Sweet Potato Casserole

Name: Sweet Potato Casserole
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 8 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes ((6 to 7 medium-sized sweet potatoes)); 2 cups water; ¾ cup dark brown sugar, (packed); 5 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, (softened); 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract; 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1½ cups chopped pecans, (divided 1 into cup and ½ cup); 3 cups mini marshmallows

This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe with its creamy potatoes full of brown sugar and melted butter, along with a crunchy topping.

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Table of Contents

Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Your holiday meal just got better with this classic sweet potato casserole. With its creamy sweet potatoes, crunchy pecan, and sweet marshmallow topping, how can you go wrong?

close up shot of Sweet Potato Casserole in a baking dish with a slice take out of it

Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients

Sweet Potato Casserole raw ingredients shot that is labeled

You’ll need:

8 cups of peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (6-7 medium-sized fresh sweet potatoes)
2 cups of water
¾ cup of dark brown sugar, packed
5 tablespoons of salted sweet cream butter, softened
1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1½ cups of chopped pecans (divided into 1 cup and ½ cup)
3 cups of mini marshmallows

Substitutions And Additions

BROWN SUGAR: You can use light brown sugar instead of dark brown in this favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

SWEET POTATOES: You can substitute canned yams for fresh sweet potato (yams and sweet potato are the same things). Use 2 (29-ounce) cans.

PECANS: Candied pecans can also be used for the pecan topping on this sweet potato recipe.

How To Make This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This recipe can be made for a larger crowd, you can easily double it if you need.

STEP ONE: Using a 5 to 6-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan set on medium-high, add the cubed sweet potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes. Cover the saucepan and cook the sweet potatoes until fork tender.

PRO TIP:

If you have a preferred method of cooking sweet potatoes, such as baking or in the microwave, you can cook them that way instead.

STEP TWO: Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

STEP THREE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.

STEP FOUR: Add in the brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use a potato masher and mash all the ingredients until smooth.

ingredients being mashed together in a bowl

STEP FIVE: Fold in ½ cup chopped pecans to the mashed sweet potatoes.

chopped pecans folded into sweet potato mixture

STEP SIX: Evenly spoon and spread the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish.

sweet potato mixture spread into a baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans and the mini marshmallows.

marshmallows topped on to sweet potato mixture and then baked in a baking dish

STEP EIGHT: Bake this easy sweet potato casserole uncovered for 25 minutes until the marshmallows are slightly golden brown. Serve while hot.

PRO TIP:

Keep an eye on the marshmallows at the end of the baking time so that you don’t burn them.

casserole after being baked in a baking dish

How To Serve

This delicious sweet potato casserole is a staple at many Thanksgiving dinner tables.

Don’t forget to add our green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, cornbread dressing and pumpkin pie to your Thanksgiving menu too.

Our creamy mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables are two more easy recipes you should add to your Thanksgiving table.

MORE SWEET POTATO RECIPES

Pie Recipes

Sweet Potato Pie

Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze the casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Do not add the toppings until you are ready to thaw and bake the casserole. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil.

a slice of Sweet Potato Casserole on a plate

Holiday dinners are always better when they have a fun, sweet dish with marshmallows on the table, at least the kid in me believes that to be true. Holiday season is all about delicious food and family traditions and you can make this dish a new tradition this year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

This great recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen. It’s a good idea to wait to add the topping ingredients until you thaw it and are ready to bake.

How do I store this sweet potato casserole?

This perfect side dish can be stored in the fridge for up to four days after you bake it.

Can I leave the nuts out of this recipe?

If you prefer to keep your dish nut-free, you can certainly leave the nuts out and just stick to the marshmallow topping.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Sweet Potato Casserole

5 from 1 vote

This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe with its creamy potatoes full of brown sugar and melted butter, along with a crunchy topping.

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings

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Ingredients

8 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (6 to 7 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
2 cups water
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
5 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, softened
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cups chopped pecans, divided 1 into cup and ½ cup
3 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

Using a 5 to 6-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan set on medium-high, add the cubed sweet potato and water. Cover the saucepan and cook the sweet potato until fork tender.
Drain the sweet potato and return to the saucepan.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
Add in the brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use a potato masher and mash all the ingredients until smooth.
Fold in ½ cup chopped pecans.
Evenly spoon and spread the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans and the mini marshmallows.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Serve while hot.

Notes

This recipe can be made for a larger crowd, you can easily double it if you need.
If you have a preferred method of cooking sweet potatoes, such as baking or in the microwave, you can cook them that way instead.
Keep an eye on the marshmallows at the end of the baking time so that you don’t burn them.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!