A Thanksgiving staple, this Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping will be just the classic recipe your guests needs. With a little cinnamon, a little vanilla and a lot of sweet potato goodness, this side dish will be the talk of the family. It's easy to whip up, too.
A sweet potato casserole is a hit or miss food item at the Thanksgiving table. About half of the guests like it, half of the guests would rather not.
That is okay, everyone has their opinions.
The good news is that for the half that do, I have a great, classic and pecan topped sweet potato casserole recipe for you. It also involves brown sugar.
Yes it does.
Ingredients
The last thing you need on a busy Thanksgiving is a recipe that is complicated. The good news is you can make part of this recipe ahead of time.
You will need:
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- brown sugar
- butter
- eggs
- vanilla
- milk
- salt
- cinnamon
- pecans
Sweet potato cooking secrets
The sweet potatoes you can cook ahead of time and I actually recommend it. The potatoes need to be cooked first, in their skins, to soften them so they can be mashed. That takes 45 minutes at 400*.
To prepare this dish, you can cook the potatoes the day before, then put them in the refrigerator. When you are ready to make the casserole, pull them out of the fridge, remove the peels and mash.
A sweet potato tip:
Cook the sweet potatoes in the oven on a baking sheet. Otherwise, you run the risk of the sweet potatoes "leaking" all over your oven.
Ask me how I know.
Can I make this dairy free?
Yes you can. To make this sweet potato casserole dairy free, just substitute the regular milk for almond milk. In fact, if the almond milk has vanilla already in it, it will be a bonus for the recipe.
Vanilla is already added so it would be up to you if you want to add more vanilla or just stick with what the almond milk added to it. I personally would still add the vanilla.
Marshmallow vs Pecans
Oh, the debate. To add marshmallows or to add pecans, that is the question. This recipe calls for pecans with a butter brown sugar topping. You could certainly add marshmallows.
The problem would be adding marshmallows on top with the butter brown sugar pecans.
I believe that would be way too sweet. Here is a recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows if you desire marshmallows.
Bake
You will bake this 9 inch square casserole in a 350* oven for 45 minutes. There is no need to cover with foil while baking.
Storage
To store this casserole if there are any leftovers, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
Pin for later!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potatoes (mashed) I used 3 large sweet potatoes
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup margarine melted
- 1 egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For The Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup margarine softened
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*
- Take cooked, peeled sweet potatoes and mash them in a large bowl
- Combine the ⅔ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup margarine, egg, vanilla, milk, salt and cinnamon with the sweet potatoes and blend well until smooth
- Place sweet potato mixture in a greased 9 inch square baking dish
- In a separate bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Crumble over sweet potato casserole
- Bake at 350* for 45 minutes
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve
Notes
- To bake the sweet potatoes before making this casserole, place washed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and using a knife, poke 2 slits into each. Bake at 400* for 45-55 minutes or until a knife pierces the potato easily. Let cool until potatoes can be handled, about 10-15 minutes or so. Remove skins carefully. Proceed with instructions above.
Nutrition
Need more Holiday side dish recipes? Try:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!