A white, oval casserole dish filled with Easy Sweet Potato Casserole and topped with Pecan Streusel topping. A orange towel is under the casserole dish and everything is sitting on a board back drop. A silver spoon is in the dish lifting some of the casserole out. A hand is just visible in the left hand corner lifting the spoon and some cinnamon sticks are placed on the left hand side of the casserole dish.

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Happy November y’all! Can you believe that Turkey Day is almost here? Neither can I. Today I wanted to share this recipe for the best, most perfect,  Easy Sweet Potato Casserole. While we’re extolling the virtues of this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, let’s not forget the crumb topping that will make you want to slap somebody! Just please don’t actually slap someone. Especially not at the Thanksgiving dinner table – they just might slap you back. I’m sure some of you if not all of you probably grew up with a traditional sweet potato dish at your family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. If you didn’t grow up eating Sweet Potato Casserole, you likely grew up eating Candied Yams, Baked Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Pie.

While my mom’s family loved Candied Yams, I always found them too sweet for me as a kid, so I just assumed I didn’t like sweet potatoes. Then when I married my husband and tasted my mother-in-law’s Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, I had to re-valuate my previous decision. Let me just tell ya what you’ve probably already guessed, my mother-in-law’s Sweet Potato Casserole is THE BEST! (Hey! If you’re looking for more great Holiday recipes, check out my Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole.)

 

A white, oval casserole dish filled with Easy Sweet Potato Casserole and topped with Pecan Streusel topping. A orange towel is under the casserole dish and everything is sitting on a board back drop. A silver spoon is in the dish lifting some of the casserole out.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans

Fortunately for you guys, she gave me permission to share it here with you all today, and I couldn’t be happier! I made a slight change to this recipe by adding cinnamon into the sweet potato blend because let’s be honest, you can never have too much cinnamon! Every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas I always ask (aka shameless beg) my mother-in-law to make this Sweet Potato Casserole and she always obliges. Some of us love the crunchy pecan and brown sugar streusel, and others love the toasted and gooey marshmallow topping. I love both toppings, but I have to say the Sweet Potato Casserole with pecans is my absolute favorite. Since my mother-in-law tries to make the whole table happy, she usually makes this Sweet Potato Casserole with half Pecan Streusel topping and half marshmallow topping. However you choose to top your Sweet Potato Casserole, I can guarantee it will wow the crowd and your friends and family will keep coming back for seconds!

 

A white, oval casserole dish is filled with pecan topped Sweet Potato Casserole and sitting on a wood back drop. An orange towel is under the casserole dish with cinnamon sticks on the left hand side of the dish. A silver spoon is also beside the casserole dish.

 

How to Make Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

To make the perfect, Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, start out with three (very) large sweet potatoes or 4-5 sweet potatoes if they’re smaller. You need 4 cups of sweet potatoes once they’re all peeled and diced and my potatoes were huge, so 3 was plenty for me.

 

A black granite counter top with three large orange sweet potatoes on the counter.

 

The Best Way to Peel Sweet Potatoes

Once your potatoes have been selected, you’ll need to peel the rough skins off. I like to use a potato peeler to peel my potatoes, but a good, sharp, paring knife will work as well. Once your sweet potatoes are peeled, you’ll be ready to dice them for cooking.

 

A white cutting board sits on a black granite counter top with three sweet potatoes on it. One potato is peeled, one is unpeeled, and one is in the process of being peeled with a silver potato peeler.

 

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Dice your peeled potatoes into medium sized chunks and place them in a large stock pot or sauce pan. Fill the pan with water – just enough to completely cover the potatoes.

 

A large, black, pot holds peeled and diced sweet potatoes.

 

How to Get Perfectly Tender Sweet Potatoes

Add a pinch of salt in with the potatoes, then cover the pot with a lid and set the heat to high. Boil the sweet potatoes until they are completely tender and falling apart. This boiling process will take about 15-20 minutes. If you want to skip this part for a really fast Sweet Potato Casserole, you can always used 4 cups of canned sweet potatoes, however, I highly recommend boiling fresh potatoes.

 

A large black pot with a clear glass lid sits on a white stove. The pot is filled with peeled and diced sweet potatoes that are covered in water and just beginning to boil.

 

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Once the potatoes are boiled and completely tender, remove the lid and turn the heat off. Drain all water from the sweet potatoes and remove from the heat.

 

A large black pot sits on a white stove with steaming and cooked peeled and diced sweet potatoes. The water has been drained from the pot.

 

Why I Add Eggs in Sweet Potato Casserole

Now that your sweet potatoes are cooked and tender, it’s time to move on to adding the other ingredients. Add in 2 raw eggs and 4 tablespoons of butter, along with 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Eggs in Sweet Potato Casserole might seem a little strange but they act as a binding and thickening agent to keep the casserole nice and fluffy without being a watery, mushy mess. The eggs in the Sweet Potato Casserole hold everything together so the casserole keeps it’s shape.

 

Large black pot with cooked, peeled and diced sweet potatoes with two raw eggs, some heavy whipping cream, and some butter.

 

How to Prepare Sweet Potato Casserole

Now we’re going to sweeten things up a bit by adding in 1/2 cup of white, granulated sugar. If you’re concerned with the sugar content you could replace the sugar for Splenda or simply reduce the amount of sugar for a less sweet casserole.

 

A hand holding a blue half cup measuring cup filled with white, granulated sugar with a large black pot under it. The pot has cooked and diced sweet potatoes with two raw eggs, heavy cream and butter in it.

 

Thicken Sweet Potato Casserole with Eggs

Now that you have tender sweet potatoes mixed with butter, eggs, sugar, and heavy whipping cream, add in 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. If you read just a few lines above, you already know that adding eggs to Sweet Potato Casserole works as a binding and thickening agent. If you are tempted to skip the eggs in this casserole, please don’t! Eggs are a great way to thicken your Sweet Potato Casserole and give it just the right consistency.

 

A large black pot with cooked and peeled sweet potatoes along with two raw eggs, white sugar, ground cinnamon, butter, and heavy cream.

 

Mix All Ingredients Together for the Perfect Sweet Potato Casserole

Use a spatula to stir all of the ingredients together in the pot, mixing and beating the two eggs in as you go. Be sure that all ingredients are stirred well and combined!

 

A black pot with mixed Sweet Potato Casserole mixture and a blue spatula resting inside the pot.

 

Blend the Sweet Potatoes for a Creamy Sweet Potato Casserole

This is where you’re going to take these sweet potatoes from good to absolutely slap somebody outstanding. An immersion blender is handy here to blend this sweet potato mixture. Blending this mixture is the key to getting this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole so smooth, creamy, and delicious!

 

A large black pot with mixed and blended orange sweet potato casserole mixture in the pot and blue spatula inside.

 

Making Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

Time to make the pecan streusel topping! You’ll need: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Combine all of the above ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

 

A small, clear glass mixing bowl with flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans and butter sitting on a black granite counter top.

 

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Topping

Use a butter cutter to cut the butter into the ingredients in the bowl. If you’re country folk like me and don’t own a butter cutter, use a biscuit cutter to cut the butter into your streusel mixture. Just cut and “chop” until the butter is in small pieces, then use a spatula to stir this mixture together to combine.

 

A small, clear glass mixing bowl sitting on a black granite counter top and filled with chopped pecans and a chopped and mixed flour, brown sugar and butter mixture.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole Can Be Made Ahead of Time

Once the pecan topping is made for the Sweet Potato Casserole, spray a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the Sweet Potato Casserole mixture in the dish and then top it evenly with the pecan topping. You can also top this casserole with 2 cups of miniature marshmallows if you prefer. If you’re making this Sweet Potato Casserole ahead of time, don’t add the topping! Just cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. The day you bake the casserole is when you’ll add the topping.

 

A white, oval casserole dish sitting on a white stove and filled with Sweet Potato Casserole, topped with a pecan streusel topping.

 

How to Bake Sweet Potato Casserole

If you’re not making this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole in advance, or even if you are, add the topping to the Sweet Potato Casserole. Once the topping is added, place the Sweet Potato Casserole in the oven and bake at 325F for 30 minutes. If you had this casserole in the refrigerator prior to cooking, you may need to cook it for an additional 10 minutes just so it heats through.

 

A white, oval casserole dish filled with Sweet Potato Casserole is placed in a silver oven.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole Does Need to be Refrigerated When Stored

Once cooked, carefully remove the sweet potato casserole from the oven and serve hot! If you have any leftovers, this Easy Sweet Potato Casserole will need to be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator since it contains eggs and milk.

 

A baked Sweet Potato Casserole on a white stove top in a white oval casserole dish.

 

How to Re-Heat Sweet Potato Casserole

If you saved some leftovers and you want to re-heat them, you can use a microwave to get them hot fast. Using a microwave won’t change the taste or texture of this casserole and it will be delicious and fresh once heated! If you don’t want to use a microwave, you can also use a small conventional oven to heat it back up.

 

A close up of the Pecan Topped Sweet Potato Casserole in a white oval casserole dish sitting on a wood back drop.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole as Dessert

I’ve seen a lot of questions asked as to whether or not Sweet Potato Casserole is a dessert, so I wanted to address that. Traditionally, Sweet Potato Casserole isn’t served as a dessert here in the South. Sweet Potato Casserole is a traditional, Southern Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish and we serve it right alongside the turkey and Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole.  However, Sweet Potato Casserole is so delicious and sweet that it could be served as a dessert if you really want to. I hope you’ve had fun today making Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with me! I feel confident enough in this recipe that I can guarantee it will be the best Sweet Potato Casserole you’ve ever made.

 

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole topped with Pecan Streusel in a white casserole dish. A spoon full of the casserole has been taken out of the right corner and the orange sweet potatoes under the topping are visible. Everything is sitting on a wood back drop and an orange towel is under the casserole dish. Some cinnamon sticks are placed on the left hand side of the casserole dish.

 

A white, oval casserole dish filled with Easy Sweet Potato Casserole and topped with Pecan Streusel topping. A orange towel is under the casserole dish and everything is sitting on a board back drop. A silver spoon is in the dish lifting some of the casserole out. A hand is just visible in the left hand corner lifting the spoon and some cinnamon sticks are placed on the left hand side of the casserole dish.
5 from 1 vote
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Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole is a sweet and creamy traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish with a crunchy pecan streusel topping. 

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 9 servings
Author Amy - The Speedy Spatula

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Casserole:

  • 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pecan Streusel Topping:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

Sweet Potato Casserole:

  1. Place the peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a large stock pot and fill the pot with water, just enough to cover the sweet potatoes.

  2. Add a pinch of salt and cover the pot, turning the heat to high.

  3. Boil the sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until completely tender and falling apart.

  4. Drain all water from the sweet potatoes, then add in the eggs, sugar, butter, heavy cream, vanilla and ground cinnamon.

  5. Stir all ingredients together with a spatula, beating the eggs in as you go.

  6. Use an immersion blender to blend the sweet potato mixture until completely blended and totally smooth.

  7. Spray a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour the sweet potato mixture into the dish.

  8. If you're making this ahead of time, cover the dish with plastic wrap and store in the fridge, adding the Pecan topping the day you bake it.

Pecan Streusel Topping:

  1. Combine all ingredients for the topping in a small mixing bowl and cut the butter into the mixture using a butter cutter or biscuit cutter.

  2. Once the butter is chopped into fine pieces, use a spatula to stir the ingredients together.

  3. Sprinkle the topping over the Sweet Potato Casserole and bake in the oven at 325F for 30 minutes or slightly longer if you've had the casserole stored in the fridge.

  4. Carefully remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Recipe Notes

2 cups of miniature marshmallows can be used for the topping if you prefer. 

3 thoughts on “Easy Sweet Potato Casserole”

  1. 5 stars
    Your Sweet Potato Casserole will be a great side dish for the upcoming holiday meals! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply

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