly packed
2 large eggs room temperature preferred, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (120 g) chopped pecans (optional, see note)
2 ½ cups (141 g) mini marshmallows

Instructions

Bake the potatoes: Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Pierce each potato all over with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake in oven until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45-60 minutes.
3 lbs (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes
Cool. Let the potatoes cool until easy to handle, then remove the skins.
Puree or mash. Sweet potatoes are naturally a bit stringy. For a smoother, creamier casserole, puree the cooked, peeled sweet potatoes in batches in a food processor until smooth. If you don't mind a bit more texture, just mash them thoroughly with a potato masher instead.
Mix. Add heavy cream, melted butter, sugar, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to the sweet potatoes, stir until well-combined. If you didn't opt to puree the sweet potatoes, I recommend using an electric mixer to make the mixture as smooth as possible.
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, ⅓ cup (76 g) salted butter, ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 3 Tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
Add pecans & marshmallows. Spread mixture evenly into an ungreased or lightly buttered 9”x13” baking dish (glass or ceramic preferred). Scatter pecans evenly over top of potatoes (if using), then scatter mini marshmallows evenly over the pecans.
1 cup (120 g) chopped pecans, 2 ½ cups (141 g) mini marshmallows
Bake. Transfer baking dish to center rack of 375F (190C) oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until marshmallows are deeply golden brown.
Serve. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Sweet potatoes

Weigh the sweet potatoes before baking/peeling. The exact number you will need can vary, I've used anywhere from 8 smaller sweet potatoes to just 3 larger ones.

Pecans

Can be omitted for a nut-free casserole (but personally I'd double-up on the marshmallows!).

Making in advance

To make ahead, prepare the sweet potato filling as instructed (through step 4), spread it into your baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, let casserole sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (I let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats), then sprinkle with pecans and marshmallows and bake as indicated (it may take a few extra minutes in the oven if its still quite cold).

Storing

Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or to reheat in the oven, cover with foil and heat in a 350F (175C) oven until warmed through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes to give the topping a chance to crisp up again.

Nutrition